Kael tore through the living room and bedroom, leaving no stone unturned. He yanked open drawers, flipped the mattress, checked under the loose floorboards, and even ran his hands along the dusty ceiling beams. Nothing. The secret manual the chieftains spoke of was nowhere to be found.
He moved into the kitchen, his frustration mounting. He scanned every corner, every shelf, every crate. Still nothing.
Just as he was about to give up, his eyes landed on the stone hearth.
He immediately crouched, plunging his hands into the cold, ashen pit. After scooping up several handfuls of soot and dust, his fingers brushed against something hard and rectangular.
There it is!
A jolt of triumph shot through him as he pulled the object out. It was a small, oilskin-wrapped package.
But just as he was about to inspect his prize, a sharp voice barked from the doorway.
"Who's in there?"
The dim room was suddenly flooded with light as a torch was thrust through the door, followed by the two guards from before.
"A thief! How dare you trespass in Master Greg's home!" one of them roared, drawing his sword.
Kael knew better than to get tangled up with them. He stuffed the package into his inventory and, in a single, fluid motion, vaulted through the nearest window.
"Stop him! Stop the thief!" the guards yelled, stumbling after him.
Their shouts echoed through the night. Within moments, it felt like half the village guard was on his tail, a chaotic mob of footsteps and angry cries.
But Kael’s Agility was far beyond what these low-level NPCs could handle. He was a blur in the darkness, weaving through alleys and using the village’s architecture to shield himself from the occasional arrow. Soon, he had left the village—and his pursuers—far behind.
He reached the base of the Shadowcrag Mountains and started climbing without breaking stride.
"Hold!"
The captain of the pursuing guards skidded to a halt, raising a hand. They watched Kael disappear into the gloom of the mountains, but made no move to follow. The bandits up there were not something they could deal with.
The bounty hunters, still concealed in the surrounding wilderness, watched the scene unfold with confusion. They remained hidden, their patience unwavering. Their target was clear, and the prize was worth waiting for.
The head of Dawnbreaker was worth $500,000.
Back on the mountain path, Kael encountered a Blackwind patrol. Recognizing the burly figure of Ullr, they didn't attack. Instead, they nodded respectfully and made way for him.
Kael found a secluded outcrop, far from the main path, and finally opened the package.
[System: You have obtained the quest item:
[System: You have obtained a letter.]
He set the manual aside for now and opened the sealed letter. As he read the contents, his eyes widened. He stood there for a long moment, speechless.
This is insane.
The letter was penned in a neat, precise script:
To the esteemed Warchief: All preparations have been made for your arrival. Stonehaven will soon become your new, most secure foothold. —Greg
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Greg, the former Captain of the Guard, was a traitor, secretly conspiring with The Warchief. The corruption didn't just infest the starter village; it reached all the way to Stonehaven.
No one in his past life had ever triggered this questline. Kael had no idea where it would lead. He could only take it one step at a time.
He returned to the Blackwind Brotherhood's main hall.
The three brothers passed The Tempest Manual between them, their faces alight with excitement and relief.
"Brother Dawnbreaker, we owe you more than words can say," Korbin said, his voice booming. "You will have the rank of lieutenant in the Blackwind Brotherhood."
Kael was taken aback. A lieutenant? Did I hear that right? Is this another perk of my maxed-out Luck stat?
The system promptly answered his question.
[System: Luck bonus triggered! The chieftains of the Blackwind Brotherhood have invited you to become their Fourth Chieftain. Do you accept?]
Fourth Chieftain? He was completely baffled.
His first instinct was to refuse. He had no love for the Blackwind Brotherhood. It was just a level 20 dungeon that, in half a month at most, would be overrun by farming parties. Besides, he was only here to reach the mountaintop and complete his S-rank hidden quest. He had no intention of tying himself to this bandit camp.
Playing it safe, Kael didn't answer immediately. Instead, he posed a question to Korbin.
"Chieftain, there's something I don't understand."
"Speak."
"I see that the three of you are veterans of the Imperial Legion. Why hide in these mountains as outlaws? Wouldn't serving the empire and winning glory on the battlefield be a more noble cause?"
Korbin’s expression soured. He was silent for a long moment before he spoke. "Have you heard of Kromgar, the Warchief of the Orcs?"
"I have," Kael nodded.
"Then you should know our enemy is the Warchief and his hordes," Korbin continued. "Resisting him doesn't mean we have to be outlaws."
"We tried that," Korbin said with a sigh. "At first, we joined the Imperial Guard, hoping to fight alongside righteous allies against the invasion. But we soon discovered that The Warchief's tendrils have reached everywhere. His lackeys have infiltrated every village and town."
Bork the Ironhide slammed a massive fist on the table. "That dog Greg was one of them. He got us drunk one night and stole this manual from right under our noses."
Fenris the Fletcher added grimly, "With our family's techniques in enemy hands, we were compromised. We had no choice but to retreat here and become 'outlaws'."
"We eventually managed to lure him out to the mines and killed him," Korbin concluded. "But we never found the manual. Until now."
"I see," Kael said. The entire story finally clicked into place.
Though they weren’t high-level, these three brothers harbored ambitions far greater than this mountain. Kael felt a surge of respect for them. Moreover, in Godpath, even NPCs could level up and grow stronger, just like players.
After a moment's thought, he made his decision.
"Alright. I'll join your cause. I accept the position of Fourth Chieftain."
The three brothers broke into wide grins. "Welcome, brother!"
[System: You have chosen to become the Fourth Chieftain of the Blackwind Brotherhood. Please select your identity for this role:]
[A: Dawnbreaker]
[B: Ullr]
Kael’s heart leaped. I can choose my identity? This was perfect. He could operate as a chieftain under his alias without affecting his main identity at all.
"B, Ullr."
[System: You have become the [Fourth Chieftain of the Blackwind Brotherhood] under the identity of [Ullr].]
At the same time, a new title appeared in his character sheet.
[Fourth Chieftain of the Blackwind Brotherhood]
All five core stats +50.
Holy shit!
A bandit chieftain title gave him a flat bonus of 250 attribute points. The unexpected windfall was staggering. That was the equivalent of 25 free levels' worth of stats.
He quickly did the math.
With the +5 from [Mara’s Honey Cake], +5 from [Vanguard of Defiance], and +10 from [Champion of Crescent City], he now had a bonus of 70 points in each of his five core stats—a total of 350 extra attribute points over the average player.
This whole venture had paid off more than he could have ever imagined.
After bidding the three chieftains farewell, a bandit grunt led Kael to a private room carved into the mountain. Walking inside, Kael was met with another pleasant surprise.
[Fourth Chieftain's Quarters]:
Provides a 5x multiplier to offline progression speed.
(Offline progression can reduce debuff durations, increase skill mastery, etc.)
Godpath had an offline progression system, but it only worked when a character was logged out in a private, secure space, like an inn room, a player-owned house, or a tent. Inns offered different tiers of rooms—standard, deluxe, luxury suites—each providing a different multiplier to progression and recovery speed.
A 5x multiplier was equivalent to a luxury suite.
For Kael, with his 400+ Infamy score, this was a godsend. Resting in this room, he could burn off his entire Infamy in just over 80 hours of offline time. A luxury suite cost one gold coin per night; Kael now had free, permanent access to the same benefit.
He settled his character into the room and logged out.
Placing his helmet gently on the desk, Kael lay back on his bed, a smile playing on his lips as he thought about the next day. By noon tomorrow, he would finally unlock his hidden class.
The thought sent a thrill of anticipation through him.