"This is..." she started to say, but before the two could even hope to leave, as if their mere presence was enough to wake it up...
BOOM!
An earth-shattering shockwave erupted from the temple, pushing Alicar and Iris back several meters as they looked at it in horror.
But for some strange reason, the shockwave and temple weren’t the things that worried Alicar the most.
Instead, he swore that in the middle of all of that chaos, he heard a loud and primal roar come from within, a sound that seemed to shake the very foundation of the Initial Stage.
Safe to say, the duo immediately ran away from the temple and didn’t even look back, their hearts pounding in their chests.
They killed monsters on their way but focused on returning to the human base as fast as they could, their survival instincts overriding everything else.
Thankfully, they managed to find their way back after 30 minutes.
In the base, it seemed like everyone had heard that shockwave, as the base was in complete chaos.
Many awakeners were in panic, and several of the level 10 ones looked at each other, a grim expression on their faces as they exchanged worried glances.
"PEOPLE!" A booming voice echoed across the base, and everyone turned their attention to it, it was Rick, the base commander. "Do not fret! Me and other awakeners will make sure that everything is fine. I am sure that it’s nothing too bad!"
Hearing that, many people sighed in relief as they had feared that dangerous monsters had appeared and would threaten their safety.
But for some strange reason, as Alicar gazed at Rick’s soul, he could see it distort.
And instinctively, Alicar knew that the commander was lying, he knew more than he let on, and whatever was inside that temple was far worse than anyone realized.
Rick turned around and headed to the room where all the staff of the base could discuss what to do, leaving everyone else behind to wonder what was really going on.
...
Rick entered the human base’s main strategy building and sat on his chair, a dark expression plastered across his face as he stared at the assembled group before him.
Many of the level 10 recruiters as well as some other powerful people in the Initial Stage sat before him, all of them cautious and tense, clearly aware that something serious was about to be discussed.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy, thick with unspoken fears and grim realizations that none of them wanted to acknowledge.
"It has happened once more," Rick sighed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back in his chair. "The temple’s beast... has awakened."
Many of the awakeners present simply nodded, already knowing what needed to happen, as this wasn’t the first time such an event had occurred.
"A secret realm like this one is impossible to defeat for anyone," Rick continued, "So as you may all know, we need to proceed as usual."
"But," one of the recruiters weakly lifted his hand, his voice trembling slightly, "Shouldn’t we simply ask the association for—"
"—Do you think the association doesn’t know about this and hasn’t tried already?" Rick roared as he slammed his fist into the table, the sound echoing through the room like thunder. "We can’t beat it, so just do it like usual!"
"Y-Yes, sir," the recruiter stammered, shrinking back in his seat.
"Grab the twenty weakest of this batch of awakeners and send them there as sacrifice," Rick’s expression darkened even more, his eyes gleaming with a cold, calculating light. "For the sake of humanity."
"Iris Crowford seems to be in our base," a man wearing glasses adjusted them, his voice calm and professional. "Teamed up with a random boy."
"Take them both," Rick replied coldly, waving his hand dismissively. "Who cares about her, she’s just a farmer."
Many of the recruiters tried to protest at that moment, since Iris’ [Genesis Farmer] class was extremely important and could provide invaluable support to any base.
Plus, she was the daughter of the Crowford family, and Theodore Crowford would likely go berserk if he heard anything about this.
It was obvious that the base’s commander had a bias against the family, as rumors said he worked for one of the other big families, and he clearly had no intention of protecting their interests.
Still though, as soon as they saw Rick’s fierce gaze and the power radiating from him, they knew that they wouldn’t be able to do anything to change his mind.
He had been in this base for years, and thus was the strongest person here by far, his authority unquestioned by anyone present.
"They say the death rate of the Initial Stage is 25%," Rick grinned, a devilish aura covering his face as he spoke. "So I guess it’s not unbelievable if a few more people die... You know what to do."
"Yes, commander," the people replied in unison, their voices hollow and resigned.
...
Meanwhile, as Alicar and Iris returned to the human base, they were able to enjoy a free meal provided by the awakener association, and they were also given a health potion to help with their injuries.
Of course, it was the weakest F-Rank health potion available, barely enough to heal wounds, but for them, it was more than enough considering their current situation.
"I guess the awakener association is nicer than I thought," Alicar spoke as he drank the potion, feeling its effects spread through his body.
His wound from the vine bear was still present after all, a painful reminder of how close he had come to death.
And though it didn’t fully heal, the potion’s effect was enough to stop the bleeding, making Alicar feel significantly better.
The food wasn’t the best either, but that was because it was made from low-level monsters.
"I could enjoy food from high-level monsters in my home," Iris salivated at the thought, her eyes glazing over with nostalgia. "I promise you, the higher the level of a monster, the more delicious its food is, and I also saw that once you awaken it also has many benefits for your body."
"Wow..." Alicar rolled his eyes sarcastically, "Must be amazing to not just eat noodles every day."
"Oh," Iris scratched the back of her head, looking slightly embarrassed. "Well... I’m sure you’ll start eating well soon!"
"By the way," Alicar spoke as they walked around the base, his tone turning more serious. "What will you do with your initial class?"
Not doing anything with the [Genesis Farmer] class was a complete waste, as it had immense potential that shouldn’t be ignored.
If it was up to Alicar, he would definitely use [Elemental Mage] to fight while cultivating his [Genesis Farmer] class on the side, making use of both abilities to maximize their growth. "Can I see the class’ description?"
"Sure," Iris sent it over, and Alicar read it carefully.
[Class: Genesis Farmer]
[Description: You stand above all other farmers and support-related classes, able to produce high-quality crops and food no matter what, which can grant many buffs and effects to other awakeners.]
[The process may be slow at the start, but once the Genesis Farmer gets everything it needs, it will rise as the ultimate support.]
"Yeah, I wouldn’t waste that," Alicar sighed as he watched the description, clearly impressed by its potential. "It’s really good."
"Well, I guess we can start a farm together then," Iris winked playfully, a smile spreading across her face. "...Later."
"In the First Layer, why not," Alicar shrugged, not opposed to the idea at all.
But right as the two were about to head to the facilities used for rest and recovery, both Alicar and Iris suddenly felt something shift in the air around them.
A panel appeared before their eyes, its letters glowing with an urgent intensity.
[Commander Rick is calling out for you in the strategy room. Please go there for urgent matters.]
Seeing that, Alicar’s eyes narrowed, his instincts telling him that something was wrong.
"You think it’s related to that temple?"
"Almost certainly," Iris nodded, her expression turning serious. "Let’s go. We have to find out what it is."
"Alright," Alicar replied, and the two of them made their way toward the strategy room