Kael’s arrival sent a wave of joy through the villagers of Beryl Creek. They swarmed around him, their faces etched with a mixture of hope and disbelief. Kael hadn't expected more than a dozen people to be waiting for him at two in the morning.

  He reached into his inventory, pulled out the grisly trophies—a dozen heads belonging to the Orc Elites and their Chieftain—and dumped them on the ground.

  Thump. Thump. Thud.

  The severed heads rolled across the dirt, their dead eyes staring up at the moon. A collective hiss of hatred rippled through the crowd. Teeth clenched and fists tightened as the villagers stared at the faces of their tormentors. Twenty years ago, the kin of these very orcs had slaughtered their families and burned their homes.

  For a long moment, no one spoke.

  Then an old woman sank to her knees, trembling. Tears streamed down her face as she pressed her forehead to the ground.

  “Thank you,” she sobbed, her voice cracking. “Thank you, stranger. You’ve avenged us all.”

  One by one, others followed—some bowing their heads, some dropping to their knees, others simply standing in silence, weeping.

  Kael was taken aback. As he moved to help them up, a notification pinged.

  System: You have completed the quest [Eliminate the Orc Elite Squad]. The people of Beryl Creek are eternally grateful. Reputation with Beryl Creek +100.

  His reputation maxed out instantly. A grin touched Kael’s lips. When Beryl Creek was eventually rebuilt, this would grant him special treatment and access to unique quests.

  After a moment, Anthony pointed a trembling finger at the heads. “Let’s hang them up. Let every creature in these woods know that we are not to be trifled with.”

  “Aye!”

  The villagers surged forward, grabbing the heads and mounting them on stakes and hooks around the village perimeter, turning the ruins into a grim warning.

  With their vengeance honored, they returned to the derelict teleport nexus and began their work.

  Cade first drew a complex runic circle on the ground, sprinkling its lines with a mix of animal blood, entrails, and bone dust. The other villagers then hauled over a massive pre-cut monolith, two feet wide and ten feet tall, and heaved it into the center of the circle.

  Finally, Cade carefully placed all the essence Kael had given him into designated nodes within the array.

  The villagers joined hands, forming a ring around the ritual site before sitting and closing their eyes in meditation. Cade, now clad in a tattered ceremonial robe, began to chant in a low, resonant tone as he circled the array.

  Slowly, a white light began to emanate from the runes. As Cade’s chanting grew louder and more intense, the light flared, consuming the blood and bone dust and channeling their primal energy. The light then converged on the essence stones, making them glow with blinding intensity. With a sudden flash, a vortex of wind erupted from the circle, swirling around the central monolith, visibly siphoning the raw power from the essence and infusing it into the stone.

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  Kael felt a powerful wave of magic wash over the area, expanding outwards into the dark wilderness. The potent energy was like a beacon, and soon, the shapes of wild beasts, drawn by the scent of power, began to creep toward Beryl Creek.

  Kael and his three clones were already in position, forming a defensive square around the ritual. They stood ready for a desperate battle.

  Yet, as the first wave of creatures emerged from the trees, they saw the severed orc heads hanging from the posts. They froze, a low growl of fear rumbling through their ranks. Hundreds of monsters gathered at the edge of the ruins, watching, but not daring to advance.

  After half an hour, a commotion stirred the horde of beasts as they parted to form three distinct paths. From them emerged three massive, boss-level creatures, all around level 28. They looked upon the heads of the Orc Elites with expressions of contempt.

  But as they prepared to charge, their eyes landed on the Captain’s head, impaled on a stake of honor in the center. They stopped dead in their tracks. The arrogance in their eyes was instantly replaced by raw, primal fear.

  Kael, who had been tensed for a fight to the death, finally let out a slow breath. He understood now. The quest wasn't just a test of strength; it was a key. Slaying the orcs had provided a deterrent that nullified the greatest danger of the ritual. He likely could have convinced Cade to start without the proof, but he would have been facing an impossible siege.

  Still, he didn't lower his guard, standing watch as Cade continued his chanting, circling the nexus. The other villagers remained in their trance, sweat beading on their brows. The pillar of light around the monolith gradually softened, its energy sinking into the stone, which now began to emit a soft, steady hum.

  Three or four more hours passed. As the first hints of dawn painted the sky, Cade’s chanting finally ceased. The moment he stopped, the other villagers collapsed, utterly drained but alive.

  System: Under your protection, the Beryl Creek teleport nexus has been repaired. You have earned the title [Savior of Beryl Creek].

  [Savior of Beryl Creek]: All Core Stats +100.

  With this, his titles now granted him a total of +500 to all core stats. If other players knew, their jaws would hit the floor.

  Cade, his face pale with exhaustion, staggered over to Kael.

  “It’s done,” he rasped. “I've added you as a custodian of the nexus. You can link it to any other nexus you have access to. I also managed to restore the old connection to Stonehaven. You can travel there whenever you wish.”

  Kael wasn’t in much better shape himself. He gave Cade a weary nod, then addressed the exhausted villagers.

  “Get some rest. I'll arrange for people to come help you rebuild. If you need anything, just post it as a quest.”

  “Thank you,” one of them murmured, speaking for them all. “We of Beryl Creek are forever in your debt.”

  Dragging their tired bodies, the villagers shuffled off to their shacks. Kael turned to the now-humming monolith. He opened the interface and saw the option to Teleport to Stonehaven. He also saw a [Management] tab. Clicking it, he quickly added Starlight Village to the network.

  Then, he composed a message and sent it to the Starlight Village channel.

  To all Starlight Village players: I've linked the Beryl Creek teleport nexus to our village. You can now travel here for quests. Beryl Creek also has a direct connection to Stonehaven.

  He pinned the message to the top of the channel, knowing it would cause a frenzy. But he was too drained to stick around for the reaction. He selected Stonehaven, and in a flash of light, he was gone. Upon arriving, he immediately mailed the [Sunfire Bell] to the offline Elon, then logged out.

  After pulling an all-nighter, his eyes could barely stay open. He stumbled to his bed and was asleep before his head even hit the pillow.