Rebirth of the Supreme Sentinel

Chapter 14: Brute Kingdom

-So your next move is? (Sentinel)

Sen asked the moment they exit the ORA building.

“It’s about time to invest on Skillbooks.”

In the case that ORA didn’t accept the offer, they were reserving the money they collected to buy a place themselves. Hence now that it was the case no more and the deal is half closed, Nichol intend to utilize that money to purchase Ranger related stuffs especially Skillbooks.

Skills acquired from Skillbooks are the second most crucial to the Rangers’ might next to their Innate Skills. Learning the appropriate skills compatible to their Innate and their affinity, a Ranger’s power can grow exponentially.

On the other hand, learning the Skillbooks has some catches. For starters, there’s a limit of the number of Skillbooks a Ranger or a human can learn called Skill Slots.

For a Level 1 like himself, he has a single Skill Slot and it will be increased by two more slots once his Level advanced to Level 2.

Level 1 – 1 Skill Slot

Level 2 – 3 Skill Slots

Level 3 – 6 Skill Slots

Level 4 – 10 Skill Slots

…and so on.

As for the ordinary humans who had utilized the Heart-type to become a Ranger, due to their lack of Innate Skills, the Heart-type will both serve as their Skill Slot No. 1 and their Innate Skill.

Next knowhow about Skillbooks and Skill Slots is that they’re not permanent. A Skill in the Skill Slot can be replaced anytime by making a new Skill occupy the said slot. The only exceptions are the Heart-types since they mimic Innate Skills and hence, are permanent once learned.

Lastly, unlike the Innate Skills which Levels are dependent to the Ranger’s Level or in some rare cases, can grow independently, like Nichol’s One Above All, Skills acquired from Skillbooks has proficiency meters which are divided by three tiers: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced, with each tier having 9 advancement stages from Stage 1 to Stage 9.

-I suggest we buy a Weapon Enchant Skillbook. (Sentinel)

“A Weapon Enchant?”

Weapon Enchant is a Skill which enables a Ranger to strengthen weapons. It’s a Skill most compatible to a Transmuter focused on Support.  

-Yeah. After we developed the Flying Swords… (Sentinel)

The Flying Swords are the sword-shaped drones they’d developed which can now both function for attack, both in range and melee, and defence by erecting barriers or for a sturdier need, by clustering together to form a barricade. It can also be rode like a hoverboard.

-…using the weapons we collected from Clawnest, it is best to have a Skill that can strengthen them. (Sentinel)

 “I’m thinking more about having a Skill which can aid us in storage.” There are some Skills such Dimensional Storage that as the name implies, is a Skill which enables its user to have a dimensional storage to conveniently store and summon stuffs. “I mean, we have 13 Flying Swords and each of them are huge.” Each of the Flying Swords are 5-feet tall and a foot wide. “Even if I fold or disassemble them through Shambles, they won’t still fit in my bag. Not to mention how time consuming that is.”

-But Skills like that are very rare and very expensive. (Sentinel)

Of course it is. If Skills like that are common then the porter business would have gone extinct a long time ago.

“I didn’t mean an actual Skill like Dimensional Storage but something which can make our loads, you know, more convenient to carry.”

-So a size-shifting Skill. (Sentinel)

“Exactly.” It’s completely unrelated to dimensional storing but Skills like that can allow its users to reduce the size of an item even one that’s as big as a car to fit into a coin pouch. Unfortunately, this sort of Skills are rarely utilized in this manner or not utilized at all since Rangers will prefer reserving their Skill Slots to battle and support related Skills.

-There’s a lot of them in the market and they’re pretty cheap. (Sentinel)

“Then make a reservation on the nearest store.”

-On it! (Sentinel)

◆◆◆◆◆◆

Seattle, Washington

A week later…

A week had passed like a blink of an eye and the teams of Level 2 Rangers sent by the State Branches of the Rangers Association and the Guilds both locally and from nearby States are gathering at the intersection of E. Roy Street and Harvard Avenue where the rift towards the Brute Kingdom had emerged.

Around a thousand Rangers are expected to participate.

“This area is restricted.”

Of course, entry is restricted to normal civilians. For safety reasons, only licensed Rangers and authorized people are allowed entry within the perimeter of the rift.

“I’m actually a participant.” In response to the security’s blockade, Nichol presented his license and the pass issued to him by ORA.

Confirming the pass and license, the demeanour of the soldiers blocking the entrance changed. “Our apologies Sir Ranger,” the one who blocked Nichol said, then gestured to the direction of the rift. “Please, head to the gathering point.”

“Thank you,” Nichol politely replied, receiving his pass and license back.

His politeness slightly shocked the soldiers. Expectedly, Rangers courteous to ordinary people are quite rare.

*VROOM!

But then, just as they’d entered the restricted area, three sports cars and a van arrived and passed through the entrance, and unlike Nichol, the securities didn’t bother checking the identities of its passengers. The emblem attached to these cars were all the identifications they needed to see.

-No. 3 in the Washington State Ranking. They’re the HAMMER Guild. (Sentinel)

Sen relayed when they passed them.

“Their reputation?”

-Unpleasant. (Sentinel)

“Note taken.” In a raid of this size, the thing a lone Ranger such as himself should avoid the most are companies he can never get along, and the HAMMER Guild fell perfectly to that category.

Continuing towards the gathering point, Nichol took the granola bar from his sling bag. An act that inevitably swept the cluster of 13 sword-shaped trinkets hanging above his jean’s right pocket, causing them to jingle.

“Can we ask what these are?” When Nichol settled at a vacant corner in the gathering point, a reporter team approached and requested an interview to the Ranger group stationed closest to him which happened to also be Portland locals like himself. The reporter’s interest is towards the cylindrical metal objects hovering around them.

“Oh these?” The leader of the group responded. “These are the ABDs, automated battle drones that the Oregon branch recently developed,” he declared proudly then gave a brief demonstration. “It can attack.” He threw a clay target upward and the drone shoots it with a laser. The attack power is similar to a standard Mana Gun. “And defend.” Then, he threw another clay target but towards the drone this time. The drone erected a barrier and the clay target shattered upon contact. “It’s still in beta-testing but all the Ranger teams from Oregon were given a dozen ABDs each to test how well they fair against the monsters.”

-Damn, they’re quick. (Sentinel)

Sen remarked.

‘Damn right.’ Then Nichol seconded.

It’s only been a week since he introduced the technology and it’s already in the phase of beta-testing and mass production.

After that, half an hour expired and the Association finally gave the go-signal for the Rangers to enter the Maze entrance.

“The Apostle Guild is entering the Maze!”

No. 1 in the Oregon State Ranking and the most renowned among the Guilds in the west States. It’s the Guild led and co-founded by the Ice Princess, Breanne Lore. Hence, their entrance to the Maze were excitedly broadcasted by the reporters.

-Their reputation sure is something. (Sentinel)

Sen commented.

First entry is very crucial in a large-scaled raid such as this. Not only are they safer against fellow Rangers that might carry ill intentions but more importantly, those Rangers that first entered had the advantage to secure and raid the richest territory inside the Maze. Normally, this privilege is settled through a bidding but the Association had unconditionally decided to give it to the Apostle Guild.

The reputation and accomplishments of the Ice Princess is just too great that her Guild will naturally enjoy such special treatment.

Fortunately, though partly, the privilege was also extended to Nichol and the other Oregon locals. Next to the Rangers of the Apostle Guild, the Rangers that are from Oregon are the next to be granted entrance.

‘Let’s go!’ Nichol braved himself and head to the Maze entrance. At the same time, as he advances closer to the entrance, he attracted some attentions as unlike the other Rangers that are equipped by high-quality gears from head to toe, Nichol is simply clad with jeans and a white shirt underneath a denim jacket. Pair those with his cap and the sling bag hanging across his body, he looked more like a college student than a Ranger who’s about to embark the Maze.

◆◆◆◆◆◆

*FLASH!

A shining light, too bright for the eyes to gaze, dimmed down, and a lush forest revealed itself before them.

Ding!

______________________________

You have entered the Brute Kingdom

______________________________

Clearing Condition: Eliminate every single monster.

______________________________

Orcs – [10,000]

Orc Champions – [50]

*Clearing the Brute Kingdom employs the Points System. Defeating an Orc gives +1point while the Orc Champion gives +200points.

**Upon the Maze’s clearance, each point is equivalent to a reward and the Ranger with the most points will also receive a Special Prize.

______________________________

Then, just as what was written in the reports, the Akashic System revealed that the clearing of the Brute Kingdom truly promotes competition among Rangers. Hence, not long after engaging the Orcs, the situation had already developed into the…

“Kill it!”

“Hey, we found this Orc first!”

“Keep your hands off our catch!”

…teams trying to defeat as many Orcs as they can, baring their fangs to their competitors.

-This is not going to end well. (Sentinel)

Sen conveyed his deduction.

“Not a problem of ours.” In which Nichol dismissed. Unlike the rest that are already busy hunting the Orcs, Nichol is still near the entry point, busily manipulating the keyboard of his laptop while he waits for the return of his scout drones or simply, the Seekers.

*Tap tap tap!

“First of all, those people who will bite their own kin for benefits deserves no sympathy and second, there’s no dishonour dying for your desire.”

-Heh, fair enough. By the way, why aren’t we hunting yet? It’s already half a day. And why do you still need to send the Scouts? We already have data. (Sentinel)

“I have an odd feeling about this Maze,” Nichol said. Regardless of the Orcs and the Orc Champions’ number, a Rank 5 Maze can’t be this simple. “There’s something about it that the system is not telling us.”

-How can you tell? (Sentinel)

Conveying that query, Nichol froze then groaned as a realization struck him. “I knew I forgot something when I created you.” He forgot to program him to develop ‘instinct’. “We’ll deal with that later on.”

-Eh? (Sentinel)

Sen’s non-existent head tilted at Nichol’s words, confused.

“Got it!” Then at last, after a couple more hours, Nichol finally found what he was looking for and recalled the Seekers.

-What is it? What did found? (Sentinel)

Sen inquired immediately.

“Using the videogame term, this Maze has a Hidden Level,” Nichol replied. “And a Hidden Boss.”