Alex looked around and gulped at the sight: a massive city stood before him.
[Angel City, Level 5]
"I would recommend for you not to go inside alone, humans aren't appreciated in there," Artemis mocked, "Except if you want to die."
Alex perfectly knew that already though.
Angels were in fact not here to help humans or even guide them: they were enemies.
They associated with several gods and even went on city attacks to cause the maximum amount of chaos.
What's worse, every single angel is at least tier 6-tier 8, between level 500 for the weakest and 1000 for some of the strongest.
Artemis was no different.
[Artemis, Angel Clan Member, Level 800]
Not every angel could deal [Soul Damage] by the way, because as said before, soul attacks in themselves were rare.
Even a monster who had them couldn't just spam them.
Oh, and yeah, Soul Attacks do not work on monsters.
They may work on NPCs though.
"Alright, let's go," Artemis sighed, walking toward the city.
The two-winged angel snapped his fingers and golden chains attached to Alex and Alice's necks, Artemis grabbing them with his hands.
"You're now slaves of the angel race, act as ones," he mumbled to them as he walked forward.
Alex stared at the towering gates of
[Angel City, Level 5]
, his stomach twisting into knots.
The glistening spires and ornate structures within were undeniably breathtaking, yet the thought of walking into a place where humans were universally despised sent a chill down his spine.
"Wait," he muttered, turning to Artemis. "We have to go in there?"
Artemis waved his hand dismissively. "Relax. You'll be with me. As long as you stay close and keep your heads down, no one will bother you."
"And if they do?" Alex asked.
"Then I'll handle it." His tone was cold and confident, leaving no room for argument.
Despite his assurance, Alex couldn't shake the feeling of dread as they approached the gates.
Two towering angel guards stood on either side, their piercing gazes scanning everything that passed.
[Two-Winged Angel Guard, Level 750]
As Alex's group drew near, one of the guards stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of a shimmering blade.
"Once you're inside, the monsters will be around your level—manageable, but still dangerous. Your goal is simple: survive and grow stronger."
Alex hesitated. "And what about you? Aren't you coming with us?"
Artemis shook his head. "I have things to do, but I'll be there if anything happens."
Alex frowned but stepped onto the platform alongside Alice.
As soon as they were both in place, the runes flared to life, and a golden light enveloped them.
When the light faded, Alex found himself standing in a vast forest, the air thick with the scent of pine and moss.
A notification appeared in his vision:
[Welcome to the Double Experience Zone - First Area: Angel Forest]
[Monster Levels in the Angel Forest: 400–500]
Alex sighed in relief.
Unlike the overwhelming foes he'd faced earlier, these monsters were at least within the realm of possibility.
"Okay," he said, summoning his undead, "Let's get to work."
Alice nocked an arrow, scanning the surroundings. "So what now?"
"No idea, I don't even know what Arceus wants of me."
He wanted Alex to grow stronger for some reason, possibly because he noticed that his level was so low.
Alex knew that the conditions to learning Forbidden Spells were extremely harsh, and even with a mentor like Arceus, it would be difficult.
But even then, sending him to such a place and even asking an angel to aid him was too much.
He said he didn't like guiding people, which is the reason why he never took a student, but he seemed very prepared for such an occasion.
Ding!
"Huh?" and to make it more interesting, a panel appeared before Alex.
[SSS-Level Grand Mage Student Quest #1 has been triggered, "Grow Stronger"!]
[Reach level 300.]
[Reward: ???]
[Time limit: none.]
"I wonder what the monsters in this place are," Alice looked around, sweating dripping from her brow.
As if in response, a low growl echoed through the forest.
And a massive wolf-like creature stepped into view, its fur bristling with electricity.
[Thunder Wolf, Level 410, Boss Monster]