On Ignisar (First Month) 5, in the year 1851 AC (Arbiter Calendar), Alistair successfully broke through from the Early-Stage to the Mid-Stage of the Aura Transformation realm. The commotion erupted because, when someone ascends to the next realm or successfully breaks through to a higher level—whether it be Early, Mid, Late, or Peak Stage—a brilliant light soars above the clouds. This phenomenon only applies to the Aura Transformation realm and above; those below this realm only experience a glow during their breakthrough.
Many people gathered to witness the light, and those with aura energy in their bodies immediately congratulated Alistair on his achievement. Priestess Julia spoke, "Congratulations, Bishop Alistair. You have a bright future ahead of you. Not only are you a Judicator Aura Knight with the same status as a Bishop, but you are also now in the Mid-Stage of the Aura Transformation realm." She bowed her head, but Alistair gestured for her to stop. "I was fortunate to come this far," he replied, knowing that it was thanks to the system that he had reached this point. Alistair had once been an ordinary person before this system changed his life.
"I thank you all for your support, but Kai and I must leave now due to our mission," he said. Everyone bid farewell as Alistair and Kai followed the trail leading to the shipyard.
While following the trails, the system notified Alistair that he had some unclaimed gifts that he had forgotten to open during his stay at Snowy Flow Village. He opened the gifts and received: 10 Fate Tickets, 10 Breakthrough Pills, 3 (One-Time Use) Aura Restraint Traps, 1 Battle Mace with Imbued Aura Enhancement, 1 Small Steel Shield (Circle-Shaped), and 10 Speed Booster Pills. Alistair then gave Kai the Battle Mace with Imbued Aura, leaving Kai shocked at how Alistair had obtained such an item in his inventory storage. As usual, Alistair explained that he had many items stored and that the inventory had strange mechanics that sometimes caused items to appear unexpectedly. Kai believed him, not because he suspected anything suspicious, but because his absolute loyalty made him trust and follow Alistair's words without question, a feature the system had created for its purpose.
Using the Fate Tickets, Alistair summoned 10 random characters and received: 3 Apprentice Blacksmiths, 2 Retired Village Guards, 4 Ordinary Residents, and by luck, another rare tier character named Emilia. Emilia was a Vanguard Knight who specialized in Sword and Shield Mastery. Her backstory was simple, like Kai the War Priest's: she came from an ordinary family and lived her life as a City Guard before dying during a siege. However, only Alistair could see her background information as provided by the system, which stated that characters summoned would have no memories beyond the barrier and would only remember their skills and duties.
Alistair met Emilia while passing through a small forest, where Emilia encountered Kai. There was an immediate and inexplicable connection between them, a mutual trust that they would serve their Lord, Alistair. The system had designed this connection to prevent any suspicion regarding their backgrounds. They were compelled to accept each other without question, sealing their bond with a handshake.
Emilia introduced herself, "Greetings, my Lord. My name is Emilia, and I work as a City Guard for the..." She hesitated, struggling to recall the name of the city she supposedly protected. "I apologize, I can't remember, but I was a City Guard, and my duty is to protect you with my life."
Alistair nodded and patted her shoulder. "Glad to have you, Emilia." He accepted her service, equipped by the system with knowledge on how to be a Lord for his people. However, the timing was unfortunate. As the information flooded into Alistair's mind, he suddenly collapsed, causing panic for Kai and Emilia.
That night, Alistair woke up surrounded by tents and a campfire. Emilia and Kai immediately rushed to him, asking if he was alright and what had happened. Alistair replied, "I apologize; I think I was just too tired today."
Kai felt a twinge of disappointment for not noticing his Lord's condition sooner. "Don't worry; I'm fine now. Let's continue our journey tomorrow," Alistair reassured them. Kai and Emilia agreed, and they settled in for the night.
On Ignisar 6, in the year 1851 AC (Arbiter Calendar), Alistair, Kai, and Emilia continued their walk toward their destination. During this journey, Alistair claimed three random gifts that had a unique effect: they would automatically enhance the abilities and attributes of summoned characters without them fully realizing the changes. While they would notice some improvements, the details of what had happened would remain unclear, and they would need to figure it out on their own.
The first gift increased Kai's Aura Materialization Realm from Level 7 to Level 8, while the second gift raised Emilia's Aura Materialization Realm from Level 5 to Level 6. The third gift unlocked a guaranteed summon for an Epic Tier Summoned Character. The system announced, "Alistair, if you manage to reach 300 pulls, you will receive a guaranteed pull for an Epic Tier Summoned Character. Good luck! You currently have 20 pulls out of 300."
With high expectations, Alistair felt excitement at the prospect of pulling an Epic Tier Summoned Character. As the group continued on their path, Alistair reflected on how to become a proper lord, particularly in terms of commanding his people and serving as a role model. He understood that in the near future, he might lead many individuals from this continent and beyond the barrier. Therefore, learning the foundational knowledge of being a lord would be his first step toward becoming someone capable of protecting his family, friends, and all those he holds dear in the days to come.
On Ignisar 7, in the year 1851 AC (Arbiter Calendar), Alistair and his group arrived at the abandoned shipyard of Oceania. To their surprise, they found a large camp bustling with adventurers, warriors, explorers, and hunters gathered in the area. Upon their arrival, Alistair was stopped for an inspection before entering the camp. He soon discovered that the reason for this massive gathering was a large-scale raid on Oceania, driven by a reliable rumor about the discovery of a powerful secret relic in the region.