There was no hatred in his heart toward the Sarkaz—after all, he was once a player himself. But if he were to show up in Kazdel now, the Sarkaz mercenaries who viewed the Sankta as sworn enemies would undoubtedly swarm him without hesitation.

He wasn’t strong enough yet. What he needed was an opportunity.

These past days in Moshan Town, he hadn’t been idle. Like some of the more production-inclined players, he had taken up the blacksmith as his secondary profession.

After Dandao Dantart switched to the Guard class, Felix had specially purchased equipment tailored for them—things Guards typically favored, like a foldable mechanical knife. He knew they didn’t have much in the way of LMD, so he set the purchase condition to experience points instead.

He couldn’t use the daily experience from his personal quota, but he could issue tasks to Dandao Dantart, allowing them to consume his experience. The experience points would flow back and forth between them—effectively recyclable—and Felix could then allocate that regained experience toward his secondary professions.

By investing the recovered experience into the [Mechanic Apprentice] and [Novice Blacksmith] paths, he managed to raise them to Lv15 and Lv2 respectively, earning seven free attribute points in the process. The blacksmith path also granted a small bonus—+1 Strength. A modest gain, but not worthless. After mastering the basics of ironworking and understanding the foundational principles of metallurgy, his remaining experience wasn’t enough to push either profession further.

Still, there was good news. His level had reached 38, resulting in a small increase in both HP and MP. However, his combat rank remained largely unchanged, still hovering around Rank 1.

Unlike other players, Felix wasn’t subject to level caps and could, in theory, endlessly stack sub-professions and levels. This could eventually turn him into a tanky pure health sponge. But the downside was obvious—no substantial increase in strength or class rating.

Recently, Dandao Dantart had been following Felix around like loyal henchmen, practically glued to his side. He flattered him at every opportunity, clearly hoping to curry favor. Unfortunately, his favorability rating remained stuck at 1—the same as when they first met.

His constant presence didn’t go unnoticed, especially by a certain NPC girl who had grown increasingly annoyed. To her, they were like sticky candy—wherever Felix went, they followed, constantly interrupting the atmosphere of any gathering.

“This outsider really doesn’t know his place,” she thought. “So irritating… who even understands him?”

Felix, however, had already set his sights on something far beyond Moshan Town. His thoughts had drifted toward distant Kazimierz, where the real opportunities awaited—and where he could fleece the richest sheep.

—

“Boss Lao, there’s a notice posted in the village. Looks like a knight tournament will be held in a nearby town. Should we go check it out?”

The five members of Team Liquid sat together, holding a meeting. They had yet to regroup with the remaining ten members of their team, so their only means of communication was through the outside world and their internal group chat, where they regularly updated each other on their progress.

Their captain, known as Lao Silaisi, was respectfully referred to by everyone as Boss Lao.

Lao Silaisi was reviewing the details of the mission he had recently accepted. Having done a thorough walkthrough before entering the game, he was well aware that knight culture was deeply rooted in Kazimierz, and that the Novice Knight class was one of the few powerful secondary professions available to players in the early stages. Because of this class’s uniqueness and its synergy with team-based strategies, the coach of Team Liquid had allowed the pro players to select three different races, increasing their flexibility and class options for future gameplay.

Lao Silaisi shook his head. “Xueyu, we can’t go that far just to enter the tournament. Don’t forget—there’s a registration fee.”

Xueyuxingfeng, Team Liquid’s second-in-command, sighed as he heard this. He understood well that Lao Silaisi was right. After leaving the beginner area and arriving at the small town, they had joined the town patrol. By chance, they’d learned the Knight sub-profession from the patrol captain. Over the past few weeks, they had worked relentlessly from dawn till dusk, completing task after task. Lao Silaisi, with the highest level among them, had only just managed to raise his Novice Knight class to Lv4.

At that level, joining the tournament would be like walking into a slaughterhouse.

“I heard from the town NPCs that outstanding knights in the tournament might get the chance to enter the main city of Kazimierz,” Lao Silaisi said with a thoughtful expression. “After the internal test ends, we can give it a shot. Even though it’s called the Knight Tournament, it’s not limited to those with the knight sub-profession. I attended the promotional event a few days ago—there were participants using crossbows and even magic swords.”

“The level cap in version 1.0 is 30,” he added. “Once everyone in Liquid hits level 15, we’ll enter the tournament together.”

After he spoke, the other four—including Xueyuxingfeng—nodded in agreement. A Level 15 sub-profession was definitely worth investing in. As professional players, none of them would waste time on useless side classes.

Xueyuxingfeng spoke up, “I heard from one of the NPCs that the 21st Kazimierz Knight Tournament will be held in the main city next year. We can start preparing for that. Even if we lose, we should still get some reward drops out of it.”

They glanced over at the old calendar hanging on the wall. It was still five months until the year 1088, which meant there was plenty of time to prepare after the internal test ended.

Lao Silaisi checked the time. Only a few Terra hours remained before the internal test came to a close. At this point, there was nothing else they could do in-game. They’d be back in a few days anyway.

“We’ll call a meeting after logging off,” he said. “Let’s update the rest of the team on the plan. And ask the coaching staff if they’ve made any new discoveries.”

“Got it.”

“OK.”

The group made matching “OK” gestures before logging off from their beds. In no time, the once lively house fell completely silent.

A few hours later, all players across Terra were logged out as the one-month internal test concluded. In the small towns and remote villages of the game world, bewildered NPCs were left scratching their heads.

Where did those Bull Demons go?

Did they run off after stealing something?

Dandao Dantart reluctantly said goodbye to Felix and logged off. He worried that by the time he came back online, this handsome NPC might have vanished.

Felix let out a long sigh of relief. Being entangled every day, especially by Nan… to be honest, it was getting a little difficult to endure.

He glanced at the system interface.

[Template: NPC (90 days, 1 hour, 19 minutes, and 18 seconds until the public beta begins)]

The time ratio between Ark and the real world was 3:1, and the public beta would begin one month after the end of the internal test. From that perspective, the timing felt quite reasonable.

He was preparing to return to Laterano.

As a Messenger.

—

After dozens of days and nights, Felix once again stood on the land before the Holy City. Though he had been away for over a year, the Holy City had not changed at all. It remained the sole sanctuary in a world steeped in suffering.

After presenting his credentials to the Laterano Guards stationed at the gate, Felix underwent a routine physical examination. The duties of a Messenger were inherently perilous, and a health check was mandatory each time they returned to the Holy City.

Once the blood test confirmed he was not infected with Oripathy, he was allowed entry.

Instead of heading straight home, he parked his vehicle next to the Laterano Notary Office. Dusting himself off, Felix stepped inside.

As a Messenger, returning to report on work progress was part of his responsibilities—but in Felix’s eyes, it was a formality. The completion rate of a Messenger’s missions could easily be verified via the terminal, making this process feel largely redundant.

He bowed respectfully to Ilse, the white-haired old man on duty at the notary office, and said, “I’d like to apply for the highest-level access to the Laterano Library.”

Ilse looked at him, smiling. “I’ll report your request to the Pope’s Office, but it may take a few days to receive a response.”

“More importantly,” Ilse continued, “your report—like those of other Messengers—mentioned the sudden appearance of wanderers on this land. You wrote that you had personal contact with several of them. So… have you learned anything more?”

At that, several elder councillors who had been occupied with other matters paused their work. Their attention shifted to the young man now standing before them—perhaps the youngest Messenger in the notary office, and certainly one of the most outstanding youths in the entire Holy City of Laterano.

The emergence of these mysterious players had not escaped the notice of those in power. Leaders and officials were no fools; naturally, they were cautious of the sudden arrival of these wanderers. Yet for all their concern, they still lacked one crucial thing—information.

And Felix’s report—his direct contact with several of these wanderers—had drawn their sharp attention. When his report was delivered, most of the senior officials of the notary office had gathered specifically to hear it.

This conversation would be relayed word-for-word to the current Pope. It could very well determine Laterano’s stance toward the players—and just as importantly, shape the Pope’s judgment of Felix himself: whether he should continue to roam the land as a Messenger to fulfill his duty as a Sankta, or whether his power might be better utilized within Laterano.

Felix had no intention of being permanently bound to Laterano. Yet, after all, he was a Sankta.

“I’ve spoken with several of them. They are young and middle-aged, of various races, both men and women. They appeared suddenly on this land, with no past and no background,” Felix said, feigning recollection as he continued. “They’ve made small settlements their bases of operation. Their ultimate purpose remains unclear, but if you offer them adequate compensation, they’ll work diligently for you.”

“I’ve never heard of any wandering Sankta,” one of the elderly men snapped, shaking his head furiously. “It’s absurd. Truly ridiculous.”

“Felix, we’ve heard your accounts of their behavior,” Ilse interjected, calming the elder’s outrage. He turned his steady, rational gaze on Felix. “What is your judgment? Do they pose a threat to Laterano’s current stability?”

Felix recalled his past life. In the early and middle stages, the players had little impact on Laterano—or any other force, for that matter. But once players advanced to the four-star level, their numbers reached tens of millions across Terra. They were immortal and constantly engaged in battle… At that stage, some powers had already begun to regard them as a genuine threat.

Although the players lacked unity, they often carried a sense of superiority over NPCs and local factions. After all, this was a game, not the real world. Just like how players might cause chaos in GTA 10 for amusement—yet remain law-abiding citizens in real life.

There were indeed orderly and benevolent players, but just as many who were chaotic and destructive.

What players sought most was respect. In MMORPGs, a player’s in-game identity was a projection of themselves. They immersed themselves in these otherworldly experiences while treating their avatars as their second selves.

As long as they were given respect, rewards, a sense of freedom, and a compelling emotional story, players would remain loyal. That was how Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals treated their Operators—and, in turn, how they treated the players.

“They are newborns,” Felix said calmly. “They know little of this land. They are mercenaries, willing to risk their lives for pay. They are people—driven by emotion and desire.”

He concluded, “Respect, benefits, and freedom. Give them these, and Laterano will once again shine as the only holy light in this land of suffering—just like it always has.”

His words were beautifully delivered, but the old man still sneered. “It sounds nice… but in the end, they’re still mercenaries. Hah! So many Sankta mercenaries who don’t even believe in the dogma. It’s heresy…”

Ilse offered a few soothing words and nodded thoughtfully. “I understand. Thank you for your efforts, Felix. That was an excellent report. I’m sure the Pope will be very pleased to hear this.”

Felix nodded, stood, and quietly left.

—

What is unchanging will eventually change. Some will fear it, scorn it, even curse it… But not all things will remain the same. The strong will face change with heads held high. Ilse took the report from the scribe and made his way to the Papal Hall.

—

When Felix returned home, he was surprised to find the house had been cleaned. He couldn’t recall whom he had given the key to. The faint scent of cleanliness still lingered in the air, suggesting the visitor had left not long ago.

He removed his coat and tossed it into the washing machine before stepping into the bathroom to enjoy a long, hot shower.

Thanks to Ark’s ultra-realistic fluid simulations, players could finally experience bathing in-game—it was no longer just a dream.

However, players couldn’t take off their pants during a shower, which was rather awkward.

Felix, on the other hand, could undress freely. He could even defecate.

After drying his hair, Felix sat quietly on the sofa. The comfort of being home settled over him, easing his spirit while filling him with fatigue. Before long, he had drifted into a deep sleep.

—

A knock on the door awakened him.

His recent travels had sharpened his vigilance. It was already dark outside. With his halo and wings, Felix had no need for lights. He walked cautiously to the door in the dark, peeked through the peephole, and then opened it.

“Surprise~”

A cake was handed to him. Felix accepted it and looked up at the visitor.

“I heard from friends at the notary office that you were back, so I came to see you,” said Mostima, blinking her beautiful blue eyes with a gentle, graceful smile. “So I thought I’d raid your house. How are you? Did you miss me?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep