Overwhelming Firepower

The day after meeting Alexander, Lucen bought a bottle of the finest wine in the village and a few pieces of bread.

After that, he decided to head to the temple of the unknown deity. In the game, that location was just for atmosphere; no one was able to figure out what it was supposed to do.

But maybe now that he was here in real life, he might sense something unusual. The temple was located just outside the village.

Despite the scenery being a little bit different from his memory, it didn't take Lucen long to find the general area where the temple was located.

Lucen was now deep into the forest and could no longer hear the noise of the village. Even the wind felt softer here, as if the forest itself was isolating this place from the rest of the world.

After a while, he finally saw the temple of the unknown deity. It did not stand out; in fact, it almost blended into its surroundings, as if it had no desire to be noticed.

It was a small wooden structure. At first glance, there was nothing remarkable about it. The wood looked aged but not rotten, as if it had been standing there for a long time without truly decaying.

One would not even know this was a temple of a deity if they saw it. The only reason Lucen knows about it is that, in the game, when you arrive in this area, the location is named the Temple of the unknown deity.

Lucen stopped a few steps away from the wooden structure. "Well, unlike everything else in the starting village, this one has remained exactly the same."

Lucen cautiously approached the area. He slowed his steps slightly, his eyes scanning every detail without missing anything.

When he is in battle, battle instinct would help him avoid danger, but in normal situations like this, if there was danger, battle instinct would not activate.

Lucen entered the temple, and as expected, the insides were worn down from the passage of time.

The wooden floor creaked faintly beneath his steps. The sound echoed slightly, as if the space was emptier than it should be.

The walls were bare, marked only by faint scratches and discoloration that came with age.

At the center of the temple stood a simple altar. There were no carvings, ornaments, or any other thing that could possibly indicate this place was a temple for a deity, nor did it show what kind of deity was being worshiped here.

It was just an empty wooden platform, as if something was supposed to be there, but never was. The absence itself felt intentional, not natural, and that unsettled him slightly. It was as if the emptiness itself was watching him in silence.

Lucen shook his head and discarded such thoughts as he then started checking the entire area out. It was basically one room with a single platform, so it didn't take him too long to check every corner.

'Yeah, there really isn't anything here.'

Which, in Lucen's eyes, made it even more suspicious. In a game, places like this were never truly empty. There was always something hidden, waiting for the correct action to reveal itself.

'Okay then, onto plan B. Let's try giving offerings.'

Lucen took out the wine and bread he bought a while ago and placed them on the platform. Lucen then got on one knee and started to pray.

"O' Deity, please accept my humble offerings."

Since Lucen did not know who the deity was enshrined here, he just said some random things, trying to sound at least somewhat respectful.

He waited for a while, holding still and listening carefully, but there was nothing.

'I guess that wasn't it either. Well, there was no action to pray when it was a game, so I thought it might work, but I guess not. Now what else can I do here.'

Lucen then, out of nowhere, started dancing. It was not graceful, as he was never a good dancer. But if this was a hidden trigger, then anything was worth trying.

He stopped, and nothing happened. He then started singing very loudly, using the lyrics from a song he practiced in his past life, but still, nothing. Not even the slightest reaction from the surroundings.

He recited a poem, but nothing happened. He continued doing one outrageous thing after another, but just like everything else, nothing happened.

Lucen was getting a little frustrated, but he quickly regained his composure, forcing himself to think calmly instead of acting impulsively.

This was a very normal reaction for a gamer who was having a problem in a section of the game, like when you're solving a hard puzzle, or you get lost, or you're fighting a powerful enemy.

'Hm... Since I already tried everything, there's only one final action I can take.'

Lucen breathed in and out as his aura mantle enveloped his body, his mana core making his mana circulate faster inside him. Lucen then created a trench gun and loaded it with bullets.

"Since this place doesn't have anything to offer, and it seems whatever deity was here is no longer here. I guess it will be all right to destroy this place."

If nothing reacts, then maybe force is the trigger. If it doesn't work, then he would be able to at least unleash his frustration.

Lucen paused for a brief moment before pulling the trigger. Something felt rather off. His instinct, even without his skills, were quite sharp now, and it was telling him that there was something wrong.

Still, that hesitation only lasted for a second before he decided that he would take the risk and took action.

The second Lucen lifted the trench gun and was about to fire when he felt an incredible force pushing him down.

This familiar feeling was something he had gotten used to now; it was the presence of a deity.

No, this somehow felt rather different. It was still a suffocating presence, but it was not entirely pushing him down; it simply stopped him from pulling the trigger, as if denying the action itself.

It was at this moment that he saw two figures standing before him. Lucen's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the two figures that had appeared before him.

They had not entered; there was no sound, no movement, no distortion of space. One moment, the altar was empty; the next, they were simply there.

The figure on the left stood upright, his posture perfectly straight, as if his body had been aligned with an invisible axis.

He wore simple garments, unadorned and free of any decoration, yet they carried a sense of refinement that made even the finest noble attire seem excessive.

His hair was dark, tied neatly behind him. Not a single strand was out of place. This was not a normal look to have in Aerok.

His deep, dark eyes were fixed on Lucen. There was no arrogance, no pride, no emotion that could be read at a glance.

They were sharp, clear, and unwavering, like a blade that had been tempered to absolute perfection. It was not a gaze that sought to dominate, nor one that sought to intimidate.

There was no excess in him. Everything about him seemed to say he had refined his path to its absolute limit.

In complete contrast, the second figure was sitting on top of the altar itself, one leg lazily crossed over the other.

He leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand as if he had been waiting for something mildly entertaining to happen.

His clothing was dark, loose, and unrestrained, hanging off his body without care. Unlike the other person, his hair was long and untied, falling freely around his shoulders.

Unlike the first person, his presence was far heavier. Not in the sense of pressure, but in the sense of weight.

As if everything around him was beneath him. His eyes curved slightly, carrying a faint, amused smile, but there was something behind it, something sharp. Something that felt like it could devour everything if it wished.

'These two look like characters from a Korean Murim webtoon. They're completely different from the Western fantasy aesthetic of Aerok. Still, based on how they look and feel, I got a feeling I can guess who they are.'

"Martial God." Lucen glanced at the man who was standing upright. "Heavenly Demon," Lucen spoke again as he glanced at the other person who was sitting on top of the altar.

"Hoh, this audacious brat knows about us."

The heavenly demon spoke with an amused smirk on his face. His voice was light, almost playful, yet it carried a weight that made the air itself feel heavier.

'As expected, these guys are the real deal. How did they suddenly appear here in Aerok? There aren't any Eastern-themed places here in Aerok, so they might be dimension hoppers or something else.'