Level Up Legacy

"We overlooked something," Whisker replied with a frown. "Vesper and his men used to clear out the monsters on the outskirts. But for several days now, no one has been doing that, and the challengers have found it easy to take advantage, feasting at their leisure."

"This feels different," Arthur remarked before swiftly leaving the orphanage. Being on the outskirts, he reached the walls within minutes. However, as soon as he arrived, he found himself rooted to the spot, unable to move.

The walls of Sith Town were collapsing, causing large chunks of the colossal structure to crumble. A massive hand gripped onto it, but Arthur couldn't discern the creature behind the walls. Yet, he could sense its enormous size.

"How did a giant find its way into Sith Town?" Arthur muttered, his confusion evident. The surrounding forest was devoid of such creatures, and even if there were hidden creatures, they wouldn't be giants visible from beyond the walls.

Silent but for the echoes of the shrieks, the giant's presence loomed. Arthur strained his eyes and witnessed figures soaring above the giant. Whisker and Seraphine arrived, witnessing the scene as well.

"...a frost giant," Whisker murmured.

"How do you know?" Arthur inquired.

"The hand is blue, and ice is spreading across the walls," Whisker explained. "If we don't push the giant back, Sith Town will be encased in ice within an hour."

"Behold, the consequences of our delay in addressing the issue," Seraphine interjected, referring to her earlier suggestion of attacking the monsters instead of waiting. "How will you gather fighters in Sith Town now?"

"No number of soldiers can take down a giant," Arthur declared, unsheathing his blade. It blazed to life, emitting a cry that momentarily stunned the monsters in its vicinity. "To scare off such a monster from Sith Town, we must be swift and precise."

"Even after this catastrophe brought about by its own negligence, you still wish to defend this place?" Seraphine asked, astonishment lacing her voice. Arthur frowned and turned to face her.

"Taking the easy way out and ignoring everything would be simpler," Arthur admitted. "But we share responsibility for this calamity. If you want to run, do so without being smug about it. I despise cowards."

With those words, Arthur lunged forward, Nightmare in hand. Whisker remained with Seraphine, observing Arthur's departing figure. The feline then glanced at the demon and noticed her hair bristling with fury, a look of wrath contorting her face.

"A coward? Me?" the demon growled, her scarlet eyes narrowing as a mist of red leaked from her mouth. Whisker wisely decided against attempting to calm her down, as it might cost him his life. "I'll show you who the real coward is!"

Seraphine dashed after Arthur, leaving Whisker behind. The feline watched their departure, sighing inwardly. Seika's words, spoken without much thought, had been just the thing to motivate the demon who had refused to help

  others.

As for Whisker, he chose not to accompany them. Someone had to warn the citizens and rally able-bodied men to protect the city. Since he had no idea of Sarohan's whereabouts, Whisker returned to Sith Town.

Upon entering the town, he noticed an unusual quietude. Wearing a frown, Whisker made his way to the public square, where people hurriedly gathered their belongings and fled. There, he spotted Sarohan, still beside his stand, hastily providing children with food before they left the tower.

"Sarohan," Whisker called out, and the white Waiga turned to him, confusion etched on his face. "Where is everyone going?"

"As soon as people realized the monsters were about to attack, they started leaving," Sarohan explained, his last meal handed to a starving child who teleported back to their room. The remaining children seemed disappointed that the food was gone. "There's no more food. Hide in your rooms until this is over."

The children, disheartened and angry, were forced to leave as Sith Town trembled once again. Sarohan then turned to Whisker, seeking an explanation of the situation.

"A frost giant is attacking the city," Whisker informed him, observing as the color drained from Sarohan's face. "We have no idea how it got here or what caused it, but Seika and Seraphine rushed to fight it. If they fail, Sith Town is as good as lost."

"I know that all too well," Sarohan gritted his teeth. "In Ventlehiem, our homeland, we faced frost giants every year. If this one manages to breach the city, we might as well abandon Sith Town for good."I think you should take a look at

"That's why I'm on the verge of losing my temper," Whisker said, anger seeping into his voice. "This town needs protection now more than ever, yet everyone chose to flee. Seika could have left at any time, but he still chose to protect them."

"Everyone believes that someone else will take care of their troubles. There are still a few challengers hiding in Sith Town, seeking food in order to lock themselves in their rooms. We should find them at the inn."

Whisker tried to calm himself and nodded, following Sarohan to the eastern part of the city. They retraced the path Whisker had taken earlier, leading them back to the inn, which was meant to become the future guild. As they approached the inn, the sound of voices raised in anger reached their ears. Upon entering, they discovered a crowd gathered inside.

"Have you forsaken us, Roderick?!" a man shouted, collapsed on the ground near the entrance. "You always provided us with food in times of need, and we always repaid you!"

"It's not about the food, you idiot," Roderick retorted, lighting a cigar and placing it between his lips. He then turned to a cabin and drew a long sword from it. "Vesper is gone now. There's no one left to protect Sith Town except us!"

"You expect us to fight against a frost giant?" another challenger exclaimed, throwing up his hands. "It would be wiser to hide in our rooms until the attack is over!"

"There won't be a Sith Town left once the attack is over! We never stood up against Vesper and allowed him to rule over us. A man came and did what we should have done a long time ago. If we run now, we don't even deserve to live here!"

Roderick took a deep drag from his cigar before tossing the sword over his shoulder and facing the frightened men. Sarohan was eager to step forward, but Whisker gestured

  for him to wait. He wanted to see how this would unfold.

"I've known some of you since you were kids, but I never thought you'd be so spineless," Roderick berated, spitting out his cigar. "I met Seika today, and he asked me to establish a guild here in Sith Town. This guild would serve as its shield in times of danger."

"You met Seika?" one man exclaimed, his face lighting up with hope. "Then we should call him here to fight off the frost giant!"

Bang!

The man was swiftly struck on the head with the sheathed long sword, collapsing to the ground. Dazed, he turned towards Roderick, who regarded him with disdain.

"You want us to turn to our benefactor without even putting up a fight?!" Roderick shouted, slamming his foot on the counter and stepping forward. "I'd rather die than live like a rat!"

The entire inn fell into silence as all eyes fixed on Roderick, their gazes filled with astonishment. The innkeeper, unlike the jovial old man they knew, calmly lit another cigar and thumped his foot on a nearby table. He seemed to have undergone a transformation of sorts.

"If I had known you would be such cowards, I would have never accepted the offer," Roderick declared with a resolute tone. The weight of disappointment hung heavy in his voice. "I would be too ashamed to lead a guild of cowards!"

The man collapsed beside the door gritted his teeth, his expression etched with helplessness. "What do you want us to do? We've never been able to level up because of Vesper. Even if we feel grateful to Seika, we can't do a thing."

"That doesn't matter!" Roderick's voice thundered, shaking the very foundations of the inn. He slammed his foot to the ground, causing the wooden tiles to splinter beneath his force. "If we run when he chooses to defend us, how would that make him feel?"

The question hung in the air, silencing the crowd. Each person present knew deep down that Roderick spoke the truth. It was no longer about winning or losing; it was about taking a stand and repaying the debt they owed. If everyone were to flee, Seika would simply abandon Sith Town, leaving it to crumble under the weight of its own cowardice.

"You are wrong," interjected Whisker, his voice filled with conviction, causing all eyes to turn toward him. "Seika is not that kind of man. Even if no one shows up to aid him, he would still do what is right. Even now, as you bicker amongst yourselves, there is one man fighting against the frost giant."

Whisker's words hung in the air, carrying a profound truth. The realization slowly dawned on the crowd, igniting a spark of determination within them. They understood that it was not only about their own survival but also about standing alongside Seika, their protector.

In that moment, a shift occurred within the inn. Fear and hesitation gave way to a newfound resolve. The challengers, once plagued by doubt, now shared a common purpose. They exchanged determined glances, ready to rise up and join the fight.

Roderick, his gaze sweeping across the transformed crowd, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips, spoke once more, his voice laced with a newfound sense of hope. "If we unite, if we fight alongside Seika, we can defend Sith Town. Let us prove our worth, not just to ourselves, but to Seika, who has shown us what it truly means to be brave."