The Invaders Called Patron Spirits

RaSe had been out for about half a year.

It might seem like a short time to some, but not to gamers.

Half a year was more than enough to devour, dissect, savor, and master a game.

There would be countless players who'd hit max level by now, right around the time the bunny-hop duel crowd started whining about it being boring!

Even Real Fantasia, the pioneering VR game, had ended up the same way.

Modern gamers consumed content at an absurdly fast pace.

But RaSe was the exception to all that.

Content poured out endlessly, like a bottomless spring.

Even after half a year of top gamers from around the world charging at it, RaSe remained a vast unknown world.

And one of those unknowns was the Epic grade.

'So... Legendary comes next, then Epic, then Mythic, right?'

Carpe blinked in bewilderment.

Legendary items were already so rare you could count them on one hand, and now Epic out of nowhere?

Cheonma let out a deep sigh.

Epic and Mythic grades were reserved for things that could massively impact the game's lore and story.

—In super rare cases, Epic can even alter ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the main storyline itself.

Of course, that was an extreme outlier—less than 0.01% chance.

But sticking something that dangerous in a starter city every newbie passes through?

—They're nuts. Like hiding a nuke under Seoul that might go off with 0.01% odds.

And the scariest part? That nuke's trigger was now in the hands of a fun-seeker like Carpe.

"Suddenly gone quiet, eh? If you're reluctant to take the test, that's fine. I can't force it on you..."

"I'll do it."

"Pardon?"

"I'll take the test. I've been fascinated by magic studies since I was young."

Melee ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠feels satisfying? Magic's not my style?

Pointless in the face of Epic. It'd create a taste where none existed.

"Splendid young man!"

"Some explanation seems in order. Have you heard the name Magic King before?"

Of course not.

Carpe was a total newbie who'd just started RaSe today. No way he'd know.

A normal player would've said "no" and that'd be it.

But...

—Magic King, huh. Rings a bell now. Yeah, the first emperor of some ancient empire—Arkram!

Carpe was far from normal. He had the ultimate strategy guide ghost by his side.

"My apologies. A slip of the tongue. A wanderer like you wouldn't..."

"The first emperor of the ancient Arkram Empire, right?"

"Eh?"

Surprise flickered across Drek's face. It was just a stock question—never expected a real answer.

"Heh. A name forgotten even by continentals... and I hear it from a wanderer."

'God game.'

—Eh, freebies are so routine now it's meh. Focus on the convo.

"You're right. The Magic King was the great emperor who unified the continent 800 years ago and founded Arkram."

Before that, the continent was pure chaos—wars daily, lives lost, lands ruined.

"He brought unity and peace, earning universal praise. But peace didn't last."

Something no one saw coming invaded Arkram.

"Invasion? By who?"

"You know them well. We were just talking about them."

"Huh?"

What talk?

Carpe replayed their chat—no clue.

Just Patron Spirits and Magic King... wait.

"No way?"

"Yes. The invaders were those false gods. What you call Patron Spirits."

"My god."

Carpe's jaw dropped at the twist.

Who could've guessed? The Patron Spirits players obsessed over were invaders.

'Bro, you knew? This real?'

—Nah, news to me. But it tracks. Explains those vague bits from last round...

Cheonma muttered, lost in thought, as Drek continued.

"The war ended in Arkram's defeat. Countless dead, empire shattered. But Arkram didn't go down easy."

The Magic King led a final suicide squad to the Patron Spirits' heart.

And there, he wrought a miracle—sealing every Patron Spirit inside!

Tragically, the Magic King poured everything into the seal and soon passed.

Leaving arrangements for his descendants.

"The Magic King poured his soul into it... but seals aren't eternal."

No way to eternally bind powers like Patron Spirits.

Centuries later, the seal was cracking.

"Ever heard 'history is written by the victors'?"

"Yeah, famous saying where I'm from too."

"As the seal weakened, they regained some power. Their minds began infiltrating the continent."

Slowly, over centuries, the continent fell to Patron Spirits.

They seduced leaders, rewrote history.

Invaders became gods; Arkram faded to legend.

"They're trying to devour the continent again—using the undead 'wanderers' as tools."

Wanderers. God's envoys.

How RaSe NPCs called players.

Players don't die. Respawn. It's a game.

Weak now, but infinite lives mean infinite growth.

With Patron Spirit aid, even easier.

"Please, help us."

Arkram had no choice but to fight fire with fire.

Recruit a trustworthy wanderer with infinite potential.

"...Huh?"

—...Wait what?

Carpe and Cheonma gawked at the quest.

"I trust you, but other Arkram won't. To earn their trust..."

"Defeat worshippers of false gods... What are you?!"

Drek finally yelled, dropping his polite tone.

"Whoa, it cleared just like that."

—Beyond ridiculous. This a game?

The instant clear was obvious.

One-piece squad.

Thanks to the goons Carpe smashed for coins.

—That ninja cosplayer must've been a reroller. Moves didn't fit a starter city noob.

'Yeah, there was that concept freak. But this difficulty...'

Easy for Carpe, but objectively insane.

Entry conditions nuts: Meet guerrilla quest NPC without a Patron Spirit.

Then PK quest—target rerollers!

'They made this to clear? For real? All Epic quests like this?'

—Weird. Epics are tough, but not this twisted.

But it wasn't over. Final trial awaited.

"Heh. The prophecy was true—a hero to save the world. Follow me."

Drek, composed again, led Carpe somewhere.

'Final trial's elsewhere, huh.'

—Pointless. Old man's wasting time. Freebie king eats it raw anyway.

'Can't celebrate my bro's luck, gotta mock it.'

—Your shameless freeloading makes the world unfair. Ugh, revolution time.

Soon, they reached a vast cavern. A massive magic circle etched on the floor.

"Hero, step onto the circle. I'll explain the final trial."

Carpe's title had upgraded to hero.

"Remember the war story? Arkram's defeat?"

"Of course."

"Long war. Invaders terrifying, but Magic King and Arkram strong."

Patron side had stronger individuals, Arkram numbers.

Forces balanced. Yet Arkram lost.

"Something decisive tipped it."

"Traitors."

Magic King had divine talent and iron will.

But not all followers superhumans.

"War wears on people. Prolonged, hearts break."

Cracks in the rock, Patron Spirits pounced.

"They tempted us—like demons."

Key leaders fell; balance shattered.

Arkram crumbled, lands splintered.

"From defeat, Magic King learned: His heir needs unbreakable will against temptation."

Woooong.

The circle activated.

"Survive one minute: pass."

"Good ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠luck."

Fwaaah!

Blinding flash; circle spun wildly. Turbine roar filled the cavern.

Carpe swallowed hard, tension rising.

'This feels bad.'

—Yeah. Capital Vices is a 9-star skill. Top-tier 9-star.

'9-star?!'

Carpe reeled. Difficulty had limits!

'What skill? Not some unavoidable instakill, right?!'

—It's...

Before Cheonma answered, alerts bombarded Carpe.

A barrage of lethal debuffs. Capital Vices: the ultimate debuff storm of the Seven Deadly Sins!

—Hah.

Cheonma sighed at the flood of alerts.

—Knew it. Balance-break trash game. 'Final trial' my ass!

As if waiting for his sigh—

Ching!

Glass ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shattering sound—mightiest debuff obliterated.

"Eh?"

Woooong.

Circle hummed again. Not for testing this time.

"Wha—?"

All mana surged toward still-dazed Carpe.

The moment a colossal myth was born.