Chapter 48: Guardian(2)

In the universe there exists a pressure. A pressure so strong that anything that dare exist In the universe would be crushed to a either single point or imperceptiblespace dust. Because of this pressure no life or existance can be within the universe.

That is until dungeons and worlds existed.

Worlds and dungeons are independent spaces that can survive the universal pressure without turning into minuscule dots. But not only can worlds and dungeons survive the universal pressure, they can also create as space were the pressure is negated.

But each world and dungeon can only negate the pressure up to the the rank in which it is. Thus creating a space where the spacial pressure will not effect existance of that certain rank.

So once a rank 1 world exists, in it rank 1 mortals can also exist. Once a rank 3 dungeon exists, rank 3 inhabitants can live in it. If a rank 4 creature enters a rank 3 world, they will experience the universal pressure until they either depower or die.

That is why in this universe, dungeons and worlds are important sources to power. Because even if a mortal transcends to becomes a deity, they still have no chance of challenging the universal pressure. As even if they are rank 8 deities, they could only depower or die if they try to use their rank 8 strength in a rank 1 mortal world.

But of course, there are a few exceptions. As if a being were to use pure power and will alone, they could be able to resist the universal pressure and use strength beyond a world's or dungeon's rank. This resistance though has a limit, as it is unlikely that anyone can use strength that is two ranks above the world they are in.

Even so, having strength that is rank 2 in a rank 1 world could make a person akin to a god. As most mortals are unable to transcend the world's rank.

But often these so called 'gods' end up as a hindrance to the world. Because although transcending the world's rank seems harmless, it actually disrupts the world's balance. Which could end up breaking the world as it is, making the Universal pressure descend and obliterate everything existing in the world.

So when a person like that appears, how is the world meant to deal with them? As in most cases, mortals the can go beyond the world's rank are likely to have great luck themselves. Such people are what you call protagonists. They are the chosen and favoured of the universe. Making it such that the universe itself bends to their will.

As such, when bad luck descends onto them, their good luck would even it out. But if the is so, what is a world to do? After all, these transcendants truly are a danger to a world's existance.

Well, that's where guardians come in.

Basically, a guardian is the mortal chosen by the world to follow its will. It main job is clear out unwanted beings from the world. And as sometimes these unwanted beings may be able to transcend the world's rank, the guardian is given the world's blessing. Which coupd be thought of a an extra layer of protection from the world pressure. This extra layer would allow the mortal to reach a rank one level above the world rank.

That means that while rank one world only has rank one inhabitants, it will have a rank 2 guardian. Or at least, the guardian cab reach rank 2. While a rank 3 would have a rank 4 guardian,

And unlike the ones who use their pure strength to transcend the world's rank, the guardian won't have to worry about the universal pressure in that world. That is as long as it's strength does not go further than what the world has granted to it.

But even if the guardians cannot go further than rank 2 in a rank 1 world, they are still considered formidable foes. Their strength is usually unparalleled and few have the chance of actually besting them in their world.

That was why when the child saw the ether form into a giant wolf fighting a hob-goblin, his mind instantly went to guardian.

As this was the best possible explanation he could come up with as to why a giant wolf was fighting one of his hob-goblins in the future.

"By why would my goblins be fighting a giant wolf? Was it sent by the world to banish me and my goblins?"

This did not make sense to the child. After all, up till now, they really have not done much to gain the attention of the world. They haven't done anything against it or stood out much at all. Sure they killed a few animals here and there, but animals die everyday. Just the few taken by the child wasn't barely a drop in the ocean compare to a world's reserves.

So why?

"Could the guardian be moving on its own?"

Although a guardian is technically the protector of a world, it won't always be moving due to the orders of the world. Before a guardian became a guardian, it is likely that it too was once a normal mortal.

And so like any normal mortal, the guardian would likely have desires and preferences. Sometimes even social ties.

So rather than going by the world's orders, this guardian could be doing this due to an asked favour or just a dislike for the goblin race.

"So I'm guessing this guardian is what the kobolds are waiting for. But since the world isn't involved, I think i can take my chances. This is only a rank 1 world after all. taking down a rank 2 with what I have should be hard, but not impossible."

The child had spent far too long in this world to just abandon it after a little danger came up. Since he hadn't even started absorbing the third order energy to grow himself. And seen from his time vision, there aren't many rank 1 worlds nearby. If he decided to run now, he would have to start all over again in a new world. Thus flushing almost all the effort and time he had spent on this world down to the drain. As such, the child decided to stay and fight.

"But now that I have decided to fight, how will I? After all, that would seemed stronger than a normal wolf, so shields might work fending them off, but killing it won't work. If only I could make that mock-gunpowder. If I could I would be able to make canon balls blast off the guardian to another world.

"Shooting heh?... Well, that could work."

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