The Hidden Warehouse and the Village Barrier
The days had become rather simple for Lua. Since she couldn't go out, she decided to stay in Liora's shop, helping to enchant weapons and armor for the players… though in truth, she was really just hiding there so her mother wouldn't force her to work.
The number of players had once again begun to grow, surpassing two hundred some time ago. With more people going out to hunt and visiting Liora's shop, the place was always crowded. Especially because the new recruits that the girl Sig had brought along had made some very interesting deals to buy mana stones from other players.
Or rather, they had gotten loans. And thanks to a player with the Negotiator profession—who had the ability to create magical contracts—it was all perfectly legal. That way, more and more players joined, or at least sent their assistants… and a few extras besides.
At that moment, Liora was sitting peacefully next to Lua, swinging her little feet with joy while working on a magical lamp.
"Lua, so here you were," came Silvia's voice as she entered. Her furrowed brow made her look like a mother scolding her daughter for mischief.
Lua glanced up, studied her for a second, then raised the sword she was enchanting, as if that were a valid answer.
"Finish that at once. We have to go to the village's warehouse. I need your help to open it," Silvia said firmly.
"Warehouse?" Lua asked, confused, while Liora also lifted her head with curiosity.
"Yes. We have to activate the village's protective barrier," Silvia replied.
"Barrier?" Lua repeated, incredulous.
Silvia only sighed. "Follow me."
"The boss is in trouble," SIA muttered in Lua's mind.
"Your job is supposed to be helping establish a place for the players. Shouldn't you be the one giving me something for a barrier?" Lua shot back, irritated.
"Bringing players from another world is something I'm doing very well, and that's what matters," SIA answered with pride.
"If that's what you believe… then just watch closely. I wonder if you'll still think the same," Lua said as she stepped out of the shop.
Outside, she was met with an unexpected sight: a bunch of players with bunny ears, and even some still in pajamas, walking around happily. Some were eating, others were drinking around a large bonfire in the center of the village. It looked more like an improvised festival than a settlement.
"Uhh… this is just a specific moment. Normally they're more reliable," SIA defended herself.
Even Silvia, who had rushed past earlier without stopping to look, now paused, confused by the scene.
"What's going on?" Lua asked Loli and Sig, who happened to be passing by along with Bert and a young ape-like man carrying a staff on his back, his expression sour.
"Oh, Lua. I didn't think you'd come out at all today," Loli said happily upon seeing her. Then she turned toward where Lua was pointing. "Oh, right. You were asleep last month when this happened. It's because of the great beast you called the 'World Devourer.' It showed up a month ago and scared everyone, but once they realized they could venture deeper into the forest to get strange materials, everyone got excited. They found valuable things, even powerful ones. And now, since another month has passed, they're waiting for it to appear again. The moment it shows up and terrifies the whole forest, there'll be a mad rush to gather rare items."
"It's already been two months…" Lua murmured, watching the huge number of players now gathered. There really were so many, and to think it had all started with Loli… Without realizing it, she reached out and patted the girl's head. Loli froze, confused and blushing deeply.
"So it still appears," Silvia commented, glancing at the sky for a moment before turning to look at the celebrating players. "It reminds me of the past. We used to do something similar. It was the perfect moment to collect seeds and resources for the village…" she said, her tone carrying a trace of sadness for those who were no longer there.
…
"Won't you go to the festival or into the forest?" Lua asked as they walked. Loli, Sig, Bert, and Evan—the ape-man—followed along. Liora hopped cheerfully while holding Silvia's hand, and Lua walked with her usual calm.
"Nah, this seems more interesting," Sig replied with a smile, glancing at Loli, who was still embarrassed from Lua's pat.
Bert, on the other hand, kept glancing curiously at Evan, whose expression flickered between surprise and heartbreak as he looked at Loli and then at Lua.
"By the way… where are we going?" Sig asked, as if only just realizing it.
"To the village's warehouse," Lua answered simply.
"We have a warehouse?" Bert asked in disbelief. After all, in all the time they had spent in Drunai, they had only seen ruined houses… now replaced with the new structures built by the players.
"Apparently we do," Lua replied calmly.
Sig and Bert exchanged a look, both knowing it was better not to ask more.
Meanwhile, even though Lua often complained about SIA being unreliable, the truth was that the players thought the same of her. Still, in the end, they all knew they could count on Lua when it truly mattered.
Silvia, who had heard everything, just smiled before beginning to explain as she walked ahead of the group.
"The village has a hidden warehouse, under the house of one of our most powerful mages: Vin. She was not only a formidable warrior but also skilled in several professions, and she loved creating magical objects. But… the warehouse is surely empty by now. The only things that should remain are the spatial chests. All the materials, weapons, armor, and resources we stored were used in our desperate attempts to defend against the human attack."
"Spatial chests?" Sig asked, her eyes shining with interest.
Silvia pointed at her bag. "They're similar to this, but in chest form… and with unlimited space." She smiled with a touch of pride. "Of course, they come with a condition: once an item is placed inside, the chest cannot be moved until it's empty. So they're only useful for storing things endlessly within the warehouse itself."
The players widened their eyes in surprise. Even with that restriction, such an item was still a marvel. The strategic possibilities were endless.
"That sounds powerful," Bert said quickly.
"They were. Vin found a spatial divine fragment. She only needed one more evolution to become the first spatial demigoddess." Silvia's voice dropped, heavy with sadness. "Though she couldn't use it to evolve, she managed to craft these chests with its power. She spent her days locked away in her workshop, making them one after another, until we built this warehouse to keep and use them."
"So we're going to look for those chests?" Sig asked hopefully.
"No. Vin was also the one in charge of the village's protective barriers. What we're going to check now is whether they're still active."
The group barely had time to process those words. Silvia stopped and turned to look at Lua.
"This is it."
Lua understood without needing further explanation. She raised her hand and, with a single finger, traced runes in the air. They wove together into a magic circle, and the ground beneath them began to tremble. A massive square took shape, dividing into blocks that rose like a puzzle, shifting aside to reveal a staircase descending into the depths.
Silvia descended with confidence, and the others followed, their eyes bright with curiosity.
The sight inside left them speechless: a colossal warehouse filled with chests arranged in endless rows of shelves. From the ceiling, blue lamps radiated a warm glow—more detailed and elegant than the ones Lua had once crafted to light the village.
"Looks like Vin's lamps are still working," Silvia said with a faint smile, walking through the place as if she knew it by heart.
"She really did make a lot," Sig murmured, opening a chest with excitement. Empty.
One after another revealed the same. Nothing.
"Remember that in our time, we lived in constant defense. Any materials we gathered were immediately turned into defenses. And when the zone bosses changed, we no longer had time to store anything before the humans arrived… and whatever little we had left was used in that final battle."
With solemnity, Silvia led them to another gate, which she pushed open with ease.
Inside, a radiant glow enveloped them. A circular chamber, its beams, walls, floor, and ceiling covered in runes. At the center, a magic circle spiraled inward in decreasing rings, leading to an ivory altar etched with more runes. Floating above it were three stones: pale, depleted demonic cores… and, at the center, a radiant stone, pulsing with immense power.
"The divine fragment," Silvia explained, stepping closer to inspect the runes one by one.
"Is that the one that can turn someone into a demigod?" Loli asked in surprise.
"Only if you reach the level of Supreme Ascendant first. If you try before that, the fragment will devour your soul and destroy your body. And since your souls are connected to your real bodies… you could die in both worlds. So don't even think about it."
The players swallowed hard and nodded seriously, though Evan looked confused until Bert whispered that he'd explain later.
"Lua, did you bring the cores?"
She nodded and pulled out several, handing them over without fuss. Silvia placed them carefully around the altar. One immediately rose, orbiting the fragment like a planet around a sun. The runes lit up, and soon the entire chamber blazed with light.
Then, a massive barrier expanded outward, covering the whole village. Outside, the players who had been celebrating froze in awe. Runes of light spread like living constellations, weaving a dome of energy that wrapped around the entire settlement. The sight was breathtaking—almost sacred.
At that instant, everyone received the same message:
📢 [System Notice]
You are now under the protection of the Village Barrier.
Friendly fire has been disabled.
• HP recovery speed: +1000%.
• MP regeneration speed: +1000%.
• Profession EXP: +100%.
• Home upgrades: +50% (including all bonuses).
• Fatigue resistance: -80%.
• Mana cost reduction in crafting and enchanting: -30%.
• Inspiration bonus: +20% chance to discover hidden recipes and unique runes during creation.
• Protected spirit: Damage taken inside the village reduced by 90%.