The Trail of the Dark Priest
Several days had passed since the incident at the Colosseum.
Thanks to the combined efforts of the entire guild, nearly every member of Guild TEMPLAR had now reached Level 100, including Yukio, Mina, and the other Clerics. Meanwhile, as Guild Master, Reina remained the highest-level member at Level 110.
With all preparations complete, they finally agreed to continue the Main Quest: Cosmia History, specifically Quest Stage 2—finding the mysterious priest whom the beggar had mentioned back in Loki Forest.
Before setting out, Yukio, the guild's only Craftman, distributed several of his latest creations. He had successfully forged a number of Level 150 weapons and armor for the Warriors and Rogues. Although none of them could use the equipment yet, every member carefully stored the gear for the day their levels met the requirements.
That morning, all thirty-one members of Guild TEMPLAR departed Salia City together.
Throughout their journey, they became the center of attention.
Some players looked at them with admiration, as Guild TEMPLAR's reputation had spread rapidly after the Colosseum incident.
Others simply scoffed.
"Why bother with quests?"
"We're already living in this world."
"Completing the Main Quest isn't going to send us back to the real world."
Not a single member of Guild TEMPLAR responded.
From the very beginning, they had shared the same objective:
To complete the Main Quest and uncover the truth about the world of Cosmia.
After traveling from morning until late afternoon, they finally returned to Loki Forest.
Upon arriving, everyone immediately split up to search for the location the beggar had described.
Not long afterward, a message appeared in Guild Chat.
I found him. The priest is beneath the large tree.
The message included a location marker, and every guild member immediately headed toward it.
Standing beneath a massive tree atop a rocky hill was a priest dressed in black robes.
His long cloak fluttered gently in the wind, while an old wooden staff engraved with strange symbols rested in his hand.
Above his head floated the name:
NPC Galdier
The aura surrounding him was completely different from that of every other priest they had encountered.
He resembled a worshipper of darkness far more than a holy man.
Reina stepped forward.
As both the Guild Master and the holder of the Guild Quest, only she needed to speak with the NPC.
Even so, every stage of the quest would automatically update for all guild members.
The priest slowly turned toward them.
"So..."
"Are you the travelers who came from another world?"
Reina nodded.
"Yes."
"What are you doing here?"
Galdier didn't answer.
Instead, he asked a question of his own.
"Then tell me..."
"What is your purpose for coming to the world of Cosmia?"
The question left Reina speechless.
The rest of Guild TEMPLAR fell silent as well.
None of them knew why they had ended up in this world.
Seeing their silence, Galdier spoke again.
"Then go..."
"Seek an audience with the King of the Kingdom of Atlas."
"Ask him who you truly are."
He paused before continuing in a quieter voice.
"If he believes you belong to Cronio..."
"...then you are my allies."
"But if he believes you belong to Belio..."
"...then you are my enemies."
The guild members exchanged confused glances.
None of them understood what he meant.
"Cronio?"
"Belio?"
Before Reina could ask another question, Galdier turned away.
A black magic circle appeared beneath his feet.
A dark portal slowly opened.
Within seconds, both the priest and the portal were swallowed by darkness, vanishing as though he had never existed.
As they stood there in confusion, another party hunting nearby Mostro approached the area.
"Whoa, it's Guild TEMPLAR!"
"What are you doing here?"
"Your levels are already so high. Why are you still hunting in a beginner map like this?"
One of Guild TEMPLAR's members pointed toward the giant tree.
"We were just talking to the priest NPC over there."
The other party stared blankly.
"NPC?"
"There's nobody there."
The guild member who had discovered Galdier's location spoke up.
"I actually saw that NPC before while leveling in this area."
"He was standing in exactly the same place."
"But back then, I was too afraid to approach him."
Reina suddenly realized something.
So Galdier hadn't disappeared simply because their conversation had ended.
More likely...
The NPC would never appear again because they had already completed this quest.
"I understand now..."
Reina murmured.
"It looks like this Main Quest can only be completed once."
Silence fell over the guild.
If Reina's theory was correct...
Only the thirty-one members of Guild TEMPLAR would ever be able to experience the story of Cosmia History.
No other player would be able to replay it.
"So that means..."
Lisa said quietly,
"...whatever consequences come from this quest..."
"...only we will have to bear them."
Not a single person stepped back.
Instead, everyone nodded firmly.
They became even more convinced that the Main Quest would eventually reveal the truth behind the world of Cosmia.
Reina finally made her decision.
"Then our next destination is obvious."
"We're returning to Belio City."
"We'll meet King Leon, ruler of the Kingdom of Atlas..."
"...and find out what Galdier truly meant."
Every guild member agreed.
But just as they were about to leave Loki Forest—
A notification sounded almost simultaneously for everyone.
TING!
A system window appeared before every member.
Quest 2 Completed
Moments later, pillars of light enveloped each of them.
Their EXP bars surged dramatically.
Reina, who had previously been Level 110, instantly advanced to Level 160.
Every other member also received enormous EXP gains, placing most of them between Level 130 and Level 150.
But that wasn't all.
Every member of Guild TEMPLAR's Reputation increased to Noble.
At the same time, a gift box appeared inside each player's inventory.
When opened, it contained an elegant black noble outfit accented with dark blue trim.
Without hesitation, everyone put it on.
Now, in addition to their combat equipment, every member of Guild TEMPLAR possessed an official guild uniform that gave them a far more distinguished appearance.
Several members lay down to test the effects of their new reputation.
Instantly, a luxurious bed complete with a soft mattress, pillow, and blanket materialized beside them.
"Wow..."
"We can finally sleep comfortably now," Hana laughed.
The others tried it as well, smiling as they experienced the benefits of their newly earned reputation.
Everyone began to realize that the Main Quest offered far more than answers about the mysteries of Cosmia.
It also granted rewards that could never be obtained simply by hunting Mostro or fighting inside the Colosseum.
Filled with renewed determination, Guild TEMPLAR resumed their journey toward Belio City.
Dressed in their newly acquired noble uniforms, the thirty-one members marched together toward the royal palace of the Kingdom of Atlas—
Ready to face the next chapter of Cosmia History.