Damn! That was too close!

Jor left the nave just in time before a barrier of light separated him and the other three. He took a few seconds to observe the situation inside the nave and his surroundings. Surprisingly, the fight didn’t occur immediately. The head honcho of the seven started monologuing. Although the barrier of light obstructed his vision to the inside a bit, he could still see and hear the conversations inside just fine.

Of course, Jor didn’t do nothing during the whole conversation sequence. First, he pondered about what he should do now that he was out here while the three were trapped with hostile forces in there.

Alright Sherlock, what do we do?

First question, Watson. You’re in hostile territory, are your wellbeing secure? Do you have a path of escape?

My HP is full for now, but I doubt it will stay that way. The danger level will keep rising as long I’m here, too many unknowns to be sure. As for the path of escape…

Turned out, Jor was still in a proverbial trap. People slowly closing in to his position, flanking him from left and right. Two guarded the left corridor and three on the right. They didn’t attack him, only blocking his two ways out. They stood vigil about five meters from Jor’s position. Viers didn’t even need to look at them, his ears picked their presence.

All level 0s, you got this Watson. They stand there like dickless chickens, let them be that pathetic life form as long as the universe allows. Second question, do you want to help them?

Mmmeehh, nope… but I might if they drown me in gifts.

Hm, might be hard to negotiate your price since Monica and Farley are occupied in the moment. Third question, how do you plan to get out of this situation with as much benefit as you can?

Well Sherlock, my first thought is to get to the church’s treasury somewhere in the monastery, loot it clean, and swagger away like a badass out of church.

Pretty dream you got there Watson.

But logic dictates the treasury would be guarded or at least locked, the current me most likely wouldn’t be able to break in. Not to mention walking around in the enemy’s stronghold is unwise. These chumps are level 0s but who can say there won’t be level 1s in the area.

Elementary, Watson. My thought is similar.

So Sherlock, it appears I must break them out of that cage, get them to owe me big, then getaway together. In a group, I’ll be safer and they’ll reward me handsomely. Ideally, they can win without my help but unless they’re MC material, I don’t see them winning. Stalemate at best. It shall be up to me to break them out from their predicament, like in every video game I've played. Oops, fight is breaking out inside the barrier. Damn, blood element? Cool! Man of Steel? I sure hope it’s only a similar name. What element is that? Earth or metal or mineral?

“Head priest Ativan is a merciful man, he abhors needless violence. Therefore if you obediently surrender, you have our guarantee you won’t be mistreated.” One of the five spoke to the unmoving Jor.

Gotta split Sherlock, the next scene is about to start since these extras became un-paused. Bye.

I’m a figment of your imagination. Break a leg, Watson.

Seeing Jor ignoring his question, he became irritated.

“I can see you’ve no intention to surrender, fine. You’re the one who killed Leon right? I’ve been looking forward to mince you to pieces!”

Jor slowly looked to his left and right. They were all male and young, the oldest should be around a high school student’s age. They were all new faces for him, he never saw them before. He didn’t mark them important enough to be worthy to remember and designated them code names Church Boy A to E.

“Allow me to make something clear…” Jor spoke to Church Boy A, the one who asked his surrender.

“I’m not trapped in here with you. You’re trapped in here with me.” Jor calmly walked to Church Boy A, slowly unsheathing his sword.

“Your boasting won’t save you, light ‘im up!” Church Boy A roared.

“Arte — Fire Arrow!”

“Arte — Smoke Lance!”

“Arte — Water Ball!”

The fire and smoke attacks came from Church Boy B and C besides Church Boy A, the water Arte came from behind him from Church Boy D.

The reason Jor chose to fight with three opponents first was because two of them were mage-type. He deduced so from their weapon of choice, Church Boy A and E were the only two with melee weapons. Jor decided to remove the high attack power but squishy mages first, a sound strategy for anyone that had participated in online factional PVP battles.

Victa coursed through his veins and filled him with greater bodily capabilities. Jor dashed straight to the arrow of fire, barely dodging the smoke projectile. He held his sword in front of his face, acting as an impromptu shield. The sound of sizzling water spread, releasing steams that covered and obscured Jor’s body.

“Water Barrier.” Jor covered himself with a protective membrane, just in time to block the water attack on his back.

“Shit!” Church Boy A startled, Jor’s speed was above his prediction. He hastily readied his spear.

Out of the cloud of steam, Jor used his left hand to caught the spear before Church Boy A managed to fully point it at him then Jor slid his sword along the shaft and severed several of Church Boy A’s fingers.

“AAhhh!!”

Jor didn’t appreciate hearing his ugly scream with his super ear but it is what it is. Using his supernatural control over water, Jor took out water from his sword and created two watermelon-sized water sphere; he hurled them to Church Boy B and C’s face.

They were in the process of preparing another Arte but suddenly, they couldn’t breathe. Jor encased their head in water. Taken aback by the unexpected inability to breathe, the Arte casting process was interrupted. Jor kicked the still screaming A to C’s position, they collided and fell on the floor.

Aghast by how outclassed their companions were, Church Boy D and E on the other side of the hall sprung into action. D conjured three balls of water towards the attacking cultist, while E rushed forward to help his teammates. Unfortunately, they were too far and Jor didn’t lack decisiveness or had any hesitation in his movement.

“Water Slash.”

Jor’s normal level 1 strength had enough power to kill them but he didn’t want to take any chances. He swung his sword to decapitate B’s head. Church Boy B couldn’t do anything other than wearing a terrified expression beyond his wits as his head was separated from his body.

“Nooo!!” Someone cried from his back, Jor paid it no mind.

With one opponent removed from the equation, Jor pressed the assault. A knee kick to the face of a half risen Church Boy A, it hurled him away from Church Boy C bellow him. As the leg went down after accomplishing its mission, Jor delightfully aimed at C’s crotch.

He felt his left foot crushing something with a squelch. The damage done to his incredibly important organ made C bawled like a newborn baby. The reflex screaming after a painful sensation backfired on C because his head was currently encased in a water sphere. Voluntary or not, he filled his lungs with unbreathable water.

Church Boy C had the greatest dilemma of his life. Whether to moved his hands to his throat because of the suffocation or moved his hands downwards to cupped the bleeding crotch in the vain hope of elevating the pain; physically and mentally.

With Church Boy A sufficiently disoriented because he had severe dizziness, had missing teeth, bleeding from his nose, and lacked a full set of hand fingers, Jor focused his attention on the incoming water balls and the charging E behind that.

Could this sword absorb enemy’s water Arte?

A flash of idea sprouted in his mind and Jor tested it immediately. Using his sword, Jor cut the incoming projectiles. The first and second ball of water he managed to cut, both water balls cleaved into two halves and absorbed to the sword. However, he missed the third and it hit him in the face. The momentum threw his head upwards and staggered a step back.

Shit, I shouldn’t have done that. Bad call!

“Got him!” Church Boy D was giddy.

“Good job, Joseph! You’ll pay for what you’ve done! Arte — Spiral Pierce!” Church Boy E thrust his spear with all he got.

But too slow!

His defensive Arte tanked the damage to his face so he was actually unhurt. Jor dodged E’s thrust with minimal movement and counter-attacked at the same time.

He put his full-strength behind this attack. As he dodged, he thrust his sword between the eyes of Church Boy E. Jor’s magical sword was buried in his head until only the hilt remained, most of the blue blade could be seen jutting out from the back of his head; the blade’s blue color was coated with thick red blood.

The sight of a sword embedded on a man’s face and literally inside his head was not pretty. Jor let go of his sword and allowed Church Boy E fell to the ground, still twitching.

“Phew, the hard part is done.” Jor nonchalantly clapped his hand together a few times as if he was dusting off his hands.

Church Boy A was still squealing on the floor and Church Boy C was literally in his last breath while Jor spoke to Church Boy D with visibly trembling legs and clattering teeth.

“I have questions for you.” Jor smiled, but because of his mask, it couldn’t be seen.

“Y-you, you’re not level 0.” D stuttered.

“That obvious, huh? But I’m the one asking the questions. Ah, ah, ah. Don’t run, it’s useless. I could easily catch you.” Jor wiggled his index finger.

He telekinetically moved the water sphere from B’s bodiless head and drowned Church Boy A instead. With water on his face, A started to thrash around like a drunk alcoholic.

“Besides this guy here, your friends are all dead. Unless you want him to die too, tell me how to break the barrier.” Jor gestured with his thumb to the wall of light that was separating him from another battlefield.