Moongoddess part 2

The sun hung high in the sky, casting its warm embrace across the land. In the heart of the green-leaf forest, a majestic temple stood tall on the hill, shimmering with holy light and elegance. This was the Moon Goddess Temple.

At the entrance stood two large statues of demons and abyssal creatures, a reminder of their former enemies who had claimed the lives of many. Two paladins flanked the entrance, commanding obedience and authority with their imposing auras. They held sharp, long spears, their shimmering full suits of armor gleaming in the sunlight.

Worshippers streamed in and out of the temple, each carrying different boxes filled with sacrifices—a way to show sincerity to the goddess and to seek her blessings

Among the gods, the moongoddess is renowned for her healing abilities. It is said that when she ascended to godhood a million years ago, she created a powerful healing spell based on her understanding of the laws of moonlight. This spell can heal even the deadliest wounds and has the extraordinary power to resurrect the dead, as long as no more than eight hours have passed since their demise.

However, this is not what makes the moongoddess's spell so famous. Beyond these two effects, it possesses a third, more terrifying ability that has elevated her status among the gods and made her a legend among commoners: it can heal a damaged soul.

The soul is the foundation of every warrior and magician. It is the driving force behind their ability to control mana, which is essential for casting spells and performing supernatural techniques. Without a powerful soul, none of this is possible. The soul also serves to judge an individual's potential; it is universally known that those born with powerful souls will one day soar to the heavens and, perhaps, even reach the illusory realm of the gods.

Given this importance, healing a damaged soul is a formidable challenge. Herbs capable of mending the soul are very rare, and most have gone extinct following the long years of divine wars, which destroyed many continents and robbed the land of its riches.

Micheal wasn't born with a powerful soul; it was judged that the highest he could reach is tier 3 unless some extremely rare herbs were used to enhance his soul power and boost his talent. At this moment, Micheal was a level 35 tier 2 advanced warrior, which was five levels below the tier 3 novice stage.

During his advancement to tier 2, a giant door appeared before him, and he was sucked into another dimension. There, he was tasked with fighting a rank 2 monster, equivalent to a tier 2 warrior. Born a commoner, Micheal's fighting abilities were lacking compared to the nobles trained from a young age, making battles against more powerful opponents a daunting challenge.

However, fortune smiled upon him. Inside his system, he found a one-use magic item resembling a crystal ball. After taking it out, he crushed it, and a magic circle appeared. From it emerged a stunning tier 2 warrior woman with white wings, long golden hair, and eyes that radiated power. Her appearance resembled that of beings from the angelic realm—though Micheal had only seen pictures.

Dressed in shimmering armor and wielding a spear, she exuded a cold, domineering aura, paying no attention to Micheal as she dashed forward. In rapid thrusts, she killed the monster, then vanished, helping Micheal pass the trial unscathed and officially become a tier 2 warrior—an achievement that allowed him to lord over a small town.

Yet, despite this newfound status, Micheal felt no joy. Once again, he had relied on the system to succeed. He vowed that next time, he would be strong enough to do it on his own.

In the distance, Michael stood on a tree branch, staring coldly at the bustling temple below. He wore black pants and a black chest piece armor. At his waist hung a long, thin sword, and slung over his shoulder was a bag filled with grenades. It was only because he possessed these grenades that he dared approach the Moon Goddess Temple to complete his mission.

These grenades were a reward he received from the system long ago. Their production method isn't available in the celestial heavens, and they had saved his life on numerous occasions. However, circumstances had forced him to use some of them. While not deadly, the grenades have a unique effect: anyone who inhales their toxins will fall asleep for two days.

If that were all they could do, they wouldn't be so special; there are many spells that could achieve the same effect. What made them truly precious was their ability to affect even Tier 4 existences. In a world where higher-tier entities grew increasingly resistant to toxins, any item capable of influencing them is incredibly rare and valuable.

Michael sighed, a pang of regret twisting in his gut.

"To think I'll have to use my precious grenades in this foolish mission", he mused.

Determined, he leaped from the branch and landed steadily on the ground, quickly resuming his approach to the temple.

"Time waits for no man. Moon Goddess, here I come."

***

The road leading to the temple was long and narrow, paved with stones and polished marble.As he walked, he passed many people some meandering like him, others riding in elegant carriages, but he couldn't muster the heart to admire the scene.

He was feeling gloomy; the temple was too large. Though each grenade could cover a radius of 20 feet, he would have to use all ten of them to cover the entire temple and ensure no mistakes occurred. The thought of what would happen to him if one of the divine priests managed to escape sent shivers down his spine.

"No matter what, I need to make sure no hiccups happen," he said, determination filling his eyes as he approached the entrance and the two guards.

"It's now or never." Mana began boiling and coiling in Michael's veins, filling him with strength. He took only three steps forward, and in an instant, his figure blurred and vanished.

"Tier 2 Skill Advancement Steps"

This skill is very popular among warrior classes; it has one effect: to increase a warrior's speed and agility by 100% for two seconds.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of the Tier 2 paladin. His fist was clenched and pulled back, ready for a punch. The paladin's eyes widened, but it was too late to react. Michael unleashed his fist with all his might. It connected. Bones shattered, and the paladin was pushed back like an arrow, crashing into the temple walls. His spine broke, blood oozed from his face, and he fell limply to the ground—lifeless. He was dead.

"Tier 2 Advanced Skill: Mountain Crumbling Fist"

This skill can only be used by those who have reached the Tier 2 advanced stage. It can boost a person's punch by 200% for one second. The ranks are novice, intermediate, and advanced, with each tier starting at the novice stage and concluding at the advanced stage.

Onlookers watched this scene in disbelief. To think someone would dare to attack a holy guard—was he tired of living? Holy guards were famous for their arrogance, but no one dared to lift a finger against them because they represented the goddess. Attacking them meant offending the goddess.

Suddenly, the wind howled, and a sharp golden spear shot toward Michael's head, its tip cold and ruthless. But Michael was prepared. He stomped the ground and dodged to the side. The spear pierced empty air, embedding itself in the ground where he had just stood.

Boom!

Dust flew up, and a shockwave spread outward, threatening the onlookers, who began to retreat in fear. A large crater remained where the spear tip had embedded itself.

Micheal appeared five feet from where he had once stood, but he didn't have time to admire that powerful strike; he began dashing toward the paladin while planning his next move.

"As a Tier 2 advanced warrior, I can use Tier 2 skills only six times a day. After that, my soul energy will be drained, and I'll need to rest for five hours to recover. During that cooldown period, I'll be as fragile as paper; even a commoner could kill me. That means I only have four skill uses left. I need to use them carefully and end this battle quickly before the other guards hear the commotion and rush here. If they do, I'll be as good as dead."

A sneer was visible on the paladin's lips as he dashed forward, closing the distance to meet Michael halfway.

"A commoner dares to attack a holy knight? Die!"

In an instant, a spear of golden light materialized in the paladin's grasp. He thrust it forward, his movements smooth and fluid, his strike as fast as lightning.

"Tier 2 advance skill: Spear of Judgment!"

Michael's heart raced. Unlike the previous fight, where he had caught his opponent off-guard, this one was going to be a headache, and he needed to go all out to win. He could not afford to waste time; he had to get inside the temple and plant his bombs as quickly as possible.

Should I risk it? Use a Super Tier skill? The thought flickered through his mind, but he quickly shook his head. "Nah, let's hold off for now."

Super Tier techniques are similar to forbidden techniques in that both can transcend tiers, but they differ in nature. Super Tier skills do not damage one's soul, and they are very rare. The only reason Michael even knows a Super Tier skill is because of the system; without it, he would be like everyone else—clueless. However, they do drain more soul energy than normal skills, and their power is not at the level of forbidden techniques.

As the tip of the spear was about to pierce his heart, Michael unsheathed his sword and unleashed a dazzling sword slash.

"Tier 2 advance skill: World Severing Slash!"

The two weapons collided.

Boom!

The ground shook and buckled, dust and stone flying into the air as the shockwave spread outward, knocking nearby carriages backward. When the dust settled, two figures stood at a stalemate.

"Impossible!" the holy guard exclaimed, his spear trembling. Large cracks had formed along its tip.

Michael appeared calm on the surface, but deep down, he was in shock. The sword he wielded was an Earth-grade artifact he'd obtained from a system—it boosted every technique he used by thirty percent. The fact that his sword hadn't sliced through the guard's spear and severed his arm spoke volumes about the man's strength.

But Michael didn't have time to admire him. He sent out a barrage of sword slashes which the guard desperately blocked with his golden spear. With each impact, the cracks grew wider, and the guard knew he couldn't chant another skill in the middle of such close quarters. Preparing a skill took seconds, and in those seconds, he could be sliced to pieces. With no other option, he relied on what he had, all while secretly trying to create distance.

Seeing this, Michael cursed inwardly.

As time was the thing he lacked the most.

"Not good. He's buying time... This battle needs to end. I need to finish it now."

Michael gritted his teeth, determination fueling his resolve.

Once again, his sword shimmered with blinding light. He took two rapid steps backward, putting distance between himself and the guard. With both hands, he raised his sword high above his head. The blade's tip ignited, golden flames flickering and dancing along its edge before he swung it down with all his might.

One sword to split the heavens.

Tier 2 Super Skill: Heaven Severing Slash!

Boom.

The guard only saw a crescent slash flying toward him before his vision went black. In an instant, his body and armor were reduced to ash, and only golden flames danced where he once stood.

Thud...

Michael collapsed to his knees, sweat trickling down his forehead as he gasped for air. His breaths heaved with effort, and an overwhelming wave of weakness threatened to pull him into a deep slumber. This was the toll of overdrawing his soul energy—a fate all too familiar to those who pushed their limits.

"I had three chances," he thought bitterly, "but using that super skill reduced them to just one. Damn it… at this rate, I won't even have the stamina to complete the mission."