Their first task was simple—retrieve the Gilded Covenant. That alone would earn them a fair reward, but the guild had sweetened the deal, if they managed to slay the Covenant's Sentinel, they'd be paid a fortune.

  Frankfield opened a portal with a flourish, its radiant swirl revealing their destination

  A barren desert where no life stirred, except for the fabled Covenant Sentinel. The portal shimmered against the backdrop of a sun-scorched wasteland. As they stepped through, the searing heat assaulted them. The desert was endless, dunes rolling like the waves of an otherworldly ocean. Sparse, ancient ruins peeked out from the sands, and the horizon was marred only by a few jagged peaks in the distance.

  "Aight, amigo," Juan said, his voice a mix of excitement and mischief, "let's go find this Gilded Covenant. It better be worth more than a month of meals back home!"

  Frankfield nodded, his blue eyes scanning the desolate landscape. "Remember, the Covenant is not simply a treasure. It is said to contain within its core the element Shamzch?alcom, gilded with orichalcum. A prize that in another universe might be worth an entire planet. There, in the Center of All, it's said to be worth a month's supply of the finest rations."

  They began their trek toward what appeared to be a massive ancient gate partially buried in sand. The structure was adorned with intricate carvings and symbols that glowed faintly under the relentless sun. The entrance was a maze of walls and corridors, twisting and turning in a labyrinthine fashion.

  "Frankfield, I ain't exactly known for my brains, but I reckon I can take a few swings at these walls, right?" Juan joked, cracking his knuckles as he approached the gate. His Spanish accent thickened his words, lending a rough, humorous tone to his bravado.

  Frankfield arched an eyebrow. "Juan, remember patience is sometimes more valuable than brute force. But if you believe your strength can uncover the path, then do as you wish."

  Juan grinned and push his barrier at a section of the wall. With a resounding crash, several layers of ancient stone shattered, sending clouds of dust swirling into the air. Yet, as the rubble settled, the corridor beyond remained dark and silent, a winding passageway that hinted at the mysteries hidden within.

  "That was beautiful, I gotta admit," Juan exclaimed. "Sometimes, I think a good ol' wall-breakin' is all it takes to solve problems!"

  Frankfield shook his head, his tone half-amused, half-exasperated. "Your methods are... unorthodox. But we must be cautious. I believe The Covenant's defenses are not designed to be trampled through."

  They ventured further into the maze. The passage was lined with ancient murals depicting long-forgotten battles, celestial beings, and the symbols of lost civilizations. The air was cool and heavy with the scent of time itself. Every step echoed as if the corridor were alive, watching them.

  After what felt like hours of navigating the twisting halls, Juan's impulsive nature got the better of him. Without pausing to consider the intricacies of the labyrinth, he charged forward, swinging his shield-blade at multiple walls simultaneously. The sound of stone crashing echoed throughout the corridor.

  "Juan, no!" Frankfield shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. But it was too late.

  As Juan's momentum shattered a series of intricate partitions, a hidden mechanism was triggered. A deep, resonant alarm sounded, reverberating through the passageway like the tolling of a giant bell. The ancient murals seemed to flicker with a sudden, ominous glow.

  Then, from the deepest recesses of the labyrinth, a guttural roar rumbled through the corridors. The very air began to tremble.

  Before them, the Covenant Sentinel awakened.

  The Sentinel was a colossal construct of enchanted metal and magic. Standing twice as tall as a man and bristling with razor-sharp edges, it resembled a knight from a forgotten era, its armor a meld of gold and dark metal, pulsing with eerie luminescence. Its eyes glowed with a fierce, burning light as it scanned the intruders. In one massive, articulate hand, a curved blade of pure energy was clutched, while the other bore a heavy shield emblazoned with mystic runes.

  "Ah, caramba," Juan muttered, his tone half in awe and half in dread. "I knew this wasn't gonna be simple. Now, we've got ourselves a giant metal ghost with a scythe!"

  Frankfield's eyes narrowed as he assessed the behemoth. "Now isn't the time for regretting your action. Prepare yourself, Juan. This battle will test every ounce of your strength."

  The Sentinel bellowed, advancing with deliberate, menacing strides. Its metallic feet pounded the ground as it closed the distance. Juan's heart pounded like a war drum—His mind raced through all his learned spells, the shield, the seal, and every defensive incantation he had mastered.

  The battle erupted in a flurry of clashing magic and steel. Juan summoned his shield, and with a series of rapid, fluid motions, he sent out razor-thin needles of barrier magic aimed at the Sentinel. But the Sentinel's armor absorbed the blows effortlessly, its surface shimmering as if deflecting every attack with an unseen force.

  "Your needle attack won't work here, Juan," Frankfield cautioned from a safe distance, his voice calm yet urgent. "Its armor is enchanted with magic that repels your standard spells."

  Juan gritted his teeth, sweat mingling with the dust and grit of the ancient corridor. "Then what do I do? I can't just stand here and take it, can I?" he barked, frustration lacing his words.

  He took a deep breath, recalling the lessons of his previous encounters. The memory of Syth, the overwhelming power it possessed, flashed before his eyes. But that was different. This was not an untamed beast, this was a crafted sentinel, designed to guard the Gilded Covenant.

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  Juan stepped back, evading a sweeping blow from the Sentinel's massive blade. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, centering himself. "Magic is only as powerful as the imagination that drives it," he murmured to himself. "Watch me."

  He raised his index finger above his eyelid and his thumb below, focusing all his remaining energy on creating a singular drop of mana-infused water. The drop shimmered in the air before him like a tiny, suspended star. With a surge of determination, Juan channeled every bit of his will into that drop and then shouted, "LOCK!"

  A sphere of translucent, pulsating energy erupted around the Sentinel. The barrier grew stronger, layers of shimmering light fusing together to create an unyielding prison. The Sentinel roared, its massive frame straining against the magical bonds. But the seal held firm, glowing with an intense brilliance that dwarfed everything around it.

  "Ha, told you" Juan exclaimed in pride.

  Gritting his teeth, Juan forced himself to stand. "I ain't feelin' too hot, but at least we got the Covenant. Now, let's secure it and get out of this cursed labyrinth."

  Frankfield rushed to his side, his expression a mixture of pride and concern. "Juan, that was remarkable."

  Juan, his voice hoarse but triumphant, managed a wry smile. "Ay, Franky, I always said I was born for greatness. But now I'm feelin' like a dried-out husk. I might be too weak to even hold a shield for a minute!"

  Frankfield's gaze softened. "You gotta recover Juan, Anyways—the Gilded Covenant must be claimed, and the Sentinel must remain sealed until we retrieve it."

  Their eyes fell upon the prize, the Gilded Covenant itself. It lay ensconced within a small, ornate pedestal at the center of the labyrinth, its surface glowing with mysterious runes.

  "We have it," Frankfield said quietly, his voice tinged with reverence and exhaustion. "Now, we must return to the Center of All."

  Finally, Juan and Frankfield secured the Covenant. Carefully, they dismantled part of the surrounding maze to clear a path. Juan, though still weakened, used his remaining mana to create small protective barriers as they advanced. Every step was deliberate, every movement, cautious. The sealed Sentinel rumbled in the distance, but it remained confined within the unyielding sphere of Juan's magic.

  Their journey back was fraught with challenges, but the newly acquired treasure seemed to shine like a beacon, guiding them through the darkened corridors. Once back at the Nexus, they were greeted with quiet celebration. The guild had already learned of their success, the Covenant and the sealed Sentinel were proof of their skill and determination.

  Lord Blackthorn himself congratulated them in his deep, measured tone, "You have succeeded in a task that many deemed hard."

  Yet Frankfield had only one look for the prize, a quiet satisfaction, a determination that belied the cost of their victory. As for Juan, He had tasted a power so potent it threatened to consume him, a new magic that made even the divine seem defeatable. But his mana was nearly spent, and his body ached from the strain.

  Later that night, as they rested in a secluded chamber within the Nexus's inn, Juan whispered to Frankfield, "Franky, I ain't never felt so alive and so dead at the same time. That seal spell-no its now the Seal of oppressors, it is something else. But I gotta learn to master it."

  Frankfield nodded slowly. "Patience, Juan. But know this your potential is limitless. What you did today is a sign of the great sorcery that lies within you. We must continue to train, to hone this magic, until you can wield it without fear of losing yourself."

  Juan smiled weakly, his determination unyielding. "Then we keep on practicin' every single day, no matter how tough it gets. I'll master this magic, and maybe one day, I'll even find a way to go back to my world."

  Frankfield's eyes shone with pride. "And I will be with you every step of the way."

  Juan laid his head down, murmuring, "Franky, I may be beat up like a flat bread, but I'm gonna keep learnin'. One day, I'll be strong enough to not only survive but to shape worlds."

  Frankfield placed a hand on Juan's shoulder. "Rest now, my friend. For tomorrow, we continue our journey. The path of magic is long and arduous, but together, we will find our destiny."

  For five long years, from the age of 28 to 32, Juan roamed the Hyperpolytopos in search of his home, a place that Syth had once promised would not be found. No matter how far he traveled, no matter how many dimensions he explored, his home remained elusive, a memory fading like a half-remembered dream. Disillusioned but unbowed, Juan eventually accepted that his past was lost forever, and he turned his focus to forging a new destiny.

  For two years, from 28 to 30, he worked as a guild member, honing his skills and cementing his reputation. His uncanny ability with shield magic and his ruthless efficiency in battle earned him whispered names throughout the realms. Some called him "The Castle," for his impenetrable defenses, others, "The Most Efficient Godkiller Known to Mankind." Yet despite the legends that grew around him, Juan remained a restless soul, determined to carve his own path as a mercenary for hire.

  At the age of 38, fate took an unexpected turn when Juan encountered an unnamed sapien during a routine mission. The boy possessed a quiet strength and an unspoken sadness that resonated with Juan's own longings. In a moment of rare vulnerability, Juan named him Pax, a symbol of hope and peace amid endless conflict. The two soon became inseparable, eventually making their home together at Juan's modest dwelling in the Center of All, a place where countless worlds converged. Though life was unpredictable, their shared bond offered a rare sense of stability. Frankfield Lightspawn would often visit, and Juan made occasional pilgrimages back to Glux'n, remembering the days of fiery battle and relentless ambition.

  Then, when Juan turned 39, destiny again shifted its course. During a particularly perilous mission, he crossed paths with GōkRahGōr of Grakha , The king of Grakha. And barely a month later, Juan was hired for another daunting contract, to kill a greater divine being from universe-7905-ZB. The challenge was monumental, a task that would test every ounce of his newfound power and resolve.

  It was during the planning of this fateful mission that Juan met his target—Virelle Edrasdottir, a girl who was a double-edged sword. Every time she thought of something happy, every time a smile crept onto her face, the world paid the price. Grotesque horrors would break loose lands turned into human flesh, skin peeled from bone like paper, blood poured from the skies, and catastrophe swallowed everything. Her joy was a curse, and hell followed every flicker of it.

  Seeing the girl, he didn’t care about the job. To the world, she was a harbinger of ruin. But to him, she was just a little girl with powers too extreme for her. He saw past the blood-soaked skies and melting skin. He saw someone who could learn—someone he could teach. And maybe, just maybe, instead of destroying lives... she could start saving them.

  Thus, the legend of Juan continued to grow. Once a desperate man searching for a lost home, he had transformed into a mercenary whose deeds were spoken of in hushed tones across countless dimensions. His journey is near from over, each battle, each contract, and each unexpected meeting only deepened the enigma of his legacy. And as the Center of All pulsed with the infinite possibilities of existence, Juan embraced his fate, ever determined to write the next chapter of his extraordinary life.