Ascension of the Nephilim

The group finally reached the temple entrance.

Kyros gave the password, and the doors opened up.

While most of them were excited to rush in and offer these parts, the group was silent as it obediently followed the directions and orders that Kyros or Aron would give.

The group rolled all the stone golem parts inside the descending entrance, and Kyros received the notification.

[Quest Item: Stonic Creatures (12/50)]

Kyros noticed that there were no notifications for the minor rewards.

"I guess I have to assimilate it in the temple first."

The group moved and carried the heavy bodies of these golems into the temple.

They were careful and hasty in bringing in the stones as they were afraid that the temple would suddenly convert the energy.

Soon, at the cursing of Aron, the group was able to bring in all the stones when they noticed that it didn't convert the creatures immediately.

Kyros waited for a bit before opening the notification.

[Stonic Creatures: Clay Golem detected. Assimilate to the temple and disperse experience points?]

Kyros selected yes, and the bright lights flashed again.

The group felt the power surge within them. Once more, the group experienced a level up. The life energy of these creatures was distributed among everyone and made everyone stronger.

Just as Kyros expected, he didn't level up again. He knew that leveling up would be harder for him with all these seals.

[Quest Monster Stonic Creatures 12/50. Claim Minor reward?]

Kyros selected yes once more.

[1 Basic Earth Core acquired. Claim reward at the back area of the temple.]

Kyros immediately used his connection with the temple to store the Basic Earth Core into the Temple Storage space.

The mercenaries rested and began to talk, and Kyros pretended to fall into some meditation.

The group decided to allow Kyros to meditate, and Aron decided to also do the same.

Kyros read the description of the Basic Earth Core.

---

Basic Earth Core

An extracted Prime Earth Core of Earth Elemental Mages. Allows channeling of magic on this object grants Earth Magic to the wielder.

Magic Points- 20

Summon Golem (2) – Spell charges can be recharged in the temple.

Upgradeable

--- 𝐟𝚛e𝐞𝙬𝗲𝒃𝓷𝒐𝘃e𝒍.c𝑜m

"Woah. That's one powerful core you got right there! You basically now have twenty points of Earth magic available with that object!"

"Indeed. You said that Mages create cores which they place in their bodies. Warlocks use magic that comes from their soul, while Mages create a magic core in their heart. But what is a Prime Earth Core? It wasn't in the list of Cores you showed me." Kyros immediately marked the item for quick retrieval through his Inventory.

"Again. I was talking about mortal cores. No one in this place can create a Prime Core. Remember what we talked about? Mortals struggle and level up to level 99. But that's the cap. In order for them to take a step into the divine, they undergo Transcendence. That Transcendence brings you to a state that we call half-gods or half-fallen, depending on the route you chose to grow stronger. A Prime Earth Core is what Transcendent beings have."

"So meaning, this Basic Earth Core can be upgraded from Basic to Advanced, Superior and the mortal limit which is Power Earth Cores? But since this is a Prime, then it could reach the level of Prime Earth Cores!"

"Yes. Right before you become a full god or a true fallen, that's the path you take. It's actually amazing that this temple could create that from some golems here... Still, this allows you to have an external source of wielding Earth magic. If you could learn more spells, this would be extremely beneficial! I mean, even if the temple doesn't create more Earth Cores, if you gather more stonic creatures and use your skills as an Artificer, you could create more weak earth cores! It won't be as good as this, but it can help your family!"

"Then I have to hurry and build the library! Only through that can I learn newer spells!" Kyros then brought up the requirements to build the library.

---

Library of the Nephilim Level 1

Grook Brown Lumber- 4 Trees

Graphite Char Dread Stone- 300 Kilograms

Silver Ore- 200 Kilograms

Skin Mending Herbs- (1 Bushel)

Blood Berries (1 Bushel)

---

Kyros and Calaminus read the report.

"That's hard..." Calaminus cursed.

"Well... Not really. I have golems now. The Graphite Char Dread Stone is probably close by. I just need to mine those ores and get back here. It's inevitable. But I have to go out alone to get all these stuff."

"But how? I doubt you wanted to show your uncle the Earth Core since you hid it."

"That's right. I just need to bring it to the entrance. Since it's dark, they might not see the golems bring it in, and I could immediately send it to the store. The problem is the trees... I may have to scout the mountains and find a way to go out through another exit..." Kyros planned.

"Besides, I still need to scout the area." Kyros decided.

"Uncle. I'll go out and scout the area."

"Scouting? Alone? It's too dangerous!"

"Uncle. Has my skill proven to be inadequate to challenge the monsters here?" Kyros asked.

"Erm... No." After seeing Kyros's skills, even Aron was unsure that he could defeat Kyros in battle.

"I have to do this, Uncle. It's easier for me to move alone. As you've seen, I can even run through a pit of snakes and escape unwounded. I have to see what else is in there. You stay here and try to train the mercenaries in fighting. This place gives some healing. We can sacrifice a bit of healing energy now to get our forces ready to battle. That way, our next battles will have no expenditure." Kyros explained.

"I guess that makes sense... And we do have to wait for your father to arrive. If we keep hunting now, it may be dangerous. Alright. I'll stay here and take care of the group. But you have to be back here within seven hours. Any more than that, and I will send the men out to search for you. Don't forget. You are a Steele now."

"I understand, Uncle. Kyros nodded.

And with that, Kyros left the place alone. It was already noon time when Kyros left the cave. Time was confusing inside, but suddenly a clock manifested inside the temple, which told time.

Kyros left the group after exchanging pleasantries and left the temple grounds. The moment he was out of sight from the group, he sent his five Shadow Ghouls out and the Shadow Familiar to scout ahead immediately. The stone door that enclosed the temple was already open as Kyros willed it.

Although he couldn't link and see what the Shadow Ghouls could see, they could send a message to Kyros, which allowed him to understand what the Shadow Ghouls could see.

As for Kyros himself, he held his trusty temple torch to observe the rocks nearby. He was just near the exit when he did this.

He found a few rocks, but as Calaminus only gave a brief explanation to the geology since Calaminus strangely believed that 'geology isn't a science,' Kyros had to experiment how to identify if this item was the quest material.

He picked up several different colored stones that he found littering around and threw them inside the temple.

Kyros then hoped for the best and opened his Temple information and checked the newest items sent inside.

---

Rock- 11 Grams.

It's a Rock- 12 Grams

You found another rock, Congrats- 16 Grams

Rocky Stone- 21 Grams

Dwayne Johnson- 13 Grams

Graphite Char Dread Stone- 18 Grams

Char Vermillion Lizard Dry Feces- 8 Grams

Iron Ore- 22 Grams

---

Kyros and Calaminus glanced at the words and were getting more infuriated at the strange things the temple did.

"Mother Fragment! I touched Lizard poop?" Kyros cursed.

"Dwayne Johnson?!"

Both had different reactions from what they got.

Kyros clicked on the item and found that the item in his sight was suddenly glowing.

"Is this it?" Kyros moved closer towards the rock that he tossed in and picked it up. He then glanced at the other quest object and found it.

"If only there was a way to see and search these items with my soul. It would take me a long time to look for these rocks." Kyros sighed.

---

[Scan surrounding temple grounds for quest items?]

---

A notification was displayed.

Kyros and Calaminus were blinking again as they looked at the notification.

Kyros confirmed the option that appeared.

[Temple Level 4 can search for objects within 2 kilometers of the temple. Confirm?]

Another option appeared. The two read it together, and Kyros hit the yes button again.

Suddenly, he could sense and see strange markers appearing in his vision. He could even gauge the distance between where he was to these items. The number of markers was too many, that Kyros had to change the displayed items and that those that are nearer would appear in deeper shade.

"Hmm... Some of these things are underground! It would take days to dig into them. I have to set the search parameter to be different. I wonder if I can outsource coding these damned things to someone else..." Kyros then tried to will something, and it finally occurred. Several of those markers that required a lot of digging disappeared, and only those that were accessible without digging were displayed.

Kyros kept tinkering with the temple displays, but Calaminus was shocked.

"Kyros. This temple isn't just a sealing temple! This is clearly connected to you!" Calaminus marveled.

"What do you mean?" Kyros asked.

"It is the seal itself, and at the same time, it is your very soul!"

"What? It's the seal and my soul?!"

"Yes! It's difficult to explain, but this is the truth! This entire temple is part of your very soul! That's why it's called the Nephilim Sealing Temple. The thing that sealed you wasn't THE seal! It was just a chamber! I was wondering about it since the start. How was it that the hologram appeared before and required you to make commands to display it, but anyone else can't see it? But now, after accessing the Temple Core, it could appear in your vision following the display format I invented!"

"Are you saying that the true me has the power to search for rocks within two kilometers of where I am?" Kyros frowned.

"Yes. That's what I'm saying. You have the power to do more. And this temple is helping you understand just what you can do!"