《Core Bursts》 Chapter 1- To The End Prologue Location: Unknown Battlefield The air was thick with tension as the group faced an imposing armored figure with glowing red eyes. The ground around them looked like an explosion had occurred, with traces of fallen armies scattered everywhere. The tension was palpable as the group faced an armored figure with glowing red eyes. "I never thought I¡¯d ever fight alongside him," Player 1 muttered, disbelief evident in his voice. "Yeah, a big surprise for me too," Player 2 replied, glancing at the figure. "I guess he only listens to him." "Guys! Don¡¯t target him; the dude is trying to change for once," Player 3 interjected, trying to diffuse the situation. Player 4, however, was less forgiving. "I¡¯ll shove this sword up your ass, midget!" he snarled. "Oh really now?" Player 3''s hair began to glow and flow upwards, eyes changing pattern. "Guess I¡¯ll have to call her then, don¡¯t you think?" Present Day Location: Unknown Hut A guy with blue hair lay sleeping in his hut, his dreams disturbed by a vision. He woke up in terror. "What... was that?" he gasped, his mind racing. "But it¡¯s not the time yet, is it? So this time it¡¯s this prediction, huh?" Location: Mumbai, India At the College Roof "So, how¡¯s your job going?" Arush¡¯s friend asked casually. "Are you trying to gaslight me?" Arush shot back, suspicion in his eyes. "Of course not." "Spit it out." "You don¡¯t get it, do you? You¡¯re damaging yourself, brother." "Come on, you know what¡¯s the situation," Arush replied, trying to brush off the concern. "Yeah, and I¡¯m completely aware of the freshly received scar under that eye," his friend said, causing Arush to startle. "It¡¯s just normal for me now," Arush muttered. "You MADE it look normal." "Come on, I don¡¯t have any option." "You always have an option, you just don¡¯t believe it. You PAY RENT in your own damn HOUSE. They TORTURE you with belts and shoes. Do you still think it¡¯s normal?" Arush¡¯s eyes dulled. "You just have to believe in yourself and take the first step. I know, it¡¯s always the hard one, friend. The rest is up to you. Bye." At Work "Hey! You SWINE!!" the boss¡¯s voice cut through the air. "I¡¯ve been calling your ugly presence for 5 seconds straight! Or do you want me to have a talk with your mom?" "NO! PLEASE! I¡¯ll do anything but please don¡¯t call her!" Arush pleaded. "Is that how you beg, peasant?" The boss brought a shoe in front of Arush¡¯s face. "You know what to do, now hurry!" "Look, and that¡¯s why you must study hard, not to end up in a position like him, okay?" a customer said to her child. "Yes, mommy." "Pathetic as always," a co-worker girl sneered at Arush. He looked at her, and she kicked him. "Where are you looking, perv! Boss! This pig is staring at me with creepy eyes!" The entire restaurant looked at him with disgust. "Hey babe, is he bothering you?" another customer asked. "Yes! Please help me," the girl said, tears in her eyes. "Creeps like you are the reason why our society is unsafe!" the customer shouted, beating Arush. "Oh, you¡¯re SO strong, my savior," the girl cooed. "Want to come to my place after your work, sweetie?" "Why not, my hero?" said in seductive tune Everyone cheered for the hero as Arush lay on the ground, beaten and crying. Monologue- Arush This was just a small example of my daily routine. Parents beat me physically. Bullies beat me mentally. And co-workers beat me emotionally. However, this was never always the case. If I think correctly, they started treating me like this after that boy was born; from that moment, the only thing I saw ever after were their true colors. After that thing so-called Ma started treating me like this immediately after that kid¡¯s birth, my so-called biological brother. I developed an emotion which people call kindness, though most people think it¡¯s a blessing, but I know what it is... IT¡¯S A CURSE... Because of this cursed emotion, people around me like to take advantage of it, and it¡¯s a hindrance for me, and I mean a lot!! It cringes me out to even remember that the people who harmed me numerous times in the past, when experiencing themselves, I try to help them come out of their problems only to be toyed with once again. I tried a lot not to interfere in others'' difficult times, but this damn heart never listens, and I help them only to be backfired by those damn rascals. I believe in karma, quite a lot, because I always experience the terms ¡°Instant Karma¡± and ¡°Correct Time Karma¡± even though others rise straight up like a rocket. WHAT DID I DO??? When people hurt me, they experience happiness, and when I hurt people, they get their revenge by laws of nature. WHY IS IT ME??? I¡¯m not even allowed to counter their actions since instant karma comes in clutch. HOW IS IT ME??? This world is not worth living for; the strong rule and the weak perish, the strong take and the weak give, the strong laugh and the weak cry. STRONG AND WEAK HUH?? The upper ones only harass the lower ones because they CAN, and the lower ones HAVE to suffer no matter what. GOD IS STRONG. The talented ones are raised with care, and others are labeled useless and tossed in the trash. I¡¯M WEAK. Am I going to suffer like this for the rest of my life? Heartbeat Location: Home/Hell The elevator doors opened at the 35th floor. Arush grabbed the door handle and pulled it open. Suddenly, a steel bowl came flying at high speed towards him. "Huh?" Arush barely had time to react. Bang! Blood dripped as Arush, with one eye closed, felt it running down half of his face. "Yeyyy! Maa! Did you see that? Did you see?" his brother shouted with excitement. "Yes, I saw everything," his mother replied with a twisted smile. "That was a jackpot shot! The cow cannot open that useless eye now! I think you¡¯ll become a great aimer someday, sweetie."Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Arush suffered in silence, pain evident but no scream escaping his lips. "Maa, why isn¡¯t the pig oinking?" his brother asked, confused. His mother looked at Arush in disgust. "That¡¯s because that one is a useless and abandoned pig, okay? No matter how much you beat it, the pig will not oink at all. Also, if you even hear that pig¡¯s fainting voice, come and tell me, okay? That thing is not allowed to share that disgusting voice of his." "Maa, are you proud of me?" "Of course, baby," she said, her eyes shining with a cruel light. "You¡¯re my perfect creation and..." Arush''s eyes widened upon hearing it, pupils started shifting and changing. "...That¡¯s the talented and blessed son a mother can be proud of." Heartbeat "I can never curse myself on you like I do on that thing." Heartbeat Arush¡¯s pupils continued to shift and change into an unfamiliar pattern. Arush started emitting an unfamiliar, devilish aura which his mother and brother didn''t notice at all Somewhere the guy with blue hair keeps sensing all this ruckus and smiles with a poem ''''When the weak perishes, the darkness wakes...'''' Arush picked up the bowl and slammed it into Maa¡¯s face. "MAAA!!! WHY, YOU FAT PIG???" his brother screamed, his voice filled with shock and anger. Arush turned to him, eyes blazing with fury, and picked up the bowl again, banging it on his brother''s head. Maa shouted for help, her voice echoing through the room as Arush continued to smash her face with the steel bowl. Blood splattered everywhere as his brother screamed, the sight of their mother¡¯s blood horrifying him. A neighbor came running, drawn by the commotion. Both Arush and his brother noticed him. "You... you¡¯re over, brat!" Maa managed to choke out, her voice weak but filled with venom. "Hahaha..." Arush quickly moved, tackling the neighbor and running away. 8:30 PM While Running "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn iiiiiit!" Arush yelled, his voice filled with frustration and fear. Location: Park 9:35 PM Arush sat on a bench in the park, panting heavily with blood still on his hands. A girl sitting beside him noticed and panicked. "Blood?" she exclaimed, quickly grabbing his hands to inspect them. "Don¡¯t touch it..." Arush said, looking at her. As the wind blew, her jacket''s cap slipped open, revealing her face. Both of them stared at each other, wide-eyed. They looked away, and Arush realized he had never talked to a girl before. He hesitated, shivering with embarrassment, while the girl pulled her cap down further to hide her face. Arush turned red, overwhelmed by the situation and unsure of what to say to avoid looking like a creep. Silence "So, are you really okay?" the girl finally asked. "Ah, yeah," Arush replied awkwardly. Silence His mind raced. "Now what? I took the initiative to talk to a girl, and that¡¯s it?" he thought. "I¡¯ve never had the chance to talk to a girl before. Those years I did nothing except being tortured or becoming a toy or an alert guard to notify the ones who were having sex in the school washrooms and provide condoms with my own saved-up money. If not, they would frame me for assaulting or touching girls inappropriately." "I see. So how did it get on your hands? And is that person going to be alright? At least without you? People in trouble need attention, you know," the girl said, breaking the silence. "I¡¯m a thousand percent sure they will be happy now that I¡¯m gone," Arush replied, his face showing his deep depression. The girl looked at him with concern. "Why is that? I¡¯ll listen if you want to." "Nah, it¡¯s not worth your time," Arush said. "On top of that, the action is already done. Now only the result is pending." She touched his shoulder gently. "Don¡¯t be so harsh on yourself. I know that men have a really bad habit of hiding their feelings. Even if it¡¯s small, you should speak about it, you know? Sometimes the solution to the biggest problem ever is just a small ant-sized piece of advice." Arush looked at her, noticing a tear drop. "Are you crying?" he asked in a deep voice, no longer shy. "Huh? What?" the girl responded, panicking. "Nothing to be angry about. I saw a drop fall, that¡¯s why I asked. You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to. I was just confirming, that¡¯s all." "No, I¡¯ll be fine, I guess," she said, sobbing. Arush thought to himself, "Though she is crying, I can¡¯t let my guard down. But if a baddy is crying, that would mean she had an argument with a baddy boyfriend and he kicked her out, I guess." He smirked. "That¡¯s what you get for choosing based on looks, ''bad girl.''" He remembered the bruise he saw on her cheek. Quickly kneeling down, Arush confirmed that the bruise was indeed there. "So you were indeed beaten up," he said softly. Her eyes widened as they stared at each other. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions any longer. She grabbed him and cried her heart out. Arush''s mind raced. "How did this happen? My mind had completely different thoughts, and now my body is acting in the opposite direction?!" He hugged her as she continued to cry on his shoulder. She maintained her posture but turned completely red, giving him a side-eye stare while embarrassed. Both avoided looking at each other, completely flustered. 10:00 PM A leg stepped forward. "So HERE you are! Tagging with another guy already??" a man¡¯s voice boomed. Both Arush and the girl looked up to see the man approaching. Arush felt unconscious, as if his soul was leaving his body. "What is this? No, what is he? Is this guy on steroids? He¡¯s a complete CHAD!" Arush thought, panic setting in. The man walked towards them slowly, eyeing Arush from top to bottom. "So you already replaced me with this fatso, huh? I¡¯ll accept your taste changes pretty fast," the man sneered. Arush looked at the girl, her eyes rolling towards him. She was trembling in fear. The man grabbed Arush''s shoulder. "Wait! What? Why did he place his arm on MY shoulder? I didn¡¯t even do anything yet, nor did I plan to do anything to her, so WHY? WAIT NOOO!" Arush''s thoughts screamed as a punch came straight at his face. Arush fainted but could still hear everything around him. The world around him faded into muffled sounds and blurred vision, yet he could sense the ongoing confrontation. Arush''s eyes slowly opened with blurry vision. He saw the man grabbing her neck. "Is this... my payback?" he thought as he watched the man slam her to the ground. "Don¡¯t drag him into this!" she screamed. "My karma?" Arush wondered. "Leave him alone!" she shouted again, walking towards Arush. "My punishment?" he thought, struggling to make sense of the situation. "He has nothing to do with us!" she cried out. "Damn! I-I can¡¯t see clearly what is happening. I can¡¯t open the left eye, and the right one is blurry as hell too! I cannot even scratch him, but then again..." Arush thought, a smile forming on his face as he leaned against the tree for support. "I never was able to do anything to anyone before either. I¡¯m shaking in fear, but I¡¯m getting angry at the same time," he smirked. "You stay here, PIG!" the man snarled, a kick coming straight for Arush''s face. The guy with blue hair continues his poem ''''Evil rises...'''' Arush''s eye opened. Summoning his last ounce of strength, he caught the man''s leg with one hand just as the kick was about to land. The man stood there confused ''''And terror quakes'''' said the blue haired guy in the hut still in an unknown location Arush grabbed a stick and sliced it at the man''s leg. He went for another slash, but the man dodged, only to have his vest slashed. "What is happening here? Did he bang his head or something?" the man muttered, bewildered. Arush''s eye had completely lost its shine, as if he were possessed. "His personality completely changed, as if he is a mad zombie. I was about to make him unconscious, but this psychopath is literally trying to MURDER ME!" the man thought, panic creeping into his voice. Arush swung the stick again, each swing a close call. "How can a fat pig even move like that? He¡¯s not what he looks like. That damn hand is suspicious; the tree should¡¯ve broken it, but it¡¯s still functional. This damn brat! I¡¯m gonna kill this pig!" the man thought, his anger rising. Both landed hits on each other. The man punched Arush in the jaw, while Arush stabbed the stick into the man''s gut. The man screamed in pain and stepped back. Arush fell to the ground, his face bruised and bleeding. He lay there, his dull eyes glaring at the dark sky. "What just happened? What was that and... what is this feeling? I just took two hits on the face, and I already feel like I¡¯m gonna die? Not to mention, my body was pretty weak from the start. All that excess weight was for nothing, huh? Now that I think about it, my entire life was filled with so many illogical and pointless scenarios from the beginning, so I won¡¯t be surprised if I die from these minor bruises. God really enjoyed himself by playing with me and bringing these kinds of people into my worthless life. Whatever I did that would benefit me, you destroyed it. Whenever I tried to create a positive relationship, you destroyed it," Arush thought, tears falling. "No matter what I do, you WILL interfere, won¡¯t you, God? No matter how hard I try, you WILL interfere, won¡¯t you, God? No matter which path I choose, you WILL interfere, right? Now there is only one option left to end this suffering," Arush thought, his mind racing. The man sat on Arush, pinning him down. "So that¡¯s how it is, huh, punk? Too bad, the odds are against you today," the man sneered. The man grabbed Arush''s neck, squeezing tightly. Arush struggled to breathe, his vision blurring even more. The girl shouted, "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!" "What did I say about you paying back? You remember? Well, now¡¯s the time for it," the man sneered, squeezing Arush''s neck tighter. Arush struggled, gasping for air. "Feel the pain, BRAT!" the man growled. "Don¡¯t do this to him," the girl cried, tears streaming down her face. "Please!" "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON¡¯T LISTEN TO ME!!! THIS IS ALL ON YOU, SLAVE!!!" the man roared. "Rest in pieces, brat!" Arush slowly closed his eyes, a tear drop falling as his vision faded. 24 December 2020 The full moon slowly changed color, shifting from white to red, and then to blue, all while shining brightly in the night sky. A display appeared out of nowhere: WELCOME You are one of the 10 chosen people to be transferred to another world as PLAYERS Do you want to? TRANSFER REFUSE Arush hesitated for a moment, then tapped the transfer button. Suddenly, he found himself traveling through space, a surreal journey unfolding before him. A glass wall appeared in his path. His soul clashed with it, shattering the wall into small pieces from the middle. CHAPTER 1- TO THE END Chapter 2- Game Analogue Arush''s memories replay, focusing solely on the negative experiences that have shaped his life. Event 1: In the school cafeteria, a student pours porridge over Arush in front of everyone. "This is for you..." the student sneers. "Eww, clean this up! And don¡¯t ever sit next to me again!" another student yells, punching Arush in the face. The entire cafeteria erupts in laughter, including the teachers who ignore the bullying and join in the mockery. "Are you alright? Splash; have some water and chill, girl. OH, I CAN SEE YOUR BOOBS! DON¡¯T YOU WEAR A BRA?" another student taunts, causing even more laughter. Event 2: During a family gathering, a relative asks Arush, "In which grade are you?" "I¡¯m in college," Arush replies. "Oh, you¡¯re in college already? Well, I thought you were in 10th standard," the relative says, prompting everyone to laugh. Another relative asks, "What do you want to do in the future?" "A businessman," Arush responds. "HAHAHA... The world is big, kid. Think smaller," the relative mocks. "An employee in a company," Arush suggests. "Don¡¯t you have any ambition? Or a dream? My son is in 7th standard, and even he knows what to do in life," the relative retorts. Arush''s mother adds, "He is just a burden anyway." Event 3: At school, a girl pushes Arush. "Oops, sorry girl. OH, it¡¯s you! I thought you were a girl!" she exclaims. Another girl chimes in, "What do you eat to get such huge boobs like yours?" "Isn¡¯t this sexual harassment when he is listening to all this?" a third girl asks. "Yeah, you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s inform the faculty and blame him. Or should I say ¡®her¡¯?" the first girl suggests, laughing as they walk towards the faculty room. Present Arush is falling through a tunnel, screaming, "AAAAAAA..." He reaches space, surrounded by stars and planets. He looks at his hands. "Are these my hands? They¡¯re really white, like I could go color blind if I stare at them for a couple of minutes. And where AM I? Is this death? Where¡¯s the grim reaper to guide my soul? Or did he abandon me too? Is this really what the afterlife looks like? It¡¯s literally space I¡¯m floating in." ... "WAIT!!!!!! HOW AM I EVEN BREATHING? I don¡¯t have a NOSE, I¡¯m typically a formless form!! Wait, does that even make sense??" ... "Who cares?" He notices something behind him. "Huh? What is this? If I remember correctly, this is where the tunnel ended, right? But the hole is so small, how can I even fit in?" He touches it, and it opens. Tentacles coil around his limbs, pulling him inside. "No, No, No, NO, NO, NOOOOOOO!!!!" He gets sucked in and falls again, screaming, "AAAA...." through the tunnel, and smashes onto a neon glowing floor like a pancake. "Ah, ouch, was not in the mood for another roller coaster ride. Where am I now??"This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. A screen pops up in front of him: WELCOME PLAYER MUST CREATE A NAME TO BE CALLED IN THE HEART ENTER NAME ??__________________________ "A name, huh? This feels like those MMORPG games I played a lot in secret. I think my phone¡¯s storage was completely filled with its data alone," Arush mused. Data? "CRAP!!!!!!!!! I FORGOT TO CLEAR MY BROWSER HISTORY!!!!!!" "Oh, it¡¯s not like they can do anything now that I¡¯m out of their reach. Wait... NO, NO, NO, NOOOO!!!! What if... What if this is just a dream and I was just fainted this entire time? Then... I will just go ahead and faint again, I guess. Then I¡¯ve to enjoy to my fullest to have no regrets before waking again." "First will be the name. Hmm, Glow? Armin? Raizen? Oh..." He started typing, "S, A, B, E, and R. Yes! SABER!!! I like that sound," and hit enter. The floor vanished, and he fell again, screaming, "AAAA....." BAM! He landed on a new neon floor. "Not again, I might puke if these surprises keep on hugging me. Now, where have I fallen this time?" Another screen popped up. "Another screen, huh? What is it this time?" WELCOME PLAYER must create an avatar to be seen and be able to interact with the NPCs "I see, of course! Without an avatar, the game is incomplete. Now, how should I make my avatar? Like me?" Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu¡ª Two hours passed Zzzzzzzzzz Three Hours passed Khhhhhhhhhhhh The clock ticked, and five hours passed. Bubble pops "HA? Did I fall asleep? Nah, I was definitely concentrating," Arush muttered to himself. "Now then, how should I make my avatar more sexy? VERY sexy," Arush thought, his fingers clicking away. CLICK CLICK CLICK An avatar of a bodybuilder appeared. "How do I look? Nah, this isn¡¯t my preference," he muttered, shaking his head. CLICK CLICK CLICK An avatar of a lean minotaur appeared. "What is this?" he exclaimed, bewildered by the unexpected transformation. Still stuck with the white avatar, Arush screamed in frustration, "AAAAAAAHH! WHY CAN¡¯T I DECIDE ANYTHING?! It¡¯s not that hard, is it? In fact, deciding my avatar wasn¡¯t hard at all. So why is this case so different? Maybe I have a little TOO many options, that¡¯s why?" As he was about to click another button, her image flashed in his mind. "Now that I think about it, she must be in the same situation as me, right? Otherwise, it doesn¡¯t make any sense for only me to have the privileges of being a player, right? Wait, why again? I¡¯m feeling bad for her even though I wished to go far away from others every time I could remember." "But... her image, even though it was an act, I felt good and alive for once. The image of family, except for them. But I shouldn¡¯t have hit her, after all, she was my mom, the one who gave me birth. I should probably apologize and beg for their mercy, right? Since God also prefers this kind of living, right? It¡¯s even written in the book of my destiny to endure torture and suffer misery on their behalf so that they could experience happiness, right? After all, I¡¯m just a worthless, good-for-nothing punching bag. THAT¡¯S MY WORTH." A straight punch on the face. "I think it¡¯s better now, I came back to my senses. SCREW THEM! I don¡¯t give a crap about them. They didn¡¯t care about me, so why in the right mind should I care about them? Yes! They don¡¯t care about me. In fact, NOBODY CARED ABOUT ME." CLICK (Hair) "I¡¯ll JUST" CLICK (Torso) "BECOME A" CLICK (Lips) "BETTER VERSION" CLICK (Full Sleeve T-Shirt) "OF MYSELF THAT" CLICK (Pants) "I¡¯VE ALWAYS DREAMT OF" "From this very moment," Arush declared, determined to create a new version of himself. Arush lay on the floor with his brother¡¯s foot on his head. "All that I shall do is enjoy!" he declared. He remembered being scolded by the boss. "No more worrying about that minimum wage bullshit." He remembered holding a few coins in his hand while others held notes. "No more being punished for being bullied." He remembered being bullied in the washroom by five people. "No more women harassing my body." He remembered a phone taking pictures of him naked and girls pressing his chest. "I have nothing to do with any of them." He remembered all of them laughing. "I DON¡¯T CARE!" NOTIFICATION Do you want to erase your memories? Yes No "Memories, huh? Yeah! I WANT to forget them. What¡¯s the worst that could happen? System! I would like to erase my memories," Arush declared. Arush began to smile, then burst into laughter. "AHAHA! AHAHA! HAHAHA!" His laughter echoed around him, filled with a mix of relief and determination. From now on... A smile slowly spread across Arush''s lips. "I shall become the opposite of myself," he declared, opening his eyes. Now then... He turned off the screen and stared straight into it, an evil smile forming on his face. "Shall we begin the game? From the start?" TASK COMPLETE You are now ready to be transferred in H-eart where your journey will begin Are you ready? TRANSFER NOT YET Transfer was clicked and the neon floor disappeared while different colored lights were shooting up from below ARUSH¡¯s eyes were sparkling with those lights ARUSH was falling in between those lights EEEE....Heh he was smirking he fell in the light ARUSH was standing on a field of grass He opened his eyes and his eyes widens in surprise (The view was unable to be seen except for him) The screen appeared WELCOME TO H-EART Welcome! To the Land of Aura, one of the 5 lands You will begin your journey as a player from here Chapter 3- From The Beginning RULES TO REMEMBER Players are allowed to help others but cannot explicitly state their intentions or strategies. Unique abilities can only be used indirectly. Players cannot share any information about their ''Player'' identity or anything related to the separated world. Players will receive tasks and quests one at a time, each with a time limit. Failing to complete these tasks will trigger punishment for the player. IF ANY RULE ABOVE IS BROKEN, THE PLAYER WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES ALONG WITH SURROUNDING NPCs OR PLAYERS. DATE- 30-6-4000 Saber''s Early Life Saber was born into a loving family. The day he arrived, his father beamed with pride. "You see that?" he said, voice thick with emotion. "Our boy is finally crying tears in his eyes." His mother, eyes shining with tears of her own, nodded. "Yeah. What should we name him?" After a moment of contemplation, his father suggested, "What about the strongest sword? Saber?" His mother smiled, her face softening. "That''s a very brave name, honey!" As Saber grew, moments of joy filled their home. One sunny afternoon in the park, his father called out, "Come on, son! Papa will catch you if you fall." Back home, Saber''s mother, busy in the kitchen, paused to address her son. "What''s wrong, Saber? Want milk? Oh, you hungry boy," she cooed, filling his bottle. Sometimes, Saber loved playing hide and seek. One day, as he hid behind the curtains, his father''s voice echoed through the house, "Saber? Where are you? Are you hiding again?" Even during quiet moments, the joy was palpable. Cradled on his mother''s lap, she encouraged him softly, "Say ''Mumma''?" "Paupau," Saber babbled, making his mother melt with affection. "Awww!!! What a cutie!" she exclaimed, hugging him close. His father, always playful, couldn''t help but tease. "He said papa, so he loves his papa more!" His mother shot back with a mock stern look, "You''ll be sleeping in the hall tonight!" "NOO!!!" his father protested, laughter filling their home. They were living a happy and joyful life. Until¡­ One fateful day, the once peaceful and lively village was engulfed in chaos. The villagers screamed in terror as a heavy march of ''Hollow Wards'' descended upon them, burning everything in their path. The devastation was swift and merciless, leaving the village in ruins. Amidst the smoldering remains, with dull eyes and a heavy heart, Saber A.K.A Arush stood alone once again, having lost everything dear to him. PRESENT LOCATION ¨C RESUPP RIDGE He opened his eyes. What¡­was that? he thought. A dream? Looking out, he saw a huge kingdom in the distance. "Wow! What a large kingdom!" he exclaimed. He walked slowly towards the kingdom, feeling the breeze filled with the scent of flowers. What should I do? Since now I''m a free bird, I can do anything I want but... he pondered, his face troubled. I thought I had overcome that dream. But it looks like I have a long way to go. Why does it feel like I always had something more? Even harder to understand, what is that ''more''? I''M CLUELESS! As he walked, he reflected, I never had any free time and the time I had was always wasted on others, helping out. Now that I have infinite time, I cannot think of anything for myself. And it just keeps bugging me after the collapse of the village. Now that I''m all alone, what even should I do? He swiped his finger in a gesture to check his balance. "A 1000 silvers, ha, nice I guess," he muttered. So the first thing I can do is earn money, but the question rises, how? I''ll check the guild first I guess, for starters. Then I think I''ll buy a house in a remote location since... Feeling disappointed, Arush muttered to himself, "I''m an introvert. It has been a long time since I talked to someone without the polite mask since I talked to only elder people like him and my boss. It has been a long time since I talked to someone except my boss. And my interactions with girls are unmatched, so in short¡­" He sighed deeply, "I''m screwed if I ever encounter a girl, but it''s less likely to happen since nobody came near me within 50 cm." As Arush walked towards the kingdom, he couldn''t help but think about his parents. ''''I wonder what they would do if they saw me like this, earning small bucks with huge workloads, he mused.'''' Step by step, he approached the wall gate where guards were checking people one by one. A troubled look crossed his face, and his eye twitched. ''''Is this supposed to be a joke?'''' he thought, staring at the guards. Their bodies were shining and packed with muscles. ''''THEY ARE PRACTICALLY NAKED, ONLY THAT UNDERWEAR IS SAVING THEIR EXCALIBURS FROM BEING REVEALED. WHAT IS THE POINT OF EVEN WEARING THAT! I PRACTICALLY KNOW THE SIZES JUST BY ACCIDENTALLY GLARING AT IT!''''Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. "Huh?" he muttered, bewildered by the sight. Each step brought him closer to the wall gate, where guards were checking people one by one. As he approached, a troubling scene unfolded before him. One of the guards confronted a traveller. "You don''t have the permit?" the guard demanded. "No sir," the traveller replied. Without warning, the guard grabbed the traveller and slammed him to the ground. "Then go back where you came from! Commoner!" he barked. Saber''s eyes widened in shock. The traveller pleaded, "Please sir, I have to sell the supplies for my family." "I don''t care about your family," the guard retorted. "Please...I''m begging you," the traveller continued to plead. Is that really alright to treat him like that? He''s just a poor salesperson, Saber thought. But again, he''ll turn me into a football if I stand up for him. He shivered in fear. Suddenly, a hand touched him. "AAAAA!!!" he screamed. The person who touched him also screamed, "AAAAA!!!" and fell. Saber turned around to see. IT''S A GIRL!!! MY ONE OF THE WORST IMPOSSIBLE ENCOUNTERS! he thought in panic. "Why did you scream?" she asked. They looked at each other, both staring in confusion. "Mind helping me get up, or are you going to keep staring at me in disgust?" she said, irritation clear in her voice. "Ah, sorry," Saber mumbled, offering his hand. She took it, glaring at him as she got up. She then noticed the reason for his fear. "Oh! I get it now. You''re scared of that guard, aren''t you?" she observed. "Yeah, of course I''m scared just by looking at him and not to mention his Excalibur," Saber admitted. She looked puzzled. "Excalibur?" "Nothing, nothing, really nothing," Saber stammered, trying to cover his slip. She gave him a once-over, her eyes scanning from top to bottom. He doesn''t look like a thief or someone suspicious, that''s for sure, she thought. "Hey," she called out, catching his attention. He turned to face her. "You can come with me if you want?" she offered. Saber was shocked. Is she serious? She is really inviting me to tag along with her! he thought, trying to remain calm. CALM DOWN! AND ANALYZE, SABER. She MUST have an intent; otherwise, she would never have asked me. She would''ve just passed a comment and moved on, but I think I release some kind of prey aura that only attracts predators to me. What is he thinking so deeply about? It''s just an entry offer, she thought, watching him. I''ll just say ''thank you'' to her, and after that, we part our ways. Yes, that''s the plan, Saber decided. "So, I''ll be going, I guess..." she said, starting to leave. "Alright, I accept your offer," Saber quickly responded. "Then hurry up," she urged. She went that far already? he wondered, rushing to catch up. She flashed her ID, and the guard welcomed her with a smile. Is he really the same person who was hitting that poor old guy? Saber thought, bewildered. They crossed through the gate, bathed in the white light shining at the end. The place was surrounded by shops and a bustling crowd, with a fortress visible in the distance. "Woaaaaaaaaaaw!!!!!! What is that? And that? And that? That?" Saber exclaimed, his excitement palpable. She giggled, thinking, He''s just like a little kid, getting excited over smaller things. This is just like the dream that I imagined myself in the RPG!!! Saber thought, thrilled. "Come on, let''s go," she said, nudging him. "Yeeei," he responded, turning his head left and right in excitement while she side-eyed him. "So, where are you from? You definitely do not live here, do you?" she asked, curious. Oh, Crap! Think of something, reply normally, Saber panicked. "Ah, I came here from a small village in the southland of Aura," he said, trying to sound natural. "South? Which way is that?" she asked, perplexed. Screw me! he thought. "From that side," he pointed to the right. "Oh! The right side, I think I had visited that side. That side is the land of bones, right?" she said. "I see," she continued. "Ye-Yeah," Saber responded, thinking, How the hell am I supposed to know? "The creatures are pretty scary there in small villages, even for an experienced adventurer like me. They jump out of nowhere," she explained. ''''Adventurer? Wait, the dungeon raiding team?'''' Saber thought, his mind racing. ''''You mean I can ACTUALLY raid? You mean I can ACTUALLY raid in reality like I did in MMORPG? I have always dreamt of raiding a dungeon and collecting those cool armors, but I couldn''t since that was fictional for my parents! BUT! Here I have no limit and can go all out in the caves! And now that I have this lean body, I can run more comfortably. This HAS to be the BEST start of my LIFE!!!'''' "And he was covered in¡ª" she started, her eyes widening as she noticed his excited expression. ''''I guess he really likes the adventurer jobs, huh?'''' she thought. "Have you ever been in an adventuring group?" she asked. "NO!" Saber replied enthusiastically. ''''That''s why'''', she realized. "So... Want to join?" she asked. "CAN I!" Saber responded eagerly. "SLOW DOWN!" she exclaimed. "OK!" Saber replied, trying to calm down. "GO AWAY!" she suddenly shouted. A man approached, his footsteps TAP TAP on the ground. Both looked at him. "What is all the screaming about? Take your couple goals at home, will you?" the man said, raising an eyebrow. "Chloe? Are you on a date? But I thought you were all alone," the man continued, confusion on his face. "THIS IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" Chloe protested, both of them starting to argue. Saber looked at the man again. The man looks handsome, he thought, staring. The man was bald, and his head shone brightly. "So shiny," Saber murmured, unable to take his eyes off. "STOP!" Chloe whispered urgently. She leaned in close to Saber''s ear, speaking softly while he nodded up and down. "Don''t talk about his hairless, shining, and sparkling head, not at least in front of him. If he hears it, then he goes into depression," she explained. "You know, once he proposed to a girl and¡ª" she began The man, clearly annoyed, playfully hit the girl. "BOOM! BANG!" echoed the sound effects, adding a bit of dramatic flair to his actions. "At least learn to properly whisper! I clearly heard everything you said!" the man exclaimed. Chloe turned to Saber, "Oh! By the way, he wants to join our party and he''s ... What was your name again?" Both the man and Saber responded in unison, "You''re asking that right now?" "Sorry, I forgot haha..." Chloe said, looking at them but realizing they had already gone ahead. "WAIT! Why did you guys leave me behind, you meanies?" she shouted, running to catch up. The man turned to Saber, "By the way, I am Marco. It''s a pleasure to meet you." "And I am Chloe," she added. "And I''m Saber," he introduced himself. Marco raised an eyebrow, "Well that''s an unusual name for people in this land." Chloe chimed in, "Yeah, he is from the land of Bones, right?" "Yeah, it is," she confirmed. "You said he wants to join the party, right?" Marco asked. Both Chloe and Saber responded, "Yeah." Marco thought for a moment, "So we might as well discuss with the rest of the members first, right?" ''''Now that you mentioned it'''', Saber thought. The screen showed a task. ''''I did get a task with similar requirements.'''' TASK Meet up with the members and join Chloe''s adventure party "So where are we heading?" Saber asked, curiosity in his voice. "To the Adventure Guild," Marco replied. "That''s where you will meet up with the rest of the members from today onwards if you are accepted." "Oooo," Saber murmured, his eyes widening with excitement. ''''It looks like the ''system'' is here trying to support me by giving me these small tasks, he thought. That''s nice since I literally have no knowledge whatsoever regarding talks with other people. And the group work I only did was labor and lived in a crappy hut. Now screw that fatso. I''m just a free bird wandering around with 1000 silvers, Hehe¡­'''' They reached the Adventure Guild, and Saber stared at the Adventure Guild poster, awe in his eyes. "Come on, Saber," Chloe urged, snapping him out of his reverie. Saber hurriedly ran and entered the building. As he stepped inside, his eyes widened in disbelief. "WOOAAAAA!" he exclaimed, taking in the grandeur of the place. Passing by, Marco chuckled. "This is just the starting, kid," he said. Chloe tapped Saber''s shoulder, bending down slightly to meet his gaze. "You ready, big fellow?" she asked with a smile. "Hell yeah, I am!" Saber responded, excitement evident in his voice. "Good!" Chloe replied, pleased with his enthusiasm. Marco smirked, "Come on, you two," he said, leading the way. Chapter 4- Friend INFO: ADVENTURE GUILD A place where adventurers enter to receive quests and claim rewards for their missions with large sums of coins and sometimes even rare and valuable items. Adventurers often join groups to increase their total strength and collect greater rewards for difficult tasks. "WOOOAAA!" Saber exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement. "So many adventurers!" "Yeah," Marco agreed. "And since it''s this time of the year, it makes sense for the Guilds to be crowded." "This time?" Saber asked, curious. "Yeah," Chloe explained. "This is the time when every dungeon''s loot increases." "And that happens because the Legendary Gem Dragons migrate here to make nests in the caves and lay eggs," Marco added. "And if you are really lucky, you can even find the Dragon¡¯s egg itself," Chloe continued. "They have a huge market price. Not even wealthy people can get their hands on it easily." "And it is said that if the presence of the Gem Dragon is in the house, then the people living there will never face poverty, no matter what," Marco said. "Wait here with her." He walked towards the counter. "Excuse me?" he called out. "Yeah? One second please," came the reply from the receptionist, who was under the desk. THANG! She banged her head under the desk and came out. "Yes? Oh! It¡¯s you. Wait a minute, let me search for your key card," she said. Even though she looks like a kid, Marco thought. Marco¡¯s thoughts were interrupted as he caught sight of the receptionist. Though she looked like a kid, ''''her breasts speaks otherwise.'''' From afar, Saber nodded up and down, thinking, I can understand you, Marco, I completely understand, while Chloe stared at him in confusion. A stranger walked towards them. "Hey Chloe," the stranger called out, catching their attention. The receptionist reappeared, "Here¡¯s your key card, the room is on the 2nd floor." "Oh, understood, thank you," Marco replied. "Come on now, to the 2nd floor." As they turned to leave, they found themselves surrounded by a group of people. "Chloe, want to go drinking tonight?" asked the first stranger. "Chloe, come with me today," said the second. "Hey Chloe, want to join my party?" asked the third. Saber stood there blankly, nervous and drawing a blank. "Hey, who is this cutie?" asked one of the girls. Girl members stood behind him, and Saber looked back in fear. "Hey, are you new here?" asked another girl. "You look so adorable," said a third. "Are you looking to join a party?" asked a fourth. "Come join mine," offered the fifth. Without warning, Marco grabbed both Chloe and Saber by the collar and ran upstairs, leaving the crowd behind shouting, "Hey!" Marco shook his head, exasperated. "I take my eyes off you for a minute and you guys just hugged trouble?" They walked down the corridor and stopped in front of a door. "Remember Starter," Marco warned, "he is strict as..." He opened the door, revealing a grown and tall man facing the other side in a cool pose. "Welcome!" the man announced. The door shut quickly. "Hey! I am sorry, I am sorry!" the man called out from behind the door. Marco sighed, "Cannot believe I have to babysit another overgrown child." "Hey! I am not THAT old, am I?" the man protested. What a circus I must say, Saber thought. And HE is the strict one? What a joke. Marco stood in front of the door, blocking it from opening. The man inside was crying and apologizing. Saber turned to Chloe, "So who is this joker? I mean man?" "A joker? Oh yeah, he is the lead of the party," Chloe responded. You sure it¡¯s him? Saber thought, doubtful. The man inside straightened up. "Emm Hmm. So you must have heard from Chloe and Marco about my description, right? About how handsome I am?" Actually, they gave a completely different type of description about you, Saber thought. The man continued, "So let¡¯s start with simple questions, fellow?" "Ah, Saber," he introduced himself.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Yes, Saber. So tell me, Saber, why do you wish to join the adventure party?" the man asked. Crap! I didn¡¯t think of it. Alright, play it cool and reply with... Saber thought quickly. "Because I always wanted to become one!" he said. YOU FOOL! Now if he yells it¡¯s all upon you, Saber berated himself internally. The man stared at Saber for a moment. "Alright, next question." He fell for it? Saber thought, surprised. "Why do you want to join this specific party?" the man asked. Damn it! Another heavy question! Saber thought, feeling the pressure. "It¡¯s not a very difficult task to search for another adventure party, right?" the lead asked, his gaze piercing into Saber. Saber''s face reflected his fear. "So why THIS specific party?" the lead pressed. Saber glanced at Chloe, who looked equally worried about the situation. "Why don¡¯t we relax a little, Lead? I will make some tea," Chloe suggested, trying to diffuse the tension. She walked towards the table, but the lead''s voice stopped her in her tracks. "Chloe," he called. She froze. "One black tea for me," he added. Saber¡¯s legs were shaking as he struggled to come up with an answer. The lead and the group sat down, observing him, while Marco put his hand on his face in exasperation. "I think we both know the answer now, correct?" the lead said, his tone serious. Saber, scared and with dull eyes, looked at him as he stood up. "Think again, Lead. Give him another chance," Chloe pleaded, but her teammate grabbed her shoulder with a ''give up'' gesture. "Chloe, you are allowed to be as silly as you want, but be reasonable for once. The boy doesn¡¯t even know his purpose. He looks like a son from a pretty decent family background who never had any kind of difficulty in their entire life," the lead continued. "Adventurers are highly ¡®life¡¯ risking jobs! You cannot just wake up one day and decide to become one. You even have to make cold-hearted choices. Are you prepared for that? To leave a friend behind and see them being mercilessly torn and eaten alive? Begging to die as soon as possible, CAN you fulfil this wish of your friend?" "HEY!" Chloe interjected. "Shut your mouth, CHLOE!" the lead snapped. Saber silently listened, his mind racing. How even in the hell did the situation escalate this quickly? he wondered. "I apologize, kid, but YOU specifically are not the one made up to be an adventurer," the lead declared. Saber stood up, saying, "Sorry," and walked towards the door. The door shut behind him. Chloe sat down, looking at the lead with frustration. "Why would you be so harsh on him?" she asked. "It was your entire fault for randomly dragging him into this. You should have known better, Chloe, right? Or did you forget about your brother?" the lead responded sharply. Chloe''s eyes widened at the mention. Marco placed his arm on the lead''s shoulder. "That is plenty for her, Lead," he said. Chloe, overwhelmed, ran outside. She headed towards the top side of the town and saw Saber sitting there. "Hey, I thought¡ª" Chloe began. "Ran out of the town? Nah, not at least without a try," Saber replied. "Sorry about that. I thought you were in a clear position," Chloe apologized. "I thought so too, but it looks like my struggles are not enough," Saber said, his voice heavy with frustration. "What do you mean? You can share it with me," Chloe offered. "Well, to tell you the truth, I didn¡¯t go through that kind of loss, but I did understand his pain. Being the only one alive and all alone... I understand why he rejected me," Saber explained, recalling the image of his bleeding mother. "When you stand all alone in front of a dead body, it makes you question your own life." "So did you?" Chloe asked, her voice trembling. "Yeah, after all, I grew up with no parental supervision," Saber said, his face reflecting his inner turmoil. Chloe''s face went dull with sadness. She looked scared. "I understand," she said softly. "Have you experienced something like that?" Saber asked. "He did mention someone you held dear." "Yes," Chloe replied. "You can tell me if you want... I¡¯m not forcing you," Saber said gently. "It¡¯s fine, really." Chloe took a deep breath. "It¡¯s alright. After all, the incident happened because of me. The incident happened around six months ago. I had a brother in that party, Saber. He was the one who helped me enter the party without any difficulty since we did not have anyone to take care of. But things were going so smoothly because of him that I cannot even remember when was the last time I felt sadness. "But happiness did not last long. As we were about to complete the dungeon, something jumped out of nowhere and attacked all of us. However, we were only able to safely make it out because he remained behind and the cave collapsed. "After three hours, we immediately went to look for him with better upgrades, but..." Tears started to fall from her eyes. "We found him torn in half, and goblins were eating..." Saber was shocked, his eyes widening as he saw her crying. So the example back then was... her brother?! he thought. "I am sorry, Saber," Chloe said, wiping her tears. "Hey, it¡¯s getting pretty dark. Have you thought about any inn?" "Not yet," Saber admitted. "Well, I can show you a cheaper and decent quality inn. Now follow me, rookie!" Chloe said, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey! Don¡¯t call me that," Saber protested with a small smile. "But you ARE one, aren''t you?" Chloe teased. At least her mood is fixed for now, Saber thought. "Thanks for showing me the inn, Chloe. I¡¯m really thankful." "Come on, let¡¯s do the registration," Chloe said. "Oh yeah," Saber nodded. "Just show your screen card," Chloe instructed. "Screen?" Saber asked, puzzled. So they also can see screens, huh? So that means she also sees MY screen? "Um, Chloe?" Saber began. "Hmm?" she responded. "Can you see my screen?" he asked. "Of course not, it is our privacy. At least unless you show me," Chloe explained. I see now, Saber thought. He showed his ID card and received key access. Chloe did a beep too. "Hmm? You did something, didn¡¯t you?" Saber asked suspiciously. "What do you mean? Come on, let¡¯s see the room," Chloe deflected. "Hey, answer the question," Saber insisted. "Cannot hear you," Chloe teased, running ahead. "HEY! Get back here," Saber called out, following her. They entered the room. It was decent and very normal. "See! I told you," Chloe said proudly. So the room looks way too normal, but the key difference is it doesn¡¯t have a TV, but somehow I have complete access to the net, Saber thought. Chloe jumped on the bed. "So?" she asked. Saber saw her breasts and blushed. "You like the room?" she teased. Her melons! In perfect view! And for some reason, she looks way too cute to ignore. I think I¡¯m falling for her, Saber thought, flustered. "Do not tell me that you fear being alone, do you?" Chloe asked suddenly. Shock! Saber stared at her with a dead expression. Yeah, I can never fall for her, not at least by the way she acts. "Alright then," Chloe stood up. "I shall go. Tomorrow is going to be a long day." She walked towards the door. "Chloe?" Saber called out. "Hmm?" she responded. "Are you really going to enter the caves tomorrow too?" he asked. "You bet I AM," she replied with determination. "Alright then, be safe out there. HEY, I KNOW! I should come and wake you UP!" "You really don¡¯t have to do that," Saber protested. "It¡¯s alright, I wake up early, so a little stroll can¡¯t bother me," Chloe said cheerfully. "If you insist," Saber relented. "Good night then, sleep well because morning is not going to be well for you, hehe..." Chloe said with a mischievous smile. Was that a threat? Saber thought. "Now I regret accepting your offer." The door slammed shut. Hmm, what a weird girl, he thought, laying on the bed. Chloe smilingly walked off, her voice trailing behind her, "Tomorrow¡¯s gonna be fun!" Saber turned off the lamp, sinking into the quiet comfort of his room. "My OWN room, huh? Not bad for a change of pace," he murmured to himself. Chloe walked down the road, humming happily, her steps light and carefree. Meanwhile, Saber lay on the bed, staring at the screen with satisfaction. The task on the screen showed completed, and the next task appeared: to go shopping with the ''Friend.'' Chapter 4- Friend Chapter 5- Chloe Zar LOCATION ¨C UNKNOWN In a purple fog environment, Saber stood with his eyes closed. As he opened them, he muttered, "Where the hell am I now? Did I reincarnate again? Well, I guess good for me." He walked around, hearing a whisper. Turning in that direction, he saw a large stone boulder with chains around it and a lock. As he touched the boulder, flashbacks of all his moments on Earth flooded his mind. He stepped backward with a face of disgust and puked. A noise whispered, "Wake up..." growing louder until he screamed, "Don¡¯t!" THAASH! Chloe slaps Saber to wake him up "Wake up! How long are you going to sleep?" Chloe''s voice jolted him awake. Saber found himself in bed, all sweaty, with Chloe on top of him. "Were you having a panic attack? Looked like you were ''sleep activating,''" Chloe said. "Is that even a word, Chloe?" Saber asked. "No, I just made it up," she replied. "More importantly, why are you in MY room? More specifically, on TOP of me?" Saber questioned. "Just watching you getting harassed in your sleep," Chloe said with a smirk. She really was enjoying the show, wasn¡¯t she? Saber thought. "So how was the experience?" Chloe asked. "Not good," Saber replied. "Ao! Was it too big to handle?" Chloe teased. "I¡¯m amazed at how you can even speak like that with a straight face," Saber said, shaking his head. "Anyways, now quickly get your coins and clothes," Chloe instructed. "Why?" Saber asked. "Because we are going to do some shopping before your first raid," Chloe explained. But I¡¯m on a budget, ma''am, Saber thought. "Now come on, hurry up, hurry up!" Chloe urged. "At least let me take a bath," Saber protested. 30 minutes later "Alright, I¡¯m ready," Saber announced. "EIA! A naked pervert is in my room! Please save my innocence," Chloe exclaimed, wrapped up in a blanket. "THIS IS MY ROOM!! And I¡¯m wearing clothes!" Saber retorted. "You look great!" Chloe said with a grin. "So ma''am, where are we heading?" Saber asked. "Don¡¯t know, where the winds take us, I guess," Chloe replied. "Alright, ma''am, as you say," Saber agreed. As they got out, Saber closed the door behind them. "Oh, and by the way, what is ''ma''am''?" Chloe asked. "It is generally told to girls to give respect," Saber explained, though he wasn''t entirely sure. "Then keep calling me ma''am. After all, I am a gem," Chloe said proudly. "You mean germ?" Saber teased. "No way, that¡¯s rude," Chloe pouted. "Alright, germ," Saber said with a chuckle. While walking on the streets "Alright, newbie, time to gear up for that dungeon raid. First stop, the armor shop! Try not to drool over the shiny stuff," Chloe said. "Gears! Like armor and stuff. Or are you bulletproof?" she asked. "Obviously not," Saber replied. "Then, are you... MAN OF STEEL?" Chloe joked. "IT DOESN¡¯T MAKE ANY SENSE! Seriously, from which side of your family do you get your thinking power from?" Saber asked, exasperated.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "From the right side because I am always right," Chloe said with a smirk. Can I please hit you with a rod as hard as I could for once? I¡¯ll make sure not to miss that golden OHKO strike, Saber thought. "Are you secretly admiring my supreme ideology?" Chloe teased. Again! Just one chance! Saber thought. "So what are you thinking to buy?" Chloe asked. "What did YOU buy in your first raid?" Saber countered. "Oh! I bought a pair of shoes, then a couple of cute dresses, and..." Chloe began. Did I say raid? Pretty sure I did, Saber thought. "So I think you should¡ª" Chloe started. "Nah, I¡¯m about to do my own thing," Saber interrupted. They entered the armor shop, where rows of gleaming armor sets lined the walls. "Hey, Mr. Smith! Got anything that screams ¡®I¡¯m a hero but also a bit clueless¡¯ for my friend here?" Chloe called out. The blacksmith chuckled, shaking his head. Saber''s face turned a deeper shade of red as Chloe winked at him. "Um, maybe something simple¡­" Saber said, trying to regain his composure.
"Simple? Where¡¯s the fun in that? How about this one?" Chloe held up a set of armor adorned with intricate, glowing runes. "You¡¯ll look like a walking light show!" Saber¡¯s eyes widened, both impressed and embarrassed. "I-I don¡¯t know if I can pull that off¡­" "Nonsense! You¡¯ll be the talk of the town. Besides, it¡¯s not like you can get any more attention than you already do with me around," Chloe laughed, patting him on the back. They moved on to the weapon shop, where Chloe¡¯s teasing continued. She picked up a massive sword and handed it to Saber. "Here, try this on for size. It¡¯s only slightly bigger than you." Saber struggled to lift the sword, nearly toppling over. Chloe burst into laughter, drawing the attention of other shoppers. "Maybe something lighter¡­" Saber suggested, trying to regain his balance. "Alright, alright. How about this one?" Chloe handed him a sleek, enchanted blade. "Perfect for slicing through dungeon monsters and impressing the ladies." As Saber held the sword, a screen popped up in front of him. WEAPON INFO REGULAR ATTACK SWORD RANGE- 60CM DURABLILITY- GOOD POWER- 25HP SPEED- EXCELLENT Saber¡¯s face turned crimson. "I-I think this will do." As they left the shop, Chloe couldn¡¯t resist one last tease. "You know, Saber, if you keep blushing like that, people might think you¡¯re in love with me." Saber stammered, "N-No way! I just¡­ it¡¯s just hot out here!" Chloe laughed, ruffling his hair. "Sure, whatever you say. Now, let¡¯s get some potions. Can¡¯t have you fainting in the middle of a raid." The townsfolk watched them with amused smiles, clearly entertained by Chloe¡¯s antics and Saber¡¯s endearing reactions. It was clear that Chloe¡¯s popularity wasn¡¯t just because of her skills, but also her ability to bring out the best¡ªand the blushes¡ªin those around her. Chloe and Saber entered the potion shop, a cozy little place filled with shelves of colorful bottles and the faint scent of herbs. The shopkeeper, an elderly woman with a kind smile, greeted them warmly. "Ah, Chloe! Always a pleasure to see you. And who is this young man?" she asked. "This is Saber, my new partner in crime. We¡¯re gearing up for a dungeon raid," Chloe introduced him. Saber gave a shy nod, still feeling the heat from Chloe¡¯s earlier teasing. "Well, you¡¯ve come to the right place. What can I get for you today?" the shopkeeper inquired. "We¡¯ll need some health potions, mana potions, and maybe a few of those special elixirs you keep hidden in the back," Chloe replied. The shopkeeper chuckled and began gathering the items. Chloe turned to Saber with a mischievous glint in her eye. "You know, Saber, these elixirs are said to boost your confidence. Maybe you should take a few," she suggested. Saber¡¯s face turned red again. "I-I think I¡¯ll be fine without them¡­" "Suit yourself. But don¡¯t come crying to me if you freeze up in front of a monster," Chloe teased. "And I¡¯m waiting outside, ok?" "Got it," Saber agreed. The shopkeeper brought the potions and handed them to Saber. "How much are these?" he asked. "Oh, it¡¯s alright. You are with Chloe, so that is the least we can do. After what her brother did, even a lifetime supply for her would be insufficient," the shopkeeper replied. "Is it because of him that you two are so close now?" Saber asked. "You can say that," the shopkeeper nodded. "So what did her brother do?" Saber inquired. "Her brother and she visited my store since they were seven years old, coming for the frozen milk every day," the shopkeeper began. Saber thought, She means ice-cream. "They both wanted to become adventurers and they became a fine young pair of adventurers, always helping out people in need. Even after becoming popular adventurers, they didn¡¯t forget to pay me a visit. Their parents were both irresponsible, so her brother had to take care of young Chloe. And what¡¯s the highest paying job in this town? Yes! Being an adventurer. Chloe always followed his footsteps, no matter the difficulty. Even I took care of both of them as my own grandchildren, sometimes inviting them to have dinners with me. Those days were fun! One day, a group of thugs tried to loot the entire town. They had very scary weapons and didn¡¯t hesitate to kill those who didn¡¯t give them money, not even sparing the children," she recounted, tears in her eyes. "Her brother assembled the entire adventurers'' community and took the heavy leadership responsibility on his own shoulders. Under his direction, they captured the thug leader and made the thugs retreat. Since then, her brother was known as the ¡®Hero of the Ridge.¡¯ Everything was going peacefully after that day¡­ But one day, the party went into the highest level dungeon ever appeared here. Some say that dungeon was only suitable for the hero¡¯s party," she continued. "After that, I know the rest," Saber said softly. "Young boy, I have a request for you," the shopkeeper said, her eyes widening. "I¡¯ve seen my own grandchildren pass away in front of my eyes. Please don¡¯t let me add another name. Please, please."
"Please take care of my shiny sunflower for me," the shopkeeper said with a plea. After listening to the entire story, how can I tell you the truth? How could I tell you that I¡¯m a weak bastard myself? Saber thought, picturing himself standing in front of a dead body covered in cloth. But I¡¯m not a heartless freak. He slowly reached his hands towards hers. I¡¯m not a cold stone. He grabbed her hands gently. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You don¡¯t have to worry," Saber said with a serious face. "You don¡¯t have to take stress. I¡¯ll be her supporter. I¡¯ll be Chloe¡¯s back!" Outside, Chloe stood with her hand on her forehead, one eye closed, waiting for Saber. Chapter 5- Chloe Zar Chapter 6- IF ONLY I … Saber came out of the shop with the bag in hand. "You both sure talked a lot, huh," Chloe remarked. "Indeed. Are you jealous?" Saber teased. "No, it''s alright, I guess," Chloe replied, giving him a stare. "You don¡¯t have much talking experience with girls, do you?" "Was it THAT obvious?" Saber asked, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Yup," Chloe confirmed with a devious smile. Chloe then led Saber to a small caf¨¦, where they took a seat outside, enjoying the warm daylight sun. "Ahh, it¡¯s been so long since I had this place¡¯s sweets," Chloe sighed contentedly. "Good for you," Saber replied. "Alright, we¡¯ve got armor, weapons, and potions. Anything else you need before we head out?" Chloe asked. "Not something I can think of," Saber said. "You really are boring, like a strict grandpa, to be honest," Chloe teased. "I¡¯m the same age as you, ma''am," Saber retorted. "Let¡¯s grab some food. Can¡¯t go raiding on an empty stomach. OH! Have you tried these? I¡¯m definitely trying it," Chloe said excitedly. "You sure have a soft spot for sweets, don¡¯t you?" Saber observed. "What? Afraid of diabetes, grandpa?" Chloe shot back playfully. "Excuse me!" Saber called out, and the sweets were brought to the table. Chloe was staring at him coldly. "Something¡¯s bothering you?" Saber asked. "Noo, what could bother me, huh?" Chloe replied, her tone slightly irritated. Did she just sound irritated? Saber wondered. "No wonder you¡¯re single," Chloe said suddenly, as if shooting an arrow straight into his chest. What was that for? Saber thought, feeling a bit hurt. "I don¡¯t know?" Chloe responded nonchalantly. Alright, let¡¯s see if this works, Saber thought as he moved a spoon towards her. Chloe noticed it. "What now?" she asked. "I don¡¯t know, why don¡¯t you figure it out?" Saber said with a smirk. Is he trying to make fun of me? Chloe thought, slightly puzzled. "You sure bully the weak ones, but look at you now," Saber teased. "You blushing?" Saber teased. Well then, he¡¯s the one who challenged me in the first place, Chloe thought. She grabbed the spoon while blushing, surprising everyone, including Saber, who also blushed.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. As expected from a shameless opponent, Saber thought. Chloe, panting, said, "Now my turn." "I think that¡¯s enough," Saber protested. "NO it¡¯s not," Chloe insisted. Not after that scene, she thought, her smile devious as she spooned some cream. "Say Aa," she instructed. How did this even come down to this? Well, now or never, Saber thought. "Kap!" he said, eating with blushing, teary eyes. Chloe watched him. Has he always been this cute, or am I noticing it now? she wondered. "So cute!" she exclaimed, coming closer to him. Saber blushed really hard as Chloe poked his cheek. "I can finally tease you all I want, right?" "You¡¯re teasing me so much on purpose, aren¡¯t you?" Saber asked. "Can you do anything about it? I can¡¯t stop teasing that cute face of yours. So show me each and every emotion from that cute face!" Chloe declared. "How can you say that with a straight face?" Saber asked.
"I don¡¯t know but I don¡¯t mind!" Chloe declared. "But I do," Saber retorted. "Too bad, so sad," Chloe said, grabbing his hand and running. "You can keep the change!" she called out as they left the caf¨¦. "Hey! Where to now?" Saber asked, trying to keep up. "Come on, we have more shopping to do," Chloe replied, her energy seemingly boundless. "You¡¯re suddenly full of energy, aren¡¯t you?" Saber noted. "Sure am! HAHAHAHAHA¡­" Chloe laughed as they approached a mall. I never thought that I would find a freaking mall, especially in a town, Saber thought in amazement. "Surprised, right? You didn¡¯t think of finding a mall in a town, right?" Chloe asked, reading his mind. "Yeah," Saber admitted, still a bit in shock. "Our next mission is to buy some clothes," Chloe announced. "Huh? Can you repeat it?" Saber asked, thinking he misheard. "I said shopping for clothes. Which means you have a chance to peek when I change," Chloe teased. Saber blushed. "So cute!" Chloe exclaimed. I don¡¯t mind but what¡¯s the time? Saber thought. "Huh?" he said aloud. "What¡¯s wrong?" Chloe asked. "Nothing," Saber replied quickly. "Fantasizing about me already?" Chloe teased. "NO!" Saber protested. It looks like the clock adjusted the time by itself, Saber realized. Since I do have some time, I guess this won¡¯t harm anything. On the other side, I can see Chloe in cute dresses all I want! Cute pictures of Chloe... Saber¡¯s mind wandered, and he started drooling while dreaming. "You¡¯re not even hiding your intentions now, I see," Chloe said with a smirk. "Yeah¡­ NO! Of course not," Saber stammered, quickly wiping his mouth. "Now, shall we go?" he asked with high enthusiasm. "LOOK AT THAT ENERGY!" Chloe exclaimed. They entered the mall, and Saber couldn''t help but be amazed. "Wow!" he said, taking in the sight. This exactly looks like the mall from that magazine, Saber thought. "Ah! The mall really didn¡¯t change much in 3 years," Chloe remarked. "Wo Wo Wo! Wait a minute. When you said 3 years, you were only 12. So why do you sound like an old granny?" Saber asked, shocked. Chloe gave him a death stare. "WHAT WAS THAT?" she demanded. Saber stepped back, scared. "I think I didn¡¯t hear it correctly, so do the honors of repeating it for me?" Chloe''s eyes seemed to glow with a draconic red intensity. That day I learned that I should be cautious of my words, Saber thought, feeling the heat from the slap mark on his face. Damn, I wasted 1000 copper on that ¡®How to tame a girl¡¯ book. This sucks! Chloe was filled with angry markings all over her face. "So umm," Saber began. "Soldier!" Chloe commanded. Saber knelt down. "Yes, ma''am!" "Will this act happen again?" Chloe asked sternly. "NO, MA''AM!" Saber replied. "HAVE YOU LEARNED YOUR LESSON?" Chloe''s pitch gradually increased. "NO, MA''AM!" Saber repeated, offering his hand to stand up. Chloe smiled. "You shouldn¡¯t say this to a girl, okay?" An actual angel is in front of me, Saber thought. "What¡¯s wrong?" Chloe asked. "I think I¡¯m falling for you really hard," Saber admitted. Chloe blushed hard, and everyone in the mall looked at them. Saber was shocked. "Huh? HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH!!!" "WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING! I¡¯M THE ONE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO REACT LIKE THAT!" Chloe yelled. "SORRY, MY THOUGHTS SLIPPED OUT!" Saber apologized. "JUST SHUT UP!" Chloe slapped him and took him up the floor. Chloe slammed Saber against the wall. "I¡¯m-I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to make a scene," he said, looking down. Even in another world, I just keep messing up somehow, Saber thought, tears welling up in his eyes. If only I didn¡¯t talk to her, then¡­ Chloe gently placed her hand on the wall near his face. He looked up, and she placed her other hand on his cheek. "Words like this¡­" Chloe began, touching her forehead to his. "You can only talk to me, alright?" Both stared at each other, blushing. "It would¡¯ve been worse," Saber admitted. Chapter 6- IF ONLY I ¡­ Chapter 7- MET YOU SOONER The bustling mall was filled with various clothing stores. Chloe and Saber walked through the aisles, looking at different tops. Chloe grinned mischievously. "Alright, Saber, I¡¯ve got a brilliant idea. How about you stay in the changing room, and I¡¯ll fetch the clothes for you? You have to come out wearing whatever I pick. Deal?" she suggested. Saber raised an eyebrow. "Do I have a choice?" Chloe laughed. "Nope! It¡¯s going to be fun. Trust me." Saber sighed. "Alright, let¡¯s get this over with." Saber headed into the changing room, and Chloe started rummaging through the racks with a gleeful expression. Holding up a bright pink shirt, Chloe exclaimed, "Oh, this is perfect! Saber, you¡¯re going to love this one." "I highly doubt that," Saber said from inside the changing room. Chloe giggled. "Come on, just try it on!" Reluctantly, Saber put on the pink shirt and stepped out of the changing room, looking thoroughly unimpressed. Chloe burst into laughter. "Oh my gosh, you look adorable! Pink is definitely your color." "Can we please move on to something else?" Saber sighed. "Not so fast! I¡¯ve got more surprises for you. Stay put," Chloe said, dashing off and returning with a sequined jacket. "Try this on next. It¡¯s got that ¡®disco hero¡¯ vibe," she said. "This is getting ridiculous," Saber grumbled. He changed into the sequined jacket and stepped out again, looking even more annoyed. "Fabulous! You¡¯re ready to hit the dance floor and save the world," Chloe clapped. "I feel like a walking disco ball," Saber muttered. "Exactly! Now, let¡¯s see¡­ Oh, how about these?" Chloe held up a pair of neon green pants. "You¡¯re enjoying this way too much," Saber groaned. "Of course I am! Now, get back in there and try these on," Chloe insisted. Reluctantly, Saber changed into the neon green pants and stepped out, looking utterly defeated. "You look like a superhero from the ''80s. This is priceless," Chloe said, wiping away tears of laughter. "Can we please be done with this?" Saber asked. "Alright, alright. One last thing. I promise," Chloe said, handing Saber a pair of pink gloves. "Seriously?" Saber asked, exasperated. "Just humor me. It¡¯s the grand finale," Chloe said. Saber put on the pink gloves and stepped out one last time. "Perfect! You¡¯re the epitome of fashion-forward heroism," Chloe said, doubling over with laughter. "Are we done now?" Saber sighed. "Yes, we¡¯re done. But you have to admit, this was fun," Chloe said. "If by fun you mean mildly humiliating, then sure," Saber retorted. Chloe, still giggling, said, "That was hilarious! You were such a good sport, Saber." Saber smirked. "Glad you enjoyed it. Now, it¡¯s your turn." Chloe suddenly looked serious. "Wait, what? My turn?" "Yep. Fair is fair. You stay in the changing room, and I¡¯ll pick out the clothes. Deal?" Saber said. Chloe blushed. "Uh, okay. But go easy on me, alright?"Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Saber grinned. "No promises." Chloe headed into the changing room, and Saber started browsing through the racks with a mischievous glint in his eye. Now then, how should I make her suffer? Maybe I could hand her some body-revealing clothes and that works? Only one way to find out. Grabbing a dress, Saber thought, THANK YOU, this world¡¯s god! Happily crying. I would¡¯ve already gone to jail for being labelled as a lolicon. Pulling the dress, he said, "Alright, this shall work." He walked towards her. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s searching, but he sure is taking his sweet time, Chloe thought. A hand with the dress pulled up the curtain. "Here," Saber said. Chloe startled. "AAAAA!!!!" Saber, scared, asked, "WHAT¡¯S WRONG?" Chloe, with tears in her eyes, replied, "YOU STARTLED ME!" "HOW? YOU KNEW I WAS GOING TO COME; THIS DOESN¡¯T MAKE ANY SENSE!" Saber exclaimed. Chloe slammed Saber against the wall. "YOU¡¯RE THE ONE WHO¡¯S EXISTENCE DOESN¡¯T MAKE ANY SENSE!" she shouted. Saber, pissed, retorted, "HUHH??? WHAT DID I DO?" "THAT¡¯S WHY YOU¡¯RE SINGLE!" Chloe shot back, as if an arrow pierced him and his mouth spilled blood. Defeated, Saber muttered, "After this, I don¡¯t even wanna look at her." "WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Chloe demanded. "Oh! I-I was just saying that I-I can¡¯t wait to see you," Saber stammered, trying to cover up. "Ew, just stop," Chloe said, her tone dripping with disdain. I want to get out of here, Saber thought, feeling utterly defeated. Meanwhile, the boss and an employee were observing from a distance. "What¡¯s going on here?" the boss asked. "Nothing in particular," the employee replied. "I¡¯m getting complaints about noises here?" the boss inquired. "Oh, that?" The employee moved aside. "Take a look yourself." In the distance, Saber was shouting towards the changing room. "NO, YOU SHUT UP!" The boss and employee peeked from the back. "How long has this been going on?" the boss asked. "An hour or two," the employee answered. "That¡¯s freshly-lovely birds for you," the boss commented. Saber gritted his teeth as the curtains opened. Chloe emerged, shining in beauty, wearing elf archer clothes. "So? How do I look?" she asked, spinning around. Saber put his hand on his mouth, turned back, and blood spilled from the gaps of his fingers. "WHAT¡¯S WRONG? HAVING A HEARTAL BREAKDOWN?" Chloe teased. That¡¯s not even a word, you dumbass. But that¡¯s not what¡¯s wrong, Saber thought, struggling and shaking. HOW IS SHE NOT EMBARRASSED? AND WHY DOES SHE LOOK SO STUNNING? I gave the elf clothes because they looked so revealing and she would be embarrassed, but WHY IS SHE STILL SHINING? "Come on, my answer is pending, mister. Oh! Wait, you¡¯re a minor, so everything goes half. How about miss?" Chloe continued. "Just shut up," Saber said, still kneeling down. "And¡­ you look lovely," he admitted, blushing and looking to the side. Chloe blushed hard, turning as red as a tomato. Saber took the dress and walked towards Chloe¡¯s changing room. An employee approached him with a devilish grin. "Sir, would you like to try some men¡¯s clothes? They are cheap and also have a discount." Saber slowly took a few steps back and crashed into the undergarment stand. "I¡¯m sorry, sir," the employee said, running away. Is it just me, or did that lady seem to be on drugs? Saber thought. The dress had been switched with an outfit, and Saber didn¡¯t notice it at all. "What¡¯s going on with that lady anyway?" he muttered, putting his hand on the curtains. "Took you long enough. Were you busy chatting with a non-existent girl?" Chloe teased. "Just take it and shut up," Saber said, disgusted. "Alright, alright now. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to tell anybody, right?" Chloe replied, a pissed mark forming on Saber¡¯s forehead. Chloe, in her undergarments, laughed. "HAHAHA¡­" Her laughter stopped and changed to fear. "Um¡­ Saber? Are you sure you chose the right clothes?" she asked. "Hmm? Yeah, why?" Saber replied. "Oh, nothing," Chloe said, thinking, Is he serious right now? Flashback Saber grinned. "No promises." He¡¯s really going all out! Chloe thought. Fine! If he challenges me, then I won¡¯t lose either. She started wearing the lower part of the outfit. Pins hairclip. In this battle, she thought, opening her eye with fire. Present Saber stared at a light like a dead body. The curtains pulled back, and Saber¡¯s eyes widened. His face turned red with a silent scream. Chloe stood there in a bunny rabbit outfit, blushing too. "Are we done now?" Chloe asked, blushing. "Yes, we¡¯re done. But you have to admit, this was fun," Saber said. "Now I know how you feel," Chloe replied. "Glad to show you the light," Saber said. "But still, you¡¯ll be the best lab rat for someone," Chloe teased. "Just shut up," Saber retorted. Saber saw an alarm notification on his screen. NOTIFICATION The dungeon raid is going to start in 1 hour so prepare yourself with the gears and reach the lobby in Adventure Guild CRAP!" Saber exclaimed. "What¡¯s wrong?" Chloe asked, concerned. Saber, with teary eyes and shaking, looked at her. "The raid is going to start in an hour!" "Don¡¯t sweat," Chloe said. Saber smiled with starry eyes. "I¡¯m going to get the beatings as well," Chloe added with a mischievous Shinchan-like smile and a thumbs up. Saber''s face fell into depression. "Just joking, RUN!" Chloe grabbed his hand, pulling him along. Chloe ran as fast as possible holding Saber who''s floating in the air and getting hit with every corner of the walls in every turn Chapter 8- Starting Point Saber stood in his room, packing his bag while wearing black pants. The system¡¯s really handy, it even has storage, sweet, he thought as he packed the bag and threw it into the screen. Now then, before I go, there¡¯s still something that I wanna see, he mused, opening the system. I¡¯m at level 1, huh? That¡¯s gonna be a pain in the ass to do it alone. By the way, what even are my skills? "System? Show me skills," Saber commanded, eager to see what abilities he had at his disposal.
SKILLS Dash- 10 U Arm- 10 U Saber sat in his room, packing his bag while wearing black pants. The system¡¯s really handy, it even has storage, sweet, he thought as he packed the bag and threw it into the screen. Now then, before I go, there¡¯s still something that I wanna see. Opening the system, he saw his current status. I¡¯m at level 1, huh? That¡¯s gonna be a pain in the ass to do it alone. By the way, what even are my skills? "System? Show me skills," Saber commanded, eager to see what abilities he had. Both are seriously weak. What am I even gonna do with my ¡®move¡¯ sets, huh? he thought, folding his arms in contemplation. Maybe I¡¯ll get moves gradually through leveling up? But if I don¡¯t get any at all... God have mercy. "At least I¡¯ll check these two before going," Saber decided, wearing his complete outfit. Hmm, black, huh? I think I¡¯m starting to like black now, he mused as he started walking in the street. The screen showed the map and navigated him. This thing has a navigation function too? That¡¯s handy, he thought as he reached the guild. "Oh hey!" Tina greeted him. Saber looked at her and approached. "Hey," he replied. "You¡¯re alone today? Where¡¯s the gang?" Tina asked. "What gang?" Saber responded, disturbed. "Your group, silly," Tina clarified. It¡¯s unsettling how I¡¯m able to hold up a normal conversation with this receptionist. I¡¯m not even feeling uncomfortable. So why Chloe? Maybe I haven¡¯t adapted to Chloe¡¯s shenanigans yet, Saber thought. "Hello? I asked where¡¯s your group," Tina repeated. You were about to repeat gang, weren¡¯t you? Saber thought. "Don¡¯t you know?" he said aloud. "What?" Tina asked. After Saber explained, Tina started fake crying. "It¡¯s sho shad¡­ sniff sniff." Are you actually crying or mocking me? Saber wondered. Another receptionist interrupted. "Hey Tina?" Tina, tears instantly gone, replied, "Yes?" "YOU WEREN¡¯T EVEN CRYING!!!" Saber exclaimed. "Got me, huh. Ehe¡­" Tina admitted. Saber sighed. "Oh, and by the way, if you want to kill some time, I suggest you go and check the training ground," Tina offered. "The training ground? Here?" Saber asked. "Well, most people kill their time there because they¡¯re waiting for their comrades, but who are you going to wait for?" Tina teased. Saber was pissed. "Alright, alright, it was a bad joke, but do check it out," Tina said, giving a thumbs up. "And don¡¯t forget to write a positive review and give a 5 stars rating." Is this a paid promotion? Saber thought as he entered the grounds. The ground was a medium-sized field, and the yellowish-brown dust reflected the sunlight straight into his eyes. "So!... bright!" Saber exclaimed. "Hey screen, turn the view darker if you can." The view adjusted to Saber¡¯s eyes. It can do this too? What other stuff can it do? Standing at the side of the field, Saber decided to try out his skill. "Let¡¯s see¡­ Dash, huh? Alright then." Taking a stance, he bent his knees and bowed a bit, looking up-front. "Dash," he whispered. His legs vibrated, and the dust flew as he felt a strong push behind him.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Saber screamed in fear, frictioning his legs and screeching a distance before finally stopping. Looking back in surprise, Saber thought, Did I do that? N-No way, those are my traces. This ¡®dash¡¯ is amazing! I can run a mile away with it, and they won¡¯t even be able to touch me. I thought this was some kind of enhancement bullshit, but¡­ this is addictive. Chloe ran towards him, excited. "Waah! That was so cool! Were you hiding it?" "What? You don¡¯t have this?" Saber asked.
"Absolutely not?!" Chloe exclaimed. "Hey kiddo, how are you doing?" Marco greeted. "Great," Saber replied. "Hey, I don¡¯t see the clothes we bought together?" Chloe asked. "I¡­ changed it last night before the shop was closing," Saber admitted. "Why?!" Chloe demanded. "Do you know she forced me to buy an entire pink set?" Saber explained. Marco laughed. "So Chloe¡¯s shenanigans even caught you too?" "Yeah," Saber said, disappointed. "Glad to know those words didn¡¯t hit you hard," Marco taunted, smirking. "Unlike a certain someone who couldn¡¯t sleep due to guilt." Lead hid behind the wall. "Is he really?" Saber asked. "Yes, and he wants to apologize for what he said back there. Forgive him now, he admitted he was a bit harsh on you," Marco said. A bit? The dude just cooked, roasted, and deep-fried me then tossed me into the furnace for a nice, clean burned taste, Saber thought. "Hey fellas!" Ergo called out, coming with Argil. "Hey dude," Saber greeted. "Hii," Argil blushed, hiding behind Ergo. "Don¡¯t take it personally, he¡¯s just shy," Ergo explained. "He really likes you, huh," Saber noted. "Exactly, who can ignore my beauty?" Ergo said. All of them started talking among themselves. "HEY!" Ergo shouted. "So Saber, did you find a party yet?" Argil asked. "No, I¡¯m planning to go solo. Is it really that difficult?" Saber replied. "WHAT!?" all four exclaimed. "Are you serious? You wanna die?" Chloe shook Saber wildly. "That¡¯s pretty daring, even for a pro like me," Marco said, surprised. "Um¡­ hey Marco, how long is he going to keep staring at us?" Saber asked. "Oye Lead, are you going to come out or should I spill your worst secret none of them knows? Your wish," Marco taunted. Lead came out running. "Heyy!!!" "Oh hello there kid, didn¡¯t see you there," Lead said, trying to maintain his posture. "Yeah, as if," all five replied. "Hey, I overheard your conversation and I must say, you¡¯re the dumbest creature I know to date," Lead said. "Why?" Saber asked. "Planning to challenge a dungeon alone? That¡¯s the sound of a suicide mission. Are you planning to commit suicide?" Lead questioned. "No!" Saber replied. "There¡¯s no time left now. Even if you form an unauthorized party, the dungeon would still randomly drop you alone," Lead explained. "But why?" Saber asked. "It¡¯s all about filling the application form. They give cards accordingly or update it, which is infused with a contract spell that works for a certain period of time. So that, when you¡¯re entering the dungeon, it thinks that the group is a single person and can be manipulated easily. You¡¯ve screwed up big-time, kid," Lead said. "Hey Lead, look at the tracks," Marco said, watching the traces of Saber¡¯s Dash. "Is this done by you, kid?" Lead asked. "Y-Yeah," Saber replied. "Impressive," Ergo commented. "Does your ability revolve around speed?" Argil asked. "I¡¯m not sure right now, I¡¯ll discover it later," Saber said. "Judging by the looks, this can be a form of physical enhancing skill or something to do with speed itself," Lead noted. "But look at the speed, this is not a beginner¡¯s speed even if they have speed-related abilities," Marco said. "Maybe it¡¯s a defense mechanism," Lead suggested. "A defensive type?" Marco asked, confused. "Yes, where you have to simply flee from the scene. It¡¯s the best skill for thieves and lower-level gangs," Lead explained. "What does he think I am?" Saber wondered. "A thief?" Chloe guessed. "A bully?" Ergo added. "I don¡¯t know what to say," Argil said. "Anyways boy, all I can say is just, be careful. That¡¯s all there is. And if you¡¯re stuck in a sticky situation, then just use that speed of yours. Come on, it¡¯s time to assemble, only 15 minutes on the clock," Lead instructed. The colosseum was filled with an audience, cheering for the individuals present in the arena. "Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen! I am the Announcer of this year¡¯s ¡®Gem Dragon¡¯ event!" the announcer said excitedly. Just how excited even is he? Control that excitement, dude. And now that I¡¯m looking at the crowd, this is a huge event they hold dear, huh, Saber thought. "Now I¡¯m going to explain the rules, folks!" the announcer continued. I can feel the exclamation mark at the end of every sentence he speaks, Saber thought. "The rules are simple," the announcer began. "There are going to be drones following you¡­" the announcer began. Saber exchanged a glance with a nearby drone, feeling uneasy. "To keep track of your progress. If you will eventually die¡ª" the announcer continued. What¡¯s wrong with this guy? He makes it sound like a death battle, Saber thought, disturbed. "¡ªbecause it is!" the announcer interjected, as if hearing Saber¡¯s thoughts. Did he just hear me? Saber wondered. "Absolutely not!" the announcer clarified. I¡¯m gonna stop thinking, Saber decided. "That can be a great choice!" the announcer agreed, leaving Saber pissed. "Players cannot kill each other, or they will end up in jail," the announcer continued. "The dragon¡¯s egg is not an easy task; you¡¯ll have to defeat the gem dragon herself to claim her egg in victory. Remember to be on high alert all the time, as there are many beginner players. Don¡¯t forget to prioritize what¡¯s most important for you¡­ and that¡¯s you! Also, don¡¯t let your emotions take over your body, or you¡¯ll meet death himself!" This is getting ridiculous. At this point, it¡¯s not advice anymore; it¡¯s a goddamn speech from the principal¡¯s backstory, Saber thought, glancing at Chloe, who looked tired of standing through the boring speech. She¡¯s clearly melting in boredom, Saber noted. Heartbeat! What¡¯s this? Why am I feeling excited all of a sudden? This feeling, it¡¯s like I want to crush whatever¡¯s inside there, Saber thought. The circle portal began to open slowly. Heartbeat! Again? I¡¯m suddenly getting the urge to rip apart through the minions, Saber thought as a black aura circled an orb. Whatever it is inside, be ready, he thought, a black flame lighting up in his eyes. "Remember, this is a death gamble, so be safe!" the announcer warned. Oh, this is gonna be fun! Saber thought with a devil¡¯s smile. As the sphere completed its opening, the announcer shouted, "Now GO!!!" Participants rushed to the gate. Saber jumped forward at the sphere with a devilish smile, his sword drawn in his hand. Chapter 9- Raid I
The sphere gate opened into an unknown, dull passage. Saber landed in the passage, momentarily disbalanced, but quickly regained his balance. Where am I now? Saber wondered, looking around the unfamiliar surroundings. "System?" he called out. "Error to navigate or locate," the system responded. The system¡¯s struggling too, I see, Saber thought, realizing that even his trusty system couldn''t pinpoint their location. Saber walked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. "Where¡¯s everyone? I can¡¯t see anyone here," he muttered. The system displayed a signal of movement. Movement? Let¡¯s see, he thought, following the signal. He peeped around a corner and saw a goblin sleeping in the dark. A goblin? Must be a mob. Let¡¯s kill it, Saber thought, drawing his sword. The goblin heard the noise and woke up. Saber slowly approached it and swung his sword, but the goblin jumped and escaped deeper into the dark passage. "Hey! Wait!" Saber shouted, chasing the goblin into the darkness. Damn it! This one¡¯s quick, he thought. He threw his sword, skewering the goblin¡¯s leg. The goblin cried and screamed, its screams echoing in the passage. Saber stopped. "What now?" he wondered. "Alert! Outnumbered! Run!" the system warned. Many glowing eyes opened in the dark, staring at Saber. "Hey, friends?" he said, scared. In another part of the dungeon, a group was exploring a passage when they heard a high-pitched scream. "A girl?" a guy exclaimed, running towards the sound. "Don¡¯t worry, lady! I¡¯m on my way!" Saber came running out of the darkness, screaming. "Oh, it¡¯s just a boy," the guy noted, seeing a horde of goblins shooting arrows behind Saber. "Hey, don¡¯t come here! Go away!" he shouted. The group joined Saber¡¯s run. "Wait a minute? Why are WE running?" one girl asked. "Yeah, let¡¯s stand in the corner and let them pass through," another girl suggested. "Well thinking, genius! But here¡¯s the problem, once the goblins are angry and start chasing, whoever¡¯s in their sight they¡¯ll catch them¡­" the guy explained. "So, in short¡­" the girl started. "RUN!!!" all shouted. As they ran, one girl noticed a divider. "Look! There¡¯s a divider," she pointed out. "Hey kid. We¡¯ll divide from here. Good luck!" the guy said, pushing Saber away. Saber lost his balance. Damn it! These bastards! Alright then! Saber thought. "We¡­ should be¡­ out of trouble now¡­" the guy panted. "I¡¯m¡­ tired!¡­" the girl said. Saber passed them with his Dash. "What!" the guy exclaimed. "Good luck!" Saber shouted as he turned right. "No! kid! Wait!" the guy called after him. They took left, and the goblins followed them, with some turning right after Saber. Saber fell from a ledge into the water. "¡­ That¡­ should be¡­ enough¡­" he panted. Some goblins landed in front of him with maces and hammers. "Alright, we¡¯ll do it your way," Saber said, coming out of the water. He reached for his sword sheath. Shit! I messed up, Saber thought, flashing back to the sword in the goblin¡¯s leg. I never took it back, did I? The goblins covered the exit. I cannot even use my favorite ¡®Dash¡¯ here, he realized. "System? Enable ¡®Arm¡¯," Saber commanded. "Equipped Skill ¡®Arm¡¯ in use," the system responded. By the sound of it, this ¡®arm¡¯ is a power-enhancing skill¡­ I¡¯ll find out either way, Saber thought. A goblin jumped at him, and Saber punched the goblin¡¯s fist holding a mace. "ARM!!!" Saber shouted, shattering the bones of the goblin¡¯s hand along with the mace¡¯s handle. The goblin screamed in pain, holding its broken arm.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Two more goblins jumped at Saber. He punched one in the chest, shattering everything inside, and spin-fisted the second one, shattering its skull. "Exp. Points Earned. Exp. Points Earned," the system announced. I see, the level-up system huh? Let¡¯s begin then! Saber thought, smiling. One more goblin jumped and got shattered. Another one died, followed by another and another, adding seven more kills. The last two goblins jumped together, and Saber punched both in their guts. "Exp. Points Earned. Player Leveled up to Level 2. Exp. Points Earned. Combo Exp. Points Earned. Player Leveled up to Level 3," the system updated. Combo? Sweet! Now I want more combos. Maybe a jumbo meal will be enough to fill my hunger, Saber thought. Meanwhile, in Chloe¡¯s group, they were walking through the passage. "We didn¡¯t find anything yet except some minions and goblins," Marco commented. "Is this really an ¡®event¡¯ dungeon? I don¡¯t think so," Ergo added. "Chloe?" Lead asked. "Yes!" Chloe replied. "You¡¯re feeling alright?" Lead inquired. "Y-Yes," Chloe said. "It¡¯s really disturbing that Chloe of all people is quiet today," Marco noted. "Maybe she¡¯s missing her boyfriend?" Ergo suggested. "Is that really the case, Chloe?" Argil asked. "Is that true, Chloe?" Marco questioned. "Don¡¯t worry, the brat¡¯s going to be alright," Lead assured. "She really wanted him to join the party," Marco said. "I know, but I can¡¯t babysit under anyone¡¯s pressure, right?" Lead pointed out. "You do have a point. Hey Chloe, don¡¯t worry. Samber¡¯s going to be alright," Marco said. "His name is ¡®Saber¡¯," Chloe corrected. "Oh! Yes, yes. Saber! Yes, I know. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s going to be alive and you¡¯ll see him again, my dear," Marco said. "And a solo boy was just killed brutally, what a shame," the announcer announced. "There¡¯s a lot of solo players, Chloe. It¡¯s definitely not him, it¡¯s just some random man," Marco said, trying to reassure her. "The kid was so small, poor child just lost his future," the announcer added. "Marco, Saber¡¯s wearing black, right? That¡¯s not him," Chloe said, trying to reassure herself. "And a boy in black was just torn in half by a skeleton¡ª" the announcer started to say. Marco quickly broke the drone, panting heavily. "Who made him the commentator anyway?" Lead said, disturbed. "Don¡¯t sweat it, Chloe. It¡¯s going to be alright," Marco said, trying to calm her down. "Alright, Chloe. Let¡¯s do a thing," Lead proposed. "And that is?" Chloe asked. "We¡¯ll find the kid," Lead said. "Are you serious? Are you sure you¡¯re not tripping?" Chloe asked, her excitement returning. "That¡¯s the Chloe we wanted," Ergo said. "But on one condition," Lead continued. "Yes, yes, yes!" Chloe eagerly agreed. "I didn¡¯t even mention the condition yet," Lead said, amused. "Whatever it is, I agree!" Chloe insisted. Meanwhile, Saber peeped around a corner and saw two ogres standing quietly. "System? What¡¯s my level?" he asked. "Player Level 4," the system responded. "4 already, huh? I guess I slaughtered way too few minions and goblins along the way. But they just kept running away, so what could I do?" Saber thought, giggling. He peeped again and noticed the ogres¡¯ name titles in yellow. The last time I saw this yellow color name was in the goblins¡¯ names, I think. So, this means that these guys are 2 to 3 levels higher than mine. Wait a minute? I did bring some fancy stuff. Saber knelt down, put his bag down, and searched inside. "Aha! Let¡¯s put it to the test," he said. Back with Chloe¡¯s group: "We did find some gems. These might be the scales of the dragon, right, Lead?" Marco asked. "Can¡¯t say. If these are indeed from the dragon itself, then we can sell them at a higher price in the market, Marco," Lead replied. "I found a ruby!" Ergo exclaimed. "Is this an emerald?" Argil asked. "Oh! A topaz too!" Ergo added. Chloe sighed, and everyone stopped their actions. "We¡¯re searching, Chloe. We¡¯re just stuffing the bags with the dropped items, that¡¯s all," Lead said, embarrassed. "I see. You¡¯re right. I should try to relax too. Besides¡­ His signal waves didn¡¯t have any effect at all," Chloe said. "You put a tracer in his belongings?" Marco asked. "Yes, I¡¯ll get to know if he¡¯s in trouble," Chloe confirmed. "Then why did you have the long face?" Marco questioned. "I was feeling a bit lonely, that¡¯s all," Chloe admitted. "We were worried for nothing," Lead said. Back with Saber, he threw a flash grenade at the ogres. The flash grenade burst, blinding the ogres. Saber quickly kicked one on the knee, and the ogre fell. He then stamped on the foot of the second ogre and used his "arm" skill on its face. The skull only cracked, and Saber landed. So the higher the level, the lower the effect. Got it, Saber thought. He used the "arm" skill again in the same area, shattering the skull. "Exp. Points Earned. Player Leveled up to Level 5. Unlocked Skills ¡®Fists¡¯. Categories available," the system updated. So this ¡®Fists¡¯ skill has some varieties available, huh? I see, Saber thought, looking at the second ogre. The ogre climbed up and ran away. "Hey! Wait!" Saber shouted, finding a sword lying where the second ogre had been standing. "This should be enough," he said, running after the ogre. The ogre led him to an open area and stood in the middle. The thing¡¯s not running anymore. Wait! I¡¯ve been led into a trap! There¡¯s nothing around the area, and the creature suddenly stopped in the middle of the pit only means one thing! Saber¡¯s eyes widened in shock. The ground shook, and the ogre was grabbed by a giant hand and crushed. "Alert!" the system warned.
NOTIFICATION You have entered into the lair of the dungeon Overlord How foolish can I be! I fell straight into the trap, Saber thought, berating himself. TASK Defeat the Overlord The ground exploded, sending debris flying everywhere as another massive hand emerged from the ground. Saber felt a surge of stress as the towering figure''s shadow loomed over him, casting an oppressive darkness. This is going to be a struggle, Saber thought, his heart pounding. The Overlord''s imposing figure fully emerged from the ground, its eyes glowing with a menacing light. The sheer size and power of the creature were enough to make anyone tremble, but Saber knew he couldn''t back down now. Focus, stay calm, he reminded himself, gripping his weapon tightly. I have to find a way to defeat this thing. With a determined look in his eyes, Saber took a deep breath and prepared to face the Overlord head-on. The battle for survival had just begun. OVERLORD CLASS KING. Ogre Level 10 Chapter 10- Raid II The ogre burst out of the ground, roaring. Saber, stressed but trying to stay composed, spun his sword to hold the blade downwards. "This is gonna be fun, right?" he muttered. "Shall we start?" he asked, his eyes showing a hint of excitement. "From the beginning?" Both Saber and the ogre took their stances for battle. Chloe¡¯s group felt the earthquake. "A Terraquake?" Marco asked, shocked. "Probably a major fight has started," Lead replied. "Hey, by the way, what level dungeon is this?" Marco asked. "Probably rank 3," Lead said, suddenly remembering something. "Hey Chloe, that boy. What rank is he in?" "I didn¡¯t ask him, but he did say it¡¯s his first time. Why do you ask?" Chloe replied. "This is bad for that boy; the strongest boss limit of this dungeon is at rank 3 or 4!" Lead explained. "Shit!" Ergo exclaimed. "That¡¯s why I warned that idiot, but he ignored it," Lead said. "So this Terraquake can be¡­" Marco began. "An already started boss fight," Lead said seriously. "This early?" Argil asked. "Think about it, there are hundreds of players here, so this is normal for the dungeons," Marco noted. "It¡¯s true but not completely. Though the players are hundreds, the entries for today are only 39 groups," Lead explained. "Which means that the major groups are waiting for the second gate," Chloe said. "Exactly, since the first event gates are always in ¡®easy¡¯ mode for new players to adapt and level up for the main gate," Lead confirmed. "Wait, so does it mean that we¡¯re not gonna get any loot here?" Ergo asked. "Other than a few pretty rocks? No," Lead replied. "We¡¯re here to level up Chloe, not loot," Marco said. "So that she can be ready. Even if she falls, the higher level will reduce the taken damages. But now that she has taken an interest in that boy, I simply can¡¯t ignore that wish. Everyone MUST stay in their best condition, physically AND mentally," Lead said. "So does it mean?" Chloe asked. "We¡¯re going to save that brat, for real this time," Lead said with a smile. Chloe jumped in happiness and hugged Lead. "Thank you!!!" "But only on one condition," Lead said. "And that is?" Chloe asked. Back in the field, a stab crashed into the wall. "What¡¯s wrong?" Saber asked. The ogre looked back to see Saber sitting on one of the tall dug-out stones. "You¡¯re so blind that you could miss the sun at high noon, dude," Saber taunted. The ogre jumped at him, smashing the area. Saber clapped, mocking the ogre. "HAHAHA¡­. Well done! You should get a medal in distance jumping," he said, showing a thumbs up. The ogre roared in anger. "Aww, are you pouting, my little drama queen? Let me buy you a pacifier," Saber continued to taunt. The ogre dashed at Saber, but he dodged with his own dash, causing the ogre to crash into a wall. "Surprising! You have your ¡®dash¡¯ too? But with that big fat body, you can¡¯t even outrun a snail," Saber teased.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. The ogre turned towards him. "You¡¯re so slow with that big, fat ass, I¡¯m surprised the ground hasn¡¯t filed a complaint," Saber said, making the ogre roar and run towards him again, only to miss again. "If you really like running so much then let¡¯s see¡­ how you¡¯ll run without THESE!" Saber said, using ¡®arm¡¯ to punch the ogre¡¯s shin. The ogre screamed in agony with tears. "You¡¯re wide open!" Saber shouted, slicing the ogre¡¯s knees. The ogre caught Saber and threw him at the wall. Saber crashed into the wall. "Ouch, ouch, ouch, this hurts," he groaned. The ogre threw a stab at Saber, who was sitting on it like a throne. "Aww, how sweet, thanks for the gift. If you wanted my attention, you could¡¯ve just said so," Saber mocked. The ogre took out his hammer. "Where were you hiding that this entire time? You really have a huge tunnel, don¡¯t you?" Saber said, shocked. The ogre jumped at Saber and smashed the area. Saber used dash to escape but slipped and fell. "Damn it! Bad luck, I guess," he muttered. The ogre kept swinging and smashing the ground, but Saber dodged every single one. "You really don¡¯t know how to swing, do you? Let me show you," Saber offered, taking the hammer from the ogre and smashing its face with it. "DUMBASS!" he shouted. The ogre stepped back, crying. "And THAT¡¯S how you swing a hammer," Saber said. The ogre ran towards Saber with the hammer and swung at him. Saber punched back with ¡®arm¡¯, the recoil speed smashing the ogre¡¯s face. The ogre fell down, hands covering its face, crying. "You just smashed your own face with your own hammer, HAHAHAHA¡­. That might be the biggest disrespect ever, in my opinion," Saber laughed hard. "Are you really a ¡®King Ogre¡¯? Because there¡¯s no ¡®king¡¯ about you. Are you crying? Did your girl leave you? Oh wait, you don¡¯t have a girlfriend," Saber continued to mock. The ogre removed its hands, revealing a squashed nose. "HAHAHA¡­ you look like a squid got chloroma. HAHAHAHA¡­" Saber laughed his lungs out. The ogre threw a stab that took Saber to the wall. He came out unharmed. "And that¡¯s how you¡¯ve officially earned an enemy, pickled jelly," Saber said. The ogre rubbed its leg like a bull. "Oh? Is that a challenge? Then let¡¯s begin," Saber smiled. Both ran towards each other. Saber threw dusty rocks at the ogre¡¯s face with his left hand and dashed behind the ogre. "Feel the thousand years of pai¡ª" Saber tried to shovel his fingers up the ogre¡¯s ass but broke the sword and fingers instead. "Is your sexy dumpy coated in metal or something?" Saber asked, shocked. The ogre grabbed Saber. "Sorry?" Saber tried to be friendly, but the ogre slammed him on the ground. Saber peeped inside his own hands, making the ogre curious. "Wanna look? See," he said, showing a middle finger. The ogre looked, and Saber slowly swung his hand back and poked the ogre¡¯s eye with his finger. The ogre screamed in pain, and Saber jumped down, backflipping and kicking the ogre¡¯s nuts with force. The ogre fell down with its ass up and hands holding its crotch, screaming in agony with tears. "What¡¯s wrong? Did you crack your nuts, or did life hit you below the belt?" Saber taunted. He bicycle-kicked the nuts again, making the ogre scream more in pain. Saber took the sword and shoved it between the balls, green blood spilling from the cut. "Tch tch tch. Too bad, so sad," Saber said sympathetically, smiling evilly. He jumped and pushed the sword more with his knee. "I feel bad for all the male audience who felt this. I humbly but not seriously apologize¡ª I¡¯m sorry and I¡¯ll do it again." Saber ran and stood in front of the ogre. "Hey Ogre!" he called out. The ogre, in tears, looked up. Saber backflipped and kicked the ogre under the jaw. "Headshot!" "Combo Exp. Earned," the system announced. The ogre fainted Saber, exhausted and panting, took a moment to catch his breath. "Fewwh! Job¡¯s done, I think," he said, looking around to ensure there were no more immediate threats. "System? The progress," he inquired, eager to know the outcome of his efforts. PROFILE LEVEL 5 New Weapon Unlockable! New Moves Accessible! "At level 5 already, huh? Sweet!" Saber said with a satisfied grin. ALERT Phase 2 is starting "Huh? What¡¯s ¡®phase 2¡¯? And why now? Wait a min¡ª" Saber stammered, hearing the ogre roar. He looked back in horror as the ogre stood up, now surrounded by a red aura and glowing red eyes. "H-hey buddy!" Saber said, scared. Lead¡¯s team was running through the passage, feeling the earthquakes. "That¡¯s the sixth Terraquake till now," Marco noted. "That means, we¡¯re getting closer," Lead replied. Please be safe, Saber! Chloe thought, worried. They felt another earthquake. Saber was slammed against the wall, coughing. This thing¡¯s tougher now, huh, he thought. "Well it¡¯s a good thing, I enabled the painless mode," Saber said. INNATE SKILL ENABLED: PAINLESS MODE The ogre walked towards Saber, its red aura glowing menacingly. But I don¡¯t know how much will it help, Saber thought, feeling the weight of the situation. The ogre slammed Saber against the wall again, making him cough blood. Ah! I¡¯m at my limit, Saber thought, his vision becoming blurry. The ogre stood in front of Saber, swinging its hammer at him. Saber became unconscious. BOOM! A voice called out, "Saber? SABER!" Chapter 11- Raid III Chloe: "Saber?" Saber: "Feeling dizzy," he said, his face sleepy. Chloe: "You¡¯re feeling dizzy? Take this!" She handed him a potion bottle. Saber drank it, and Chloe helped him stand up. "Do you have healing potions?" she asked. Saber: "Yeah, and where is that gutter grunt?" Chloe: "You mean him?" She pointed to the left. The ogre was being pushed back by the mages (Ergo & Argil) and Marco, while Lead was choking the ogre¡¯s neck. Saber: "He¡¯s in a really pitiful state, isn¡¯t he?" Chloe: "Yupp!" she said with a smile. Saber did something on the screen, and a healing effect appeared around him. Chloe was shocked. "How did you do that?" she asked. Saber, confused: "What now?" Chloe: "No, how were you able to use the potion when you didn¡¯t even drink it?" Saber: "You can¡¯t do that?" Chloe: "Of course not." Crap! I think this is one of those ¡®Player Benefits¡¯ which the system warned me about, Saber thought. "I think we should focus on the fight here," he said, nervously laughing. Chloe: "Yeah, you¡¯re right. Aw! I forgot about it." She put her hand behind her back. Chloe: "Here." She handed Saber his black sword. Saber: "Oh! I think I¡¯ll be fine without it. I have unlocked ¡®Arm¡¯." Marco: "I think my arms are going to fall off." Lead: "We have to start slicing him." Saber and Chloe smiled. "I think I¡¯ll change my mind," Saber said, taking the sword. Chloe: "You¡¯re right." The rope broke, and the ogre threw Marco and kicked Lead. Both slid towards the mages. Saber: "So, what¡¯s the plan?" Ergo: "You know something, kid? You¡¯re very lucky." Argil: "Yeah, Chloe was worried about you the entire time." Saber was surprised, and Chloe hid her face in embarrassment. "Really?" Saber asked. Chloe turned back. "Hahaha¡­ How cute!" Ergo said. Lead: "What is your specialty?" Saber: "Like?" Marco: "A mage, a warrior?" Saber: "I use close combat, decide yourself." Lead: "Another warrior?" Everybody took their stance. "Follow my lead!" Lead instructed. Saber, Chloe, Marco, and Lead sprinted towards the ogre. A fist was incoming. Marco crossed his hands, and they became a shield. Saber and Chloe slashed the ogre¡¯s knees, making it kneel. Lead punched its face, and Marco pushed it with the shield, causing the ogre to fall back.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Lead: "His health is really low. You two rookies take care of him." Saber was shocked. No way, just a few swings took him to fall. These people are on another level, he thought, looking at the group. "Wait a minute? You ARE a rookie too?" Saber asked, his face scary. Chloe dodged eye contact. "Ahehehehe¡­ Don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?" she said. Lead: "Look behind!" Both looked back. The ogre had healed and stood up again. No way, Saber thought, his eyes wide in shock. STATUS King Ogre- 40 HP Average HP remaining Saber: He only healed himself physically, the HP is still the same. He looked at Chloe. But I don¡¯t think that Chloe is able to see such details. Chloe: "He-he healed himself? But how?" Saber: Thought so¡­ Wait. Flashback:
  • Player may use Player¡¯s Benefits for or against NPCs but cannot reveal it.
Saber: I can use it but cannot reveal it. Alrighty then. He smiled. "Chloe, you stay behind him and keep stabbing him. I¡¯ll get you the openings," he said, running ahead. Chloe: "But¡­" Saber: "He only ¡®Sealed¡¯ the wound, not ¡®Healed¡¯ them." Chloe: "You sure?" Saber: "Look at the knees carefully¡­ He¡¯s dragging them rather than walking." Chloe: "You¡¯re right." Saber: "ON MY MARK!" Chloe: "Understood!" Lead giggled. Argil: "What¡¯s wrong?" Lead: "Nothing, but the kid¡¯s good at observation. Don¡¯t you think, Marco?" Marco: "Yeah, you¡¯re correct. It would¡¯ve been even difficult for me to notice too." Lead: "Indeed." Saber stopped. "Hey boiled egg! Catch me if you can," he taunted. The ogre ran towards him. The legs were slashed, and the ogre fell. Saber: "Still intact¡­" Chloe: "You sure have really thick fat, don¡¯t you?" The ogre grabbed the ground. Saber: "Hey potato head." The ogre looked back. "Missed me?" Saber taunted, running towards him. Chloe slashed his legs again. He stood back up. Chloe: "Hey sludge face." The ogre looked at her. "Looking for company?" she taunted. The ogre roared and threw a big stone at Saber. Saber¡¯s eyes widened with a smile. His leg slipped, and he noticed. BOOM! Right in front of the ogre¡¯s face, holding the sword. Saber: "You sure love to throw stones at people. DON¡¯T YAA?" he swung the sword. TING! The sword was blocked with the ogre¡¯s teeth. The ogre punched Saber, tackling him into the wall. Chloe: "SAB¡­" she started, but the ogre backhand slapped her, tackling her into the wall too. Marco: "NO!" He tried to jump, but Lead stopped him. Marco: "Are you out of your mind?" Lead: "Chloe asked me for a chance. And it is crucial for the boy to understand the pros and cons that come with being an adventurer. If he gets too close, then I shall jump. Till then¡­ Obey the order!" Lead¡¯s face was scary. The ogre walked towards Chloe. Lead: "Come on, Saber. What¡¯s wrong? The monster is going to tear apart your ¡®Best Friend¡¯ while you rest there." Saber looked at the ogre. I told you, you were not made for this, Lead thought. The ogre stopped and raised a fist. Lead jumped and rushed towards Chloe. Incoming fist. BOOM! Lead was confused. "She was not there!" Marco: "Look there!" Saber was carrying Chloe and looking back menacingly. Lead: What happened to him? he thought, shocked. Saber kept Chloe near the wall and walked straight towards the ogre, passing Lead. Is he the same scared kid? Lead wondered. The ogre roared, and both punches were incoming. Saber dodged both fists by tilting his face. Argil: "How did he do that?" Saber used double arms at the ogre¡¯s gut. System: "Leveled up to level 5." Ergo: "Is that the same kid whom Lead chased away?" The ogre missed another punch. Saber was about to punch but the ogre caught his fist and punched Saber, making him slide back. The ogre tried to punch Saber but missed every time. Claws incoming. Saber uppercut the ogre¡¯s jaw. The ogre grabbed Saber¡¯s waist and head. Both were struggling.
STATUS Saber- 05 HP ALERT! LOW HP! Lightning sparked in Saber¡¯s hand, and energy burst forth. Lead, Marco, Ergo, and Argil''s faces showed their reactions. The ogre saw the smoke covering the image, and a light flashed, leaving the ogre confused. It looked back to see Saber holding the ¡®Core Handle¡¯ with aura waves covering him. The ogre threw a rock at Saber, but he jumped, did an air split, grabbed the ogre¡¯s head, pulled it back, and stabbed it in the back before backflipping. Saber took a run stance with both swords in hand. The ogre ran towards him, coming up close. A punch was about to be delivered, but a white X appeared in the black panel. Ergo, Argil, Marco, and Lead¡¯s faces showed their reactions. Saber was standing behind the ogre at a distance. The ogre looked back with bloody eyes, tried to move, but its dismantled limbs fell. Saber walked towards it. Argil: "Who¡­" Ergo: "Exactly¡­" Marco: "Is¡­" Lead: "This kid?" Saber placed his left foot on the ogre¡¯s face, his demonic smile showing. The ogre screamed in fright as Saber shoved the black sword into the creature¡¯s face. Saber turned his head towards the group, and they stared at him while he stared back. The aftermath of the battle showed Saber surrounded in aura with both swords in hand. Chapter 12- Acceptance The sound of police lights and sirens echoed in Saber¡¯s mind. He heard a lady''s voice shouting, "NOOO!!!! YOU MONSTER!!!! WE SHOULD HAVE LET YOU ROT THERE!!!!" Arush''s voice followed, "I¡¯m sorry... sniff sniff..." Saber woke up in fear. What was that? It¡¯s... it¡¯s haunting me again?! he thought, looking around in confusion. "Looks like a pharmacy," he muttered, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Saber heard whispers and the door opening. Marco: "Neither did I think." Argil: "Yeah." Saber secretly listened to their conversation. Argil: "I¡¯m starting to fear him." Lead: "That show is something that we can¡¯t ignore. Marco, see if any of them are awake?" Saber: Any? he thought. Ergo: "That boy is extraordinary." Ergo ran to the room. Marco: "Hey Champ! You awake?" Marco came in. Saber: "Oh, yeah." He was sitting on the bed.
Marco: "So, how are the wounds?" Saber: "Wounds?" Crap! I forgot I had painless mode enabled. Marco: "No way, you don¡¯t feel pain at all? That¡¯s awesome, dude!" Saber, sweating: "Yeah, indeed." Dodged a bullet there. "So where am I right now?" Marco: "You¡¯re in the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, and you¡¯re with us for the time being." Marco sat in front of him. "So, what I wanted to say is¡­ Thank you." Saber looked at him. Marco: "You know, after Chloe¡¯s brother passed away, we were thinking of disbanding the group to avoid any more casualties. But Chloe forced us from doing so." A bright day with a tree and leaves blowing away view. Marco: "This group you¡¯re seeing now is because she wanted us to stick together; otherwise, we would¡¯ve lost a key element of this group." Saber: "And that is?" Marco: "Our friendship." Saber¡¯s eyes shined. Saber: "So how is she?" Marco: "Same as you, bandages around her forehead and both hands. Snoring soundly." Saber, not surprised: "Yeah right." Lead: "Marco? Did you fall asleep too?" Marco: "No, the boy is awake now." Lead: "Wake up Chloe and bring them down." Marco: "Come on, wear your clothes and meet us down. I¡¯ll wake that devil." Saber came out. Lead: "Hey Champ!" Lead, Argil, and Ergo were sitting. "Come and sit here." Saber sat down. Ergo came closer. Ergo: "Finally, we got to see each other closer, don¡¯t you think?" She touched his chest. Saber: "Yeah, indeed," he said with a lusty face. Ergo: "Now that I take a closer look, you¡¯re way cuter up-close." Saber: "Ehehehehe¡­" he said, still with a lusty face. Lead: "Ergo, that¡¯s enough. He¡¯s a kid for your information. So, no dirty exercises." Lead''s face turned scary. Ergo: "Oh, let¡¯s see about that," she said, sliding away. Lead: "Saber." Saber: "Yes." Lead: "I¡¯ll ask this only once." His face turned interrogative. Marco knuckled Lead from behind, and Chloe sat next to Saber. Marco: "For one minute I leave you alone and you start to bully him." Chloe: "I¡¯m hungry, where¡¯s food?" Saber: "You look awfully beaten up." Chloe: "Said by someone who¡¯s ass was saved by a Goddess." She leaned on his shoulder. Ergo: "Hey, no touching," she said, coming closer to Chloe. Chloe: "Stay away. I¡¯m injured, so I need someone to lean on." Argil looked irritated. Why we assembled here for and what are we doing here? he thought. Both sides were fighting, but everyone calmed down.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Lead: "So I¡¯ll start once again and no fooling around."
  • Says the one who started it in the first place,* Chloe and Saber thought, imagining Lead beaten up.
Lead: "So my first question is¡­ What was that in the dungeon?" Saber: "An Ogre?" Lead: "NO!" Saber: "OH, sorry." Lead nodded in agreement. Lead: "A ¡®king¡¯ ogre?" Lead banged his head on the table, suffering in pain. "Y-you... YOU DUMB CREATURE!!! I ASKED YOU, WHAT WAS THAT STRENGTH AND NOT THE NAME OF THAT GOBLIN KING!!!" he screamed, teary-eyed. Saber felt the waves of Lead''s frustration. Lead panted. "I think my BP is at its peak," Saber said, panting as well. Lead: "I¡¯ll eat you alive, Mr. Saber- The Dumbest Creature Alive!" Saber: "Alright, alright, I get it. But you didn¡¯t ask the proper question, so I got confused." Lead grabbed a nail club, scaring Saber. "So my answer to your question is¡­" Lead gulped. Marco, Chloe, and Tina also gulped, their eyes parallel to the table. Everyone screamed. Tina: "What? I want to hear the secret too!" Chloe laughed. "Hahahahaha¡­ That was awesome, Tina," she said, giving a thumbs up. Marco: "Are you with me, Lead?" Lead: "No, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to survive the shenanigans of these children without a babysitter." Saber, Chloe, and Tina were gossiping. Lead leaned on the table in tears. "Hey kid, all I want to know is what''s going on. That¡¯s all. Please don¡¯t make this more painful." Saber thought: He really hates children, huh. I pity this guy. "Alright, I¡¯ll make this easy for you. So, I don¡¯t know where to start, but I¡¯ll try my best to answer the question." Lead: "Then let¡¯s start with yesterday¡¯s incident. When did you find out about that power?" Saber: "Actually, it¡¯s literally yesterday." Argil, Marco, Ergo, and Lead: "WHAT?!" Chloe: "Wait, what power?" Ergo: "The kid¡ª" Chloe: "No way, I wanted to see it too." Marco: "You were out cold, and we were really far away. Only the kid was able to save you on time right before that blob was about to smash your empty head." Saber thought: Did this guy just roast her? Everyone was silent. Chloe was surprised. Chloe: "Woah! Marco just roasted me!" Saber: "And why are YOU of all people so happy about it? He roasted YOU." Argil: "I didn¡¯t think I would see this side of you, Marco." Ergo: "You even took ME by surprise, dear." Lead: "I¡¯m surrounded by idiots. CLAP CLAP! Back to the topic, chop chop!" Saber: "Yeah, so as far as I remember, I lost consciousness when Chloe was slammed against the wall." Argil: "What do you mean ¡®Lost Consciousness¡¯? You were kicking his ass back there." Marco: "Yeah, you literally chopped his limbs off with one swing and let him feel a horrible and terrifying death." Chloe: "Really? For me?" Saber: "NO, idiot." Lead: "Exactly, the kid just mentioned he was unconscious or¡­ maybe sub-conscious." Lead smirked. Flashbacks of the fight: The displayed strength yesterday was some kind of manifestation from that device. The handle in Saber¡¯s hand. But since it¡¯s empty, you only experience a mere ¡®taste¡¯ of that strength. Marco: "So that¡¯s why he fell down lifeless after dismantling the ogre." Lead: "Tell me kid, what were you feeling back then before passing out?" Flashback: Saber: "When he threw Chloe at the wall¡­" Image of Saber¡¯s POV, a shadow in blood in his arms. Saber: "I remembered a similar past incident but in way worse condition than Chloe is right now." Lead: "That¡¯s when the sword hidden within you was manifested in reality¡­ Because of the need of power, you wished you had in that place." Lead closed his eyes. "I know about these things." Image of the handle. Lead: "These ¡®Handles¡¯ only manifest when the user has experienced enough bitterness in the heart, it¡¯s like breaking down from inside. And these things only come alive when the caller has reached a certain age, that¡¯s 15 years, since that¡¯s when any possible sorcerers learn about their inner personality. Or in this case, to ¡®learn¡¯ a possible inner personality imitation." Marco: "You can do that?" Lead: "Yes, since the wielder of the powers will be the legends of ancient mythology." Everyone''s faces showed shock. Lead: "And on top of that, this one is in black." Everyone looked at the handle. Lead: "The black ones are extremely rare, even for the ¡®Handle Collectors¡¯." Chloe: "What¡¯s ¡®Handle Collectors¡¯?" Lead: "Merchants who buy these from children, fooling them into thinking they are just toys. Children are just selfless beings, so most of them are fooled by the collectors and buy these cheaply." Ergo: "I don¡¯t blame them, if I saw this in my hand, I¡¯d think of it as a toy too." Lead: "And in the end, these things are sold at the highest bidding price possible in the underground, hence the children losing their only chances to change their paths and lives." Saber: "So if they ¡®take¡¯ it from children, then why not make one on their own? It¡¯s like as you said, ¡®any possible sorcerers learn about their inner personality¡¯." Lead: "That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong." Saber: "How?" Lead: "Because in order to bring out this ¡®Thing¡¯! You must experience the death of someone you hold dear, brat!" Everyone''s faces showed shock. Marco: "Lead, calm down." Lead: "Mm Hmm, sorry. Where was I? Yeah¡­ So in conclusion, the only possible explanation of the kid manifesting such a valuable item means one thing: he has opened the door to master the ancient sorcery. And it was only possible since he saw something that we¡¯ll never be able to forget and that is ¡®DEATH¡¯." Ergo: "No way." Saber felt afraid. Saber: "At that time, I was able to perfectly relate Chloe and my friend in the same shoes." He envisioned an image of Chloe and a boy overlapping. "I was so scared that I could die at any second. Then I didn¡¯t feel anything at all," he added with a depressed smile. Lead: "Which was more than enough to trigger the call." Marco: "How old are you, Saber?" Saber: "15." Lead: "And you¡¯ve already experienced such terrible grief. I¡¯m sorry that I underestimated you. You¡¯ve suffered a lot despite your age." Saber: "Yeah." Chloe patted his head. "There there, don¡¯t cry." Lead: "Chloe?" Chloe: "And that is?" Lead: "The kid can join the team." Chloe¡¯s face lit up with happiness. "Really? You heard the old man, right?" She looked at Saber in amazement. "Yippie!" she exclaimed, shaking Saber¡¯s hands quickly. Ergo: "Welcome to the team, kid." Argil: "I have nothing to add." Lead: "But one thing¡­" Everyone listened. "You¡¯ll learn to master that power and only use it when I say so. Are we clear?" Chloe: "Yes!" Lead: "And just like that¡­" He stood up. The others stood up too. "Call me Lead." Ergo: "I¡¯m Ergo, you can visit my room anytime, kid." Argil: "Argil here, let¡¯s help each other out." Chloe: "I¡¯m your favorite crush Chloe, and it¡¯s nice to see you here." Marco: "I¡¯m Marco, and let¡¯s treat each other with respect, kid." Tina: "I¡¯m Tina, and whatever intel you need, take it from me." She came closer to Saber and whispered in his ear, "And whatever I mean whatever. Like at what time Ergo takes a bath and how she keeps the door unlocked." Saber blushed. Chloe pulled him towards her by the hand. "Hey! No touching." Argil: "Says the one who¡¯s actually ¡®clinging¡¯ if I may say." Marco: "Indeed, I¡¯m surprised too. Chloe sure took a liking to you, kid." Lead: "You¡¯re quite a master, aren¡¯t you?" Everyone laughed. Lead offered a handshake. "Welcome to the team, kid." Saber¡¯s eyes sparkled as he shook Lead''s hand. A 360-degree rotation of the group followed, and then the screen went black. Everyone cheered: "WELCOME SABER!" SPECIAL CALL FOR THE READER Lead: Ok, so before this chapter ends, I MUST say it here because others will listen. I never would¡¯ve thought that what I am going to end up into... These kids are monsters. So I¡¯m going to spill it out, bear with me please. Ok, here I go¡­ Lead: DAMN IT!!! I HATE KIDS SO MUCH. I¡¯M NEVER GOING TO HAVE KIDS EVER! Ahem¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s pretty much it. These two lovebirds will make me remember one thing forever, and that is¡­ Lead: - No matter what. At all cost. Ok, time to end the chapter. And please call for help in the next chapter. Doesn¡¯t matter, a therapy or a SWAT, my creator is having his time torturing me in the upcoming chapters. I can feel my core already bursting and calling for help. See ya. Please standby... Communication lost. Chapter 13- A Friend in Field
YESTERDAY The adventurer guild room is filled with lively chatter and the clinking of mugs. The team is gathered around a large table, celebrating. Chloe: (raising her mug) Cheers to us! We''ve earned this celebration. Saber: (smiling) Cheers! It¡¯s nice to relax for a change. Chloe: (grinning) So, Saber, any big plans for our next adventure? Or are you just going to keep saving me from King Ogres? Saber: (laughing) I guess I''ll have to stay on my toes to keep up with you, Chloe. You do have a knack for getting into trouble. Chloe: (mocking) Oh, please. I had that ogre right where I wanted him. You just swooped in for the glory. Ergo: (smirking) You two are so obvious. If I didn''t know better, I''d say you''re flirting. Saber: (blushing) What? No, we''re just... having fun. Chloe: (playfully nudging Saber) Admit it, you enjoy my company. Besides, who else is going to keep you on your toes? Saber: (smiling) Okay, okay. You got me there. You''re not too bad yourself, Chloe. Ergo: (laughing) Oh, the sparks are flying tonight. Should I give you two some privacy? Chloe: (mocking) Ha, as if! You''d miss all the fun. Saber: (chuckling) We just became friends a day ago. Don''t get any ideas. Ergo: (teasingly) Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that. Chloe: (winking at Saber) Don¡¯t worry, Saber. I¡¯ve got your back, both in and out of the battlefield. Just try not to get yourself into any more solo missions. You had me worried sick last time. Saber: (grateful) Thanks, Chloe. That means a lot. And don''t worry, I''ll watch where I''m stepping¡ªunlike someone else I know. Ergo: (with a mischievous grin) You two are impossible. Just don¡¯t let Lead catch you slacking off. The door of the guild room opens, and Lead walks in, surveying the room with a stern look. Lead: What¡¯s all this noise? Shouldn¡¯t you be resting up for tomorrow¡¯s training? Chloe: (grinning) We¡¯re just celebrating, Lead. It¡¯s important to unwind sometimes, you know. Lead: (sighing) Just don¡¯t overdo it. Saber: (nodding) Understood, Lead. We¡¯ll be ready. Lead: (smirking) Good. Now enjoy your evening, but remember, dawn comes early. Lead walks away, leaving the group to their celebration. The team exchanges looks, ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. Lead: (addressing the audience) Then I left, thinking it was just a normal celebration. (The screen breaks) What a fool I was. Fast-forward Saber¡¯s head is a swollen potato. The same goes for Chloe. Both are sitting down and crying. Lead: I¡¯ve had enough of your shenanigans. (Scary face) I think both of you need ¡®Extra¡¯ attention, am I right? You know, Chloe, what it is, right?This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Chloe looks scarred. Saber: (Shocked face) Don¡¯t tell me that you¡­ You enjoy clobbering her! Lead: (angry) ABSOLUTELY NOT! Chloe: (crying) Yeah, he does give me time to breathe. The other adventurers look at Lead in disgust. Lead: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Saber: (disappointed) That makes matters worse. Chloe: (disappointed) So true. Narrator: Lead that day explained the situation to everyone but still lost a lot of reputation and was labeled as a ¡®Tyrant Grandpa.¡¯ In the grounds: Lead is standing in pose. Saber and Chloe are standing in pose. Saber: Alright, what¡¯s this about? Chloe: (smirking) Probably the ¡®Tyrant Grandpa¡¯ didn¡¯t have enough energy to prove himself innocent. Lead: SHUT UP! Because of you two brats, I got that name! Chloe: Relax, it''s not that bad. If the naming was up to me, I would¡¯ve called you ¡®Bullying Fossil.¡¯ Saber: Power-Tripping Relic. Chloe: Ego Elder. Saber: Wrinkled Warden. Chloe: I like that sound. Saber: Came up with it myself. Lead¡¯s shadow, and Lead¡¯s scary smile. THANG THANG! Saber and Chloe with potato swollen heads. Lead: (wiping his hands) Are you ready to be silent now? Saber: Yeah, we can see whose hands are punching us. Lead: What was that? Chloe: Yeah, Lead, you¡¯re very calm now as far as I can see. Lead: Alright, now, today I¡¯ll witness your skills as adventurers. Can you defend yourself from a higher-level monster? Let¡¯s find out. (Removes his wooden sword) Are you ready, brats! Saber: You sure are going to enjoy tormenting us; that¡¯s why you¡¯re so eager for this match. Chloe: (nods) Can¡¯t agree more. Lead: Shut up and come at me! A VS frame with chad Saber and jojo Chloe vs creepy Lead. Both are running. Chloe: Saber, go to the right and stay open. Saber: Gotcha. Chloe comes from above. Lead tackles the sword. Vibration of Chloe. Lead side-eyes back at Saber. How did he get there in a second? Saber: (smiling) The left hand grabs the sword. Saber¡¯s widened eyes. The dash flashback: So it¡¯s that speedy move, huh? Lead: Not so speedy when caught. Chloe was pushed back. Lead raises his hand. Saber in distress tries to pull the sword back. Saber: DASH! Lead fell down. Saber fell at a distance. Lead: (wipes his face) So it just pushes you from behind, I see. Lead: Chloe! Chloe: Ye-Yes! Lead: You had the chance to hit my blind spot when I was focusing on Saber, but you zoned out. Pay attention! Saber: (thinking) So the guy is really observant. I have to create an illusion, but that is if I can¡­ He is at a higher level, that¡¯s for sure. Otherwise, a dash-enhanced sword would¡¯ve bruised a regular person. Lead: (thinking) The kid has potential, and his brain is functioning way faster than the average 15-year-old. Otherwise, none of his age would¡¯ve thought of using the speed skill to attack while the move itself looks like a defensive skill. Chloe: What are these guys thinking so intensely that I have an entire day to wander in my dreamland? This feels like I accidentally walked into a warzone. These guys look like a boss fight I didn¡¯t sign up for. Saber¡¯s serious look. Lead¡¯s serious look. Chloe¡¯s serious look. All three are just standing there, and a crow passes by. Chloe: Are you guys gonna move? Lead rushes towards Saber. Saber is ready. Lead takes a sharp turn towards Chloe. Chloe: (screaming) AAAAA!!! STAY AWAY! PEDOPHILE!!! Lead: Wait, What? We¡¯re in a match here, you moron! Just shut up! Chloe: Oh! (claps hands) But I didn¡¯t forget. Lead: What? Jumped Saber behind Lead, who is alert. BANG BING BOOM! Saber¡¯s eyes are spinning, and Chloe taped. Lead: You moron brats! Saber stands up and uses ¡®Dash.¡¯ Slips and rubs his face near Lead. Lead taps his leg on Saber¡¯s head. Lead: You dumb creature. At least use your skill ¡®Properly,¡¯ dumbo. Beaten Saber¡¯s face. Narrator: And that¡¯s how Saber was sent to an open large field to master the control of the ¡®Dash¡¯ he¡¯s so proud of. Saber: Seems nice. I could laze for a while, but he would pop out of nowhere and kick me, so better train. Saber: Alright, time to test all the unlocked moves and abilities, hehe¡­ System, show all the unlocked options. The screen shows all the unlocked and new options. Saber: I did get a lot of options to check out, I see. Saber: Troubled. So many to choose from. Saber: The 2nd entrance is going to open in 3 more days. Flashback: I really went toe-to-toe with that monster. But at least I¡¯m at level 7, so that¡¯s good. Flashback: Ergo- She was really worried about the kid. Saber is standing silent. Saber: Still troubles me. Why was that the case? Was Ergo teasing me? Yes, that can be a possibility given how often she teases both of us. Flashback: *Ergo- She was really worried about you, kid. Can¡¯t forget that sentence. It was too powerful to forget. But she¡¯s so damn Saber offered his hand to Carlos, smiling. "Now stand up, my friend." Carlos, standing up and shocked, asked, "What did you say?" Saber, confused, replied, "I said ¡®stand up,¡¯ dummy." Carlos, still in shock, pressed, "After that." Saber realized, "Oh! ¡®Friend¡¯?" Carlos blushed. "Are you not?" Saber bowed. Carlos, panicking, stammered, "Ye-Yes, a friend, yes I¡¯m your friend." Saber remained confused by Carlos¡¯s reaction. Chapter 14- A Friend in Love A secluded training field till dusk Saber stands, panting slightly, but with a determined look on his face. Carlos: "This is the last attempt, then we¡¯ll call it a day." Saber signals agreement with a thumbs up. Saber: Bend and be horizontal. (bends image) Jump from the hill when starting. (legs image) And land with the toes first. (image of standing Carlos) Carlos watches intently as Saber performs the move and lands successfully, a smile forming as he sees Saber''s progress. Saber: (catching his breath) "I think I finally got the hang of it." Carlos: (energetic) "That was incredible, Saber! You¡¯re really mastering the dash move. Remember, control and precision are key. You have the power, now it''s about using it effectively." Saber: (smiling) "Thanks, Carlos. I couldn¡¯t have done it without your help. You¡¯re really great at explaining things." Carlos: (shyly) "Oh, it¡¯s nothing, really. I¡¯m just glad I could help. You have a natural talent, Saber. Just keep practicing, and you¡¯ll be unstoppable." Saber: (grinning) "With you as my mentor, how can I go wrong?" Carlos: (blushing slightly) "Mentor, huh? I like the sound of that. How about we meet here again in the morning for the next three days? I can review your moves and help you refine them." Saber: (nodding) "Sounds like a plan. I¡¯ll be here. Thanks, Carlos." Carlos: (smiling) "Looking forward to it, Saber. See you tomorrow." Saber: (smiling) "Aye Aye, captain." Saber returns to the guild, covered in dirt and scratches. Chloe: (noticing Saber''s arrival) "Look who¡¯s back! Did you wrestle a mud monster or something?" Saber: (confidently) "It went great! I¡¯ve got the dash move under control now." Ergo: (smirking, approaching Saber seductively) "Oh, Saber, you look so rugged and... dirty. I like it. Maybe you need someone to help clean you up?" Saber: (grinning) "Well, Ergo, if you insist. I could use a little... personal attention." Chloe: (rolling her eyes) "Careful, Saber. She might just eat you alive. And not in the fun way." Ergo: (teasingly) "Oh, Chloe, you¡¯re just jealous. But don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s enough of Saber to go around." Saber: (laughing) "Chloe, you know you¡¯re my favorite. But Ergo does have a point." Chloe: (mocking) "Oh, please. I¡¯m not jealous. Just don¡¯t come crying to me when she¡¯s done with you." Ergo: (smirking) "I promise I¡¯ll be gentle... at first." Saber: (laughing) "You guys are impossible." Chloe: (smiling) "That¡¯s the spirit, Saber. We¡¯re going to need that energy." Ergo: (teasing) "Just try not to dash into any walls, alright?" Saber: (laughing) "I¡¯ll do my best, Ergo." Both leave, laughing. Chloe stands, angered and pouting. Chloe: "But he¡¯s MY friend." Saber''s room in the guild. The room is modest, with a bed, a small desk, and a few personal items scattered around. Saber is lying on his bed, waving his leg. Chloe: (bursting into the room) "Hey, Saber! What¡¯s up, dirt boy?" Saber: (startled) "Chloe! Ever heard of knocking?" Chloe: (grinning) "Where¡¯s the fun in that? So, how was your little training session? Did she give you a gold star?" Saber: (smirking) "Very funny. It went well, actually." Chloe: "Are you enjoying your time in the guild? I¡¯m sure you are." Saber: "At least I¡¯ve got the dash move under control now." Chloe: (mocking) "Oh, I¡¯m sure Ergo was thrilled to hear that. She¡¯s probably planning her next move to get her claws into you. But you look happy with that ¡®Bath¡¯ with Ergo, huh?" Saber: (laughing) "Come on, Chloe, that was just made up by us since she said you¡¯re really territorial and now it¡¯s true besides. Ergo¡¯s not that bad. (Confused face) Right?" Chloe: (rolling her eyes) "Please. She¡¯s a predator, Saber. She¡¯s just waiting for the right moment to pounce. You need to watch your back around her." Saber: (grinning) "Sounds like someone¡¯s jealous." Chloe: (mocking) "Jealous? Of her? As if! I just don¡¯t want to see you get hurt, that¡¯s all." Saber: (teasing) "Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Chloe." Chloe: (sighing) "Anyway, enough about her. You¡¯re spending the afternoon with me tomorrow. We¡¯re going to the stalls for some shopping." Saber: (surprised) "Shopping? Really? But didn¡¯t we already go to the mall maybe two days ago?" Chloe: (grinning) "Yes, really. You need a break, and I need a shopping buddy. So be ready tomorrow afternoon." Saber: (laughing) "Alright, alright. I¡¯ll be ready." Chloe: (smiling) "Good. And don¡¯t keep me waiting, or I¡¯ll drag you out in whatever you¡¯re wearing." THUD! The door closed. Saber: "What is she upset about? Did our jokes hurt her?" The next morning Saber and Carlos are on the training field. The sun is just beginning to rise, casting a golden glow over the landscape. Saber is covered in sweat, and Carlos is watching the sunrise. Carlos: "This feels good, right?" Saber: (panting) "Indeed, but..." (falls) "I need water." Carlos sits next to him. Carlos: "So? Everything going good in the guild?" Saber: "Not at all. There¡¯s a bit of a situation between Chloe and Ergo." Carlos: "I see, so what¡¯s wrong with them?"Stolen story; please report. Saber: (sighing) "Chloe¡¯s been acting really weird. She barged into my room yesterday and started saying all these things about Ergo. She doesn¡¯t trust her and thinks she¡¯s up to no good." Carlos: (patiently) "How do you feel about what Chloe said?" Saber: (confused) "I don¡¯t really get it. Ergo¡¯s always been nice to me, and Chloe seems mad whenever she¡¯s around. I don¡¯t understand why they can¡¯t just get along. Were they always like this? Then how is the team still intact?" Carlos: (nodding) "It sounds like Chloe is jealous. She cares about you and probably sees Ergo as a threat. And the team is still together, which means Chloe is aware of the teasing too. She just acts that way in front of you, maybe." Saber: (confused) "But why?" Carlos: (patiently) "Sometimes, feelings are more complicated than that. Chloe might be worried that Ergo is getting too close to you for her liking." Carlos: (smiling) Relationships can be tricky, Saber. Maybe you could try to bring them together, show them that there¡¯s no need for jealousy. Sometimes, people just need a little push to see things from a different perspective. Saber: (nodding slowly) Yeah, that makes sense. But it¡¯s easier said than done. Carlos: Indeed, you just have to wait for the right moment, friend. Saber: I see. Carlos: Come on, you said she¡¯s going to take you shopping, right? Better not make her wait. Saber: You¡¯re right. Alright then. In the distance: Saber: See you tomorrow then. Carlos: You bet. He returns to the guild. Saber: Finally! (Climbs the stairs and heads to his room. Falls on the bed) Man! I¡¯m beaten up! That training was no joke. It¡¯s been a hectic yesterday. Training with Carlos has been intense, but I feel like I¡¯m really improving. And now, some downtime with Chloe... Maybe this shopping trip won¡¯t be so bad after all. In the shower (censored). Out of the shower, covered in steam. Saber: It feels so good after all that sweat. Feels like I¡¯m evaporating. Maybe I should sit in the guild area to kill some time. The guild¡¯s common area is cozy, with comfortable chairs and a warm fireplace. Saber sits on the chair in comfort, hears footsteps approaching. Ergo: (smirking) Well, look who¡¯s all cleaned up. What¡¯s the occasion, Saber? Saber: (looking up) Hey, Ergo. Just getting ready to meet Chloe. She¡¯s dragging me along for a shopping trip. Ergo: (grinning) Shopping, huh? Good luck with that. Chloe can be quite the handful. Saber: (laughing) Tell me about it. But I think it¡¯ll be fun. We could use some downtime after all the training and missions. Ergo: (raising an eyebrow) You¡¯re not... worried about spending too much time with Chloe, are you? You know how she can get. Saber: (shrugging) Chloe¡¯s a good friend. Besides, it¡¯s just shopping. What could go wrong? Ergo: (smiling) Just don¡¯t let her talk you into buying anything too crazy. I wouldn¡¯t want to see you in something ridiculous. Saber: (grinning) I¡¯ll try to keep my dignity intact. Ergo laughs and heads off. Saber: Time passes quickly, and soon it¡¯s almost time to meet Chloe. (Heads out to find her.) At the guild entrance, Chloe is waiting for Saber, looking impatient but excited. Chloe: (grinning) There you are! I was starting to think you¡¯d bailed on me. Saber: (smiling) I wouldn¡¯t do that. Ready to go? Chloe: (playfully) You bet! Let¡¯s hit the shops and have some fun. Saber: (laughing) Alright, lead the way. The bustling streets of the town. Market stalls and shops line the streets, and people are busy with their day. Saber and Chloe walk through the crowd, looking at the various items on display. Chloe: (excited) Look at all these stalls! We¡¯re going to find so many cool things today. Saber: (smiling) You really love shopping, don¡¯t you? Chloe: (grinning) Of course! It¡¯s one of my favorite things to do. Plus, you need some new gear. Saber: (teasing) Oh, so this is really just an excuse to dress me up? Chloe: (laughing) Maybe. But you¡¯ll thank me when you see how good you look. They walk through the market, stopping at various stalls to look at clothes, weapons, and trinkets. Chloe picks up a few items and holds them up to Saber, checking for size. Chloe: (holding up a jacket) Try this on. I think it¡¯ll look great on you. Saber: (putting on the jacket) How do I look? Chloe: (nodding approvingly) Very handsome. You¡¯re definitely getting that. Saber: (laughing) Alright, if you say so. They head out. Saber: (looking at a stall) Hey, look at this! It¡¯s a bracelet with our guild¡¯s emblem. Chloe: (smiling) That¡¯s perfect. We should get matching ones. Saber: (nodding) Yeah, let¡¯s do it. A little reminder of our adventures. They purchase the bracelets and put them on, smiling at each other. As they walk, they come across a small caf¨¦. Saber: I¡¯m beat, should we take a break? Chloe: If you say so, grandpa. A cozy caf¨¦ with outdoor seating. Saber and Chloe sit down at a table. Chloe: (grinning) So, what¡¯s the plan for today, Mr. Hero? Besides making me look good by association. Saber: (smirking) Oh, you know, just trying to keep up with you. It¡¯s a full-time job. Chloe: (teasing) You¡¯re doing a pretty good job so far. But let¡¯s see if you can handle this. (leans in closer) How about a little game? Whoever blushes first has to pay for lunch. Saber: (laughing) You¡¯re on. But don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go easy on you. Chloe: (smirking) I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way. Their food arrives. Chloe looks at Saber and grins. Chloe picks up a piece of her dessert and holds it out to Saber. Chloe: (playfully) Here, try this. It¡¯s really good. Saber: (blushing slightly) Uh, okay. (leans in and takes a bite) Wow, that is good. Chloe: (smiling) Told you. Now, let¡¯s see if you can make me blush. Saber: (grinning) Challenge accepted. (picks up a piece of his food and holds it out to Chloe) Your turn. Chloe: (blushing) Alright, alright. (takes a bite) Not bad, Saber. Not bad at all. Saber: (teasing) You¡¯re blushing, Chloe. Looks like lunch is on you. Chloe: (laughing) Fine, you win this round. But don¡¯t get too comfortable. I¡¯ll get you back. Saber: (smiling) I¡¯m looking forward to it. They hear a laugh. A disabled wheelchair kid was being bullied by three tall boys. They¡¯re hitting the kid. Guy 1: Must be nice, knowing you¡¯ll never stop being a dead weight to your parents. Guy 2: Oh wait, they don¡¯t exist. All three laugh. Guy 3: Guys, don¡¯t be mean. It¡¯s not his fault that god also hates him. All three laugh. Guy 1: Hey! (lip click) Come here, bozo. Guy 2: We¡¯ll give you a treat. Guy 3: A dog with ¡®four¡¯ legs! All three laugh. Guy 2: Guess you¡¯ll never have to worry about standing up for yourself¡ª A kick on the knee. Saber grabs the other knee, pulls up, and Guy 2 falls on his head. Saber kicks the knee and cracks it. Saber: Guess you¡¯re ¡®one leg¡¯ short of a good comeback now. Guys 1 and 3 remove knives. Guy 3: Why, you brat! A cloud-like fight in the background while Chloe sips on coffee with her eyes closed. Chloe: Ah! What a peaceful day it is. Takes a bite of the cake. Saber dodges the knife, kicks Guy 1 in the crotch, and grabs Guy 3 with both hands on the chest. Saber: Guess I just gave you a ¡®hot hand¡¯ on both breasts. And kicks the crotch. Saber: I think I just cracked your eggs; I hope the chicks are fine. Chloe in focus, commotion in the background. Chloe: Can I have the ¡®egg¡¯ omelette? Waiter: Absolutely, ma''am. Looks at Guy 1. Saber: And you. Looks like you¡¯ve been ¡®kicked in the family jewel¡¯. Hope they¡¯re still on sale. Chloe in focus again. Chloe: I think he¡¯s really feeling the ¡®price¡¯ of that one. Saber kneeling in front of the wheelchair kid. Saber: Are you alright? Kid (smiling): Yes, and thank you. To the both of you. Saber (confused): ¡®Both of you¡¯? Chloe: Great teamwork, Junior! Saber (yelling): And what did you do?! Saber and Chloe link arms. Saber & Chloe: Bye, take care of yourself. While walking: Chloe (softly): You know, Saber, you¡¯re not just a pretty face. What you did back there... it was really something. Saber (smiling): It was the right thing to do. No one should have to go through that. Chloe (grinning): You¡¯re a good guy, Saber. Maybe even too good for your own good. Saber (laughing): I¡¯ll take that as a compliment. Chloe (playfully): You should. Now, let¡¯s get back to shopping before I start getting all mushy. They continue their shopping trip. Chloe stays closer to Saber, often linking her arm with his and leaning in as they walk. Chloe''s demeanor becomes noticeably more affectionate and clingy. LOCATION: THE CLOCK TOWER As the sun began to set, casting a warm golden glow over the town, Chloe led Saber to the stairs of the clock tower. Chloe: This is our final destination. Saber: What do you mean? Chloe holds Saber¡¯s hand and pulls him. Chloe: Come on! The climb was steep, but the view from the top was breathtaking. Saber (panting): Wha-Whayt diyd I evey dyoe thwo you? Chloe: Excuse me, I forgot my translator for aliens. A cool breeze rustled their hair, and the town below looked peaceful and serene. Transition of Saber¡¯s shining eyes. Chloe: Pretty amazing, huh? I come up here whenever I need to clear my head. Saber (nodding): It¡¯s beautiful. Thanks for bringing me here. I feel alive again. They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink, and the first stars began to twinkle. Saber: Chloe, I just wanted to say¡­ thank you. This might be the best gift anyone could offer. Chloe (confused): A gift? Saber (smiling): When you share an important thing with someone, it becomes a memory, and what¡¯s more valuable than a picture of memory? Chloe (smiling): That¡¯s what friends are for. You did great out there, Saber. I¡¯m proud of you. But¡­ Saber''s confused face. Chloe: There¡¯s another ¡®gift¡¯ I¡¯ll like to give you. Something you¡¯ll never forget. Chloe closes her eyes and blushes. Chloe: Close your eyes. Saber, closes his eyes. Chloe walks towards him. She kissed him on the cheek. Saber blushes, shocked. Chloe runs away. Saber placed his hand on his cheek, blushing. He shouted, "WHAAAAT!!!" Chloe, running down the stairs, was blushing. She stopped and leaned on the corner, both hands on her mouth, blushing hard. "I did it!" she said, zooming in. "I finally did it." More zooming in. "I touched my lips on his cheek." Saber, blushing hard, thought, She did it! Zooming in. She finally did it! More zooming in. She finally g-gave me a k-k-kiss! Both thinking the same thought. Is this really happening? they thought. Saber: Now I wonder what she is thinking after this. Chloe: Now I wonder what he is thinking after this. Chapter 15- Bet TIME: 18:30 (EVENING) Lead sat in his chair with both hands'' fingers crossed. Marco noticed Chloe returning to the lodge. "It looks like someone had enough shopping today," Marco remarked. "It¡¯s Chloe?" Lead asked. "Yeah, and Saber has returned too. Looks like they had a blast today." "Not for long. Remember? We have the last gate opening day after tomorrow, right?" "No, didn¡¯t forget. But it¡¯s just that a lot has happened in just two days." "Can¡¯t say ¡®a lot,¡¯" Lead responded. "But at least for a certain ¡®someone,¡¯ right? Chloe is not very close to Argil since he¡¯s a very quiet kid and doesn¡¯t socialize even with the members," Marco pointed out. "Can¡¯t agree more, but I like kids like him," Lead admitted. "Soon he, Chloe, and Saber are going to leave the team and pursue their dreams. What¡¯s on your mind with this, Lead?" "I guess we¡¯ve to dismiss the party once that happens," Lead replied thoughtfully. "To be honest, now that the topic has started, I¡¯m gonna miss you guys," Marco confessed with a chuckle. "Indeed. Don¡¯t worry, at least you and I can hang out sometimes, drinking in the bar and laughing at these six years we lived together," Lead assured him. Marco smiled and looked out the window. "I think tomorrow¡¯s going to be our last main event together, right?" Lead said. "Yeah, the admissions of the sorcery schools will open within 10 days¡­ So, the kids are gonna be busy with the preparations." "How time flies, huh, Marco?" Lead mused, sitting straight. "What are the plans for Ergo? Have you ever discussed it with her?" He took a sip of water. "I think she said she¡¯s gonna try the¡­ Imperial Mage Entrance Exam," Marco replied. Lead choked on his drink, spitting it on Marco. "Imperial Mage!? How old IS she?" "20," Marco said, wiping his face. "No way? The way she acts and looks, one will think she¡¯s at least around 30." Tina, hidden near the door and feeling uneasy, added, "And she¡¯s a pedophile too." "What are you even doing here?" Lead asked. "Gotta go," Tina said, shutting the door, then opening it again. "So? What¡¯s the plan?" Marco asked. "Well, for tomorrow, we¡¯ll book the ground and take a final polishing of the moves." Lead stood up. "Well, Marco, can you do it while leaving?" "Got it," Marco agreed. Lead walked past him. "Old friend..." Marco said sadly. Lead paused, smiled, and left. THE NEXT MORNING The group gathered on the ground. "Fire Ball!" Ergo shouted, shooting a big ball of fire that exploded with a boom. "Nice as ever, Ergo," Lead praised, then looked at Saber. "And now you." He pointed a finger at Saber. "Alright. But¡­" Saber pointed at Argil. "Argil is with me this time." The others were shocked. "I think¡­ Argil should¡­" Ergo began. "It¡¯s fine. I hope you have a plan for this choice," Argil said. "I do have one but can¡¯t guarantee success," Saber admitted. Argil whispered in Saber¡¯s ear, "Then let¡¯s get this old drama llama." This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Saber burst into laughter. The other four were in shock. "Is it me or did Argil just talk to Saber?" Ergo asked. "I guess the lotus blooms in winter too," Marco remarked. "Did my eyes deceive me, or is it really happening?" Chloe said. "Why do I feel like I got hit with an arrow?" Lead said, looking sick. All three had taken positions. "Hey kid! Let¡¯s make a bet. If you both are able to make me land on both knees, then tonight¡¯s drinks are on me," Lead proposed. "Got it!" Saber agreed. "But in return, I¡¯m not going to hold back," Lead warned, taking a stance. "Come on Argil, if we win, you can drink all the Oran juices you want," Saber said. "I get it, give me the signal, got it?" Argil replied. "Sure, start doing your thing." "Right." Argil dug his spear into the ground. Saber ran in a circular motion around Lead. "Same spinning run again?" Chloe said in shock. "I don¡¯t know what happened in your previous training but¡­" Ergo began. "Saber¡¯s facial expression is different, as if¡­ he¡¯s sure about something¡­" Marco observed, noticing Saber¡¯s smiling face and Argil¡¯s defensive stance. "Same move again?" Lead said, clashing swords with Saber. "Not a smart move, kid!" He grabbed Saber by the neck. "Don¡¯t you know, beasts don¡¯t tend to fall for the ¡®same¡¯ trick twice?" "Just like last time," Chloe noted. "Was this on purpose?" Marco wondered. "Yeah, but¡­ beasts tend to fall for every ¡®new¡¯ trick, right?" Saber said, struggling. Lead looked back. "Paralyze!" Argil shouted. Lead screamed in pain. The other four were surprised. Saber kicked Lead¡¯s stomach, releasing the grip. "When did he even learn that?" Ergo asked. "Was Argil hiding this the entire time?" Chloe wondered. "More importantly, why and how does only Saber know?" Marco said. "Actually, I saw him going to Argil¡¯s room last night," Chloe recalled. Lead stood in smoke. "I see, so that spear is lightning-enhanced, huh? Then I¡¯ll just¡­" Lead moved with speed. "¡­get rid of you first!" Argil was scared. CLASH! Marco¡¯s eyes widened. Saber, moving with speed, clashed swords with Lead, changing his direction. Lead fell and landed fine. Saber skidded when landing. "So you have control over your ¡®Dash¡¯ now, huh?" Lead observed. "Was it just me?" Marco asked. "What?" Ergo replied. "Ergo, keep looking at Saber¡¯s movements and tell me if they look similar," Marco instructed. "Alright." Saber dodged Lead¡¯s attack with an opposite dash. One more dodge. One more. Lead grabbed Saber¡¯s clothing. Saber turned and twisted to cross legs with Lead¡¯s neck. Ergo¡¯s eyes widened. "See something?" Marco asked. "Indeed, his movements look similar," Ergo confirmed. "If I¡¯m correct, then Argil with ¡®gust¡¯ now and then spark it," Marco suggested. "Now!" Saber shouted. Argil swung the spear. Gust covered Lead and Saber. Argil shoved the spear into the ground and sparked up the tornado. "I remember it now! That¡¯s¡­" Ergo had a flashback of Argil and Carlos. "Carlos¡¯s Wall Trap! He used to perform this with Argil when they used to get along." "Thought so," Marco said. "Now Saber will jump out." "But that¡¯s impossible, not even Argil knew how Carlos did that," Marco pointed out. Saber dashed out and landed. The wall burst. Lead swung his sword at Argil. The Thunder shield blocked it. "Now!" Argil threw the spear into the air. Saber grabbed it and swung both weapons at Lead. Lead blocked both, pushing both back. Saber rushed forward. Lead kept swinging the sword, and Saber dodged all in dance styles. "NO WAY! Ergo, how did he even learn those moves?" Marco exclaimed. "Even Argil can¡¯t remember them all, so how did he get his hands on those steps?" Ergo wondered. Flashback In the distance: "See you tomorrow then," Carlos said. "You bet. WAIT!" Saber turned back. "Before leaving, wanna learn a special move? This can save you in close call situations," Carlos offered. Saber¡¯s eyes widened. "Sure, why not." "And for this second move, you¡¯ll require the assistance of Argil, alright?" Carlos explained. That¡¯s exactly how it¡¯s going, Carlos! Saber thought, dodging another attack with a wheel turn. Carlos continued, "Lead is a rusty but agile grandpa and with an insanely high level too, so you¡¯ll have to slow him down¡­ So tell Argil to continuously supply electric currents in the ground. Even though the ground spreads the electricity, the electricity in Argil¡¯s spear is special. It ¡®travels¡¯ in the ground because of low frequency and energy output, which makes you relaxed over time. This should slow him down¡­" Saber kicked Lead¡¯s shoulder. "Then increase the supply when YOU¡¯RE in the air because the spear doesn¡¯t affect the user, so Argil will feel nothing," Carlos instructed. Saber jumped back. Lead screamed in pain and landed. "Once you land¡­" Carlos said. A ¡®dash¡¯ tackled Lead. "Go full throttle with Dash!" Carlos concluded. Lead fell on his knees. Saber fell. Argil collapsed in exhaustion. "Did they just¡­" Marco began. "Make the Lead¡­" Ergo continued. "Land on his knees?" Chloe finished. "WOO!!!" the other three cheered. Argil stood near Saber, who was lying down. "We did it." Ergo jumped on them. "I¡¯ll have my booze!" Chloe joined in. "I¡¯ll have the adult stuff for the first time!" Marco offered a hand to Lead, who looked up. "Need a hand, senior citizen?" Lead stood up. "I¡¯m not that old." He dusted off his clothes. "Still have the same opinion about the kid?" Marco asked. "I have to dodge that question. But more importantly¡­" Lead started. "Indeed," Marco agreed. "The kid somehow learned Carlos¡¯s moves, but how is this possible? When that person isn¡¯t even available anymore, it¡¯s a mystery. "I was shocked too to see that. The world itself is a mystery, Marco. We only ignore it. The kid¡¯s probably the brother Carlos once mentioned, I guess," Lead said thoughtfully. "That¡¯s a possibility," Marco agreed. "Better not bring this topic up. Remember and..." Lead smiled. "Let¡¯s worry about it later, shall we? After all, the kids beat me fair and square, ¡®old friend.¡¯" Marco looked shocked, but then smiled. "You¡¯re right. By the way, when did you even notice it?" "After the ¡®wall trap¡¯ show," Lead admitted. "So you knew it was a wall trap," Marco chuckled. "The gramps¡¯s eyes are as good as ever, kid. But the kid is WILD! He didn¡¯t hold back with that last dash," Lead praised. "This is what happens when you piss off the kids," Marco remarked. "I¡¯m going to need that massage tonight," Lead said, rubbing his neck. "I¡¯ll bring booze too then," Marco offered. "Great! Let¡¯s have a night out then." Lead turned to the group. "ALRIGHT LADIES!" The group looked at Lead. "As promised, tonight¡¯s celebration is on me!" Lead announced. "YEAA!!!" the group cheered. "So go and wash that sweat and meet at the hall in 2 hours!" Lead instructed. "What a pain in the ass," Lead muttered to himself with a smile. Chapter 16- Last Jump! The team gathered in their guild hall, the atmosphere jovial, with drinks and laughter filling the room. "Tomorrow''s raid is going to be a real challenge," Saber said, leaning back in his chair and looking thoughtful. "We need to be at our best." Chloe knocked over a drink as she tried to sit down. "Oops! Looks like I''m already at my clumsy best. But hey, who¡¯s ready to kick some dungeon butt?" Lead smirked. "Chloe, if you can manage to stay on your feet for once, we might just have a chance." Argil sipped his drink quietly. "I... I just don¡¯t want to let anyone down." "Oh, Argil, you worry too much," Ergo said, grinning mischievously. "Besides, isn¡¯t it more fun when you get all flustered?" "Ergo, knock it off. We¡¯re supposed to be a team," Saber said firmly. "Lighten up, Saber," Chloe nudged him. "Let¡¯s enjoy tonight! What¡¯s a little teasing among friends?" "Yeah, Saber. We¡¯ve got to keep our spirits up," Lead laughed. "Besides, if we can survive Chloe¡¯s clumsiness, we can survive anything." Argil smiled a bit. "Thanks, guys. I guess I do take things too seriously sometimes." "You know, Argil, if you need some special training, I¡¯m always here. Just a little... private session?" Ergo leaned closer to Argil. "Cut it out, Ergo. We don¡¯t need your kind of ¡®help,¡¯" Saber glared at her. "So, what¡¯s the plan for tomorrow, Saber? Any secret strategies?" Chloe asked, trying to lighten the mood. Saber relaxed a bit. "Well, I¡¯ve been thinking about how we can use our strengths together. Argil, your stealth will be key in scouting ahead. Lead, your experience will guide us through. Chloe, just... try not to trip over anything." Chloe laughed. "Got it, boss! I¡¯ll do my best." "Sounds like a solid plan," Lead nodded. "We just need to stick together and watch each other¡¯s backs." "I¡¯ll do my best to support everyone," Argil said more confidently. Ergo smirked. "Well, this sounds fun already. Just don¡¯t blame me if things get... interesting." "You know, I¡¯ve been thinking. What do you all see yourselves doing after tomorrow¡¯s raid?" Saber asked. Lead sighed deeply. "Well, to be honest, I¡¯ve been considering retirement. It¡¯s been a long journey, and I think it¡¯s time to just relax and enjoy life a bit." "Retirement, huh? That¡¯s a bit boring for someone like you, Lead. But I get it. We all need a break sometimes," Chloe grinned. "But after considering how often you get back pains, it¡¯s understandable," Saber mocked. "I¡¯m planning to keep the title of adventurer, but I¡¯ll just take on small missions from now on," Marco nodded. "The big ones are getting too risky. Plus, I think now¡¯s the time to look for a bride and settle in the town somewhere." "So, you¡¯re looking for a bride, huh? Then you might wanna fix that solar panel first!" Chloe teased. Others laughed. Argil looked a bit nervous but determined. "I... I want to learn more about sorcery. I¡¯m thinking of enrolling in ¡®Aspire Academy¡¯ and trying to pass the entrance test." "What¡¯s that?" Saber asked. "It¡¯s a school where students come to learn about sorcery and carry the handle which you have right now," Marco explained. "That¡¯s a great idea, Argil. You¡¯ve got a lot of potential. What about you, Ergo?" Saber smiled. "Oh, I¡¯ve got my sights set on becoming an imperial mage," Ergo replied with a sly grin. "I¡¯ll apply right after this raid. It¡¯s about time I showed everyone what I¡¯m really capable of." "Well, I¡¯m planning to stay in town with Marco and Lead," Chloe raised her glass. "Someone needs to keep you two old-timers out of trouble." "We¡¯re not that old, Chloe. But thanks for sticking around. It¡¯s good to know we¡¯ll still have some fun," Lead laughed. "What about you, Saber?" Ergo asked, placing her hand on her cheek. "I... haven¡¯t given it much thought," Saber admitted. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Everyone looked at him expectantly. "I used to smile and play all day in the garden, so I never had any chances to think about choices," Saber began. "After my parents died, my only focus was on labor, which kept me occupied, so no time to think except for work. And now when I have the time... I don¡¯t know what I want." "You can come with me if you like," Argil smiled. "What?" Saber looked shocked. "You heard the kid," Ergo said. "Now no one¡¯s here to stop you, so you can go to the academy and study. Plus, I think it may change Chloe¡¯s mind, right?" Chloe, who was drinking, reacted. "AH! HUH???" She placed her hand behind her ear. "On top of that, you even have that handle, so the admission is guaranteed for you, fellow," Lead added. "Sounds like we all have our paths planned out. It¡¯s kind of exciting to think about the future, isn¡¯t it?" Argil smiled. "Yeah, it is," Saber said thoughtfully. "But first, we have to get through tomorrow. Let¡¯s give it our all and make sure we all get to see these plans come to life." "To our future adventures, wherever they may take us!" Chloe clinked glasses with everyone. "To our future adventures!" they all said together. "You guys... I... I just want to say... I¡¯m really going to miss you all," Chloe said, her voice slurring slightly and her eyes glistening with tears. "You¡¯re like family to me." "Chloe, are you alright? Maybe you should slow down a bit," Lead looked concerned. "It¡¯s okay, Chloe. We¡¯re all here for each other. We¡¯ll still see each other around, right?" Marco patted Chloe on the back. "Yeah, Chloe. We¡¯re not going anywhere. We¡¯ll always be friends," Argil added, a bit awkwardly. "Lead, you¡¯ve always been like a father figure to me. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯d have made it this far without your guidance. Thank you for everything," Chloe said, tears streaming down her face. "Thanks, Chloe. That means a lot coming from you," Lead smiled warmly. "Marco, you¡¯re like the elder brother I never had. Always looking out for us and keeping things fun. Promise me you¡¯ll stay awesome, okay?" Chloe continued. "You got it, Chloe. I¡¯ll do my best," Marco grinned. "Argil, you¡¯re like my younger brother. You¡¯ve got a big heart and even bigger potential. I know you¡¯ll do amazing things," Chloe said. "Thank you, Chloe. That... that really means a lot to me," Argil blushed. "Ergo, as annoying as you can be sometimes, you¡¯ve got a good side too. You¡¯re like a big sister figure, though your clinginess to Saber makes me a bit jealous," Chloe said. "I¡¯ll take that as a compliment. Thanks, Chloe," Ergo smirked. "And Saber... I need to tell you something I''ve been holding in for so long," Chloe confessed. "I-I...I think I love you, Saber." Everyone was shocked. "You mean so much to me, more than just a friend. I can''t keep it inside any longer," Chloe continued. "Well, this just got interesting," Lead glanced at Saber with a raised eyebrow. "Looks like someone had to spill the beans eventually," Marco tried to keep the mood light. "Oh, um... this is... unexpected," Argil said, blushing and looking away. "Oh, this just made my night. This is going to be fun to watch," Ergo grinned. "Say YES. Say YES," Argil chanted. "Say YES. Say YES," everyone joined in. "Hewy, stwop tweazing..." Saber said, dizzy. THAP! The screen went black as Saber collapsed. He opened his eyes and found himself in a room. "Where am I?" he got up. "It¡¯s someone else¡¯s room." He got out. "It sure is pretty dark," he muttered as he walked. "What¡¯s the time by the way?" He checked the screen. "3? In the middle of the night?" He heard laughing. "What¡¯s this?" he wondered. Opening a door, he saw Lead and Marco playing pillow fight and laughing loudly. They noticed Saber. Saber was shocked. They were shocked. Saber closed the door. "NO!!!" they both shouted. Saber tried to run, but they caught him. "Where do you think you¡¯re going, lover boy?" Marco said. "We have so much to discuss," Lead added, locking the door. "Someone help me!!!" Saber shouted. NEXT DAY - 7:00 (MORNING) Saber yawned, looking disturbed. Last night was a nightmare. We had a pillow fight all night, and now I¡¯m sleepless. He yawned again. Today¡¯s just getting started. It¡¯s gonna be a long and hectic day. "Saber? Are you sleepy?" Chloe asked. Saber flinched. What does it look like, huh? "No? Not at all," Saber pretended to smile. "You sure? You¡¯re yawning way too much," Chloe said, worried. No surprise, detective! Saber thought. Marco and Lead yawned too. Ergo taunted, "Looks like you boys had a fun night, even after the party, and nobody even thought of inviting me, I see." Marco and Lead flinched. "Looks like I missed all the fun," Ergo said, passing through. "Really, Saber? Without me too?" Chloe asked sadly. "Oh no no, she¡¯s just messing with you," Saber said, troubled. They turned left. "You guys go without me. I¡¯ll meet you near the sphere gate," Saber instructed. "Don¡¯t be late," Lead reminded him. "Don¡¯t get lost," Marco added. "And don¡¯t get kidnapped," Chloe chimed in. Why is it that Chloe always says the unnecessary stuff? Saber thought. Saber turned around and walked ahead. He reached the field where Saber and Carlos were sitting on the fence. "So, it¡¯s today, huh?" Carlos said. "Yup. And thanks for the tip, it really helped a lot," Saber replied. "No worries," Carlos said. "And today I might get to show off again because of you," Saber added. "I see. Well, glad to hear that," Carlos said, jumping down. "So what now?" Saber asked. "What do you mean?" Carlos responded. "You said you¡¯d only come here for these 3 days, so where will you be from today onwards?" Saber asked sadly. "Well, I haven¡¯t thought about it. I might start traveling too," Carlos replied. Saber jumped down. "So, is it our last ¡®goodbye¡¯?" "When you put it that way, it sure sounds emotional. I¡¯ll still come and help you, Saber," Carlos assured him. "Alright then," Saber said, offering his pinky finger. Carlos laughed. "What are you? A child?" "Come on," Saber said, embarrassed. "Alright, fine," Carlos laughed, crossing his pinky finger with Saber''s. The sunlight made them appear in silhouette. "Pinky Promise," they both said. The sphere portal opened. Last time, I was beaten up by a level 10 Baldy. Saber remembered, looking at the screen displaying level 10. Talk about it now, folks! Last time, I was alone. Saber¡¯s mind flashed back. What about now? He thought, smiling evilly as he looked at his group. What a huge upgrade. He placed his hand on his left chest. I can once again feel the pressure. But today¡¯s pressure is different. Last time I stood alone. And this time, I¡¯m with others. "Here we go," Saber said. The sphere¡¯s opening completed. All six drew their weapons. The announcer''s voice boomed, "Are you guys ready?" Without hesitation, everybody rushed towards the portal. "GO!!!" the announcer shouted. From the front, the team looked formidable as they jumped forward with their weapons in hand. Chapter 17- Disaster No. 3 The group fell into one of the passages in the dungeon. Lead and Marco landed perfectly fine. First Ergo fell, followed by Argil, then Chloe, and finally Saber on top of her, ending up hugging her. "WHAAA!!!..." Chloe startled, turning all red before punching Saber and sending him flying 20 meters away. Marco and Lead exchanged looks of disbelief. Can¡¯t believe she had such hidden strength. Saber''s face was dug into the ground. "So-So-Sorry, Saber! That was just a regular reflex," Chloe apologized. Marco and Lead, still incredulous, thought, JUST a normal reflex? You just launched the poor guy like 20 meters away like a frisbee at a pet. Chloe ran towards him. "I¡¯ll help you, wait!" "Oh Argil! You naughty boy!" Ergo said in a seductive voice. Marco and Lead looked towards her. Argil¡¯s face was shoved between Ergo¡¯s chest, and he was suffocating. "Taking advantage of the position, you wild horse," Ergo teased. Marco and Lead thought, It¡¯s more like YOU¡¯RE taking full advantage of the situation. The kid¡¯s unable to breathe, you... In the background, Chloe was shaking the unconscious Saber wildly. "Please wake up! Don¡¯t leave us here!" Chloe cried. Marco and Lead saw that. Marco smacked his face with his palm in disbelief. "I need a new team," Marco muttered. "I¡¯m surrounded by idiots!" Lead added. Walking through the passage: "Why is it so quiet?" Ergo asked. "Maybe don¡¯t start¡­" Marco began. "Suppose¡­" Ergo continued. "Here we go!" Marco sighed. "If we hear a metal clanging noise..." Ergo speculated. Saber whispered to Argil, "What¡¯s going on?" "Ergo says some weird stuff, especially in dungeons, which sometimes happens as a coincidence," Argil whispered back. "So, she doesn¡¯t mean it, right?" Saber asked. "Yupp," Argil confirmed. "Wait! What do you mean by ¡®sometimes¡¯? So, it does happen!" Saber was shocked. "We-Well, yes," Argil hesitated. "How many times?" Saber grabbed Argil¡¯s shoulder and squeezed it. "I asked you something," Saber said, pretending to smile, which scared Argil. "S-S-So far, whatever Ergo has mentioned as a joke in the dungeon did come true¡­" Argil admitted, scared. They heard a metal clanging sound. "Is this what you meant?" Saber was scared. "Yes," Argil confirmed, also scared. "What now?" Chloe asked, scared. "We¡¯ll look at it," Lead said calmly. "And what happens if the sound maker is a horde of skeletons?" Ergo wondered. "Can you make it worse?" Saber asked. "At level 7?" Ergo continued. "HUH?" Saber reacted. They turned left towards the sound and found a horde of skeletons with rusted metal armor pieces. Chloe punched Saber on the back of his head. "You really had to ask!" Chloe was angry. "Sorry!" Saber had tears in his eyes. Lead drew his sword. "Everyone ready?" "YES!" Saber was excited. "Ergo! Use Flame Pool!" Lead commanded. "By flame and spark, ignite the dark, from ember¡¯s heart, let fire embark! Flame Pool!" Ergo chanted. A sea of fire flowed through the passage, burning every skeleton into crisps. So that¡¯s the power of an experienced one, Saber thought, shocked. "Thanks, ¡®Imperial Mage¡¯," Marco said. "At your assistance," Ergo replied. They walked through the passage. "So Ergo, you have a specialty?" Saber asked. "Oh! A sudden interest in learning about me, I see. Well, my specialty is ¡®Fire Magic¡¯, and this staff is great for dealing with recoil burns," Ergo explained. "Why recoil? Isn¡¯t that your own magic?" Saber was confused. "Everyone has a limit on how much they can adapt to their magic," Marco explained. "Ergo deals with fire resistance more easily, so hence she¡¯s a ¡®Pyro Mage¡¯. Like how I¡¯m a ¡®Terra Warrior¡¯, I¡¯m more compatible for hand-to-hand combat but can enhance my surroundings with nearby dirt or dust." "Ooh," Saber responded. "Now you understand? Rookie?" Chloe teased. "Shut up!" Saber retorted. "Can you tell what¡¯s yours, Saber?" Argil asked. "I¡­ don¡¯t know yet," Saber replied, puzzled. "The kid has ¡®Aura¡¯," Lead said. Everybody looked at Lead and burst into laughter. "I didn¡¯t know you were arrow shooting type?" Marco joked. "You¡¯ll find out," Lead responded. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. 1 hour passed: Saber led the way, singing. 2 hours passed: "Hurry up!" Saber urged. 3 hours passed: "Come on, guys! We¡¯re doing great!" Saber encouraged. 4 hours passed: "C-Come on, guys! Why are you all so slow?" Saber acted fine. 5 hours passed: "We¡¯re¡­ making¡­ good¡­ progress¡­ We¡­ are¡­ clos¡­" Saber panted and fell down. The others couldn¡¯t move due to exhaustion. "WHERE¡¯S THE ENERGY, LEAD!" Lead taunted angrily, panting. They found a room. "Hey, look, a room," Saber pointed out. They inspected the room and saw something. "A hidden chest?" Marco asked. "Be careful. They¡¯re sometimes living mobs," Lead warned. "Chloe, want to try your luck?" Saber taunted. "Alright, here goes nothing," Chloe said nervously but determined. She carefully opened the chest, only for confetti to burst out. "What the¡­?" Chloe was covered in confetti. "Looks like someone has a sense of humor. A confetti trap?" Lead laughed. "Maybe it¡¯s a sign. We should celebrate finding an empty chest!" Ergo grinned. "At least it wasn¡¯t another horde of goblins," Argil said, picking confetti off his armor. "Well, we¡¯re lucky it¡¯s not a mimic. Last time, remember, it almost ate our weapons?" Marco smirked. "Yeah, thanks for the reminder. Let¡¯s keep going before this dungeon decides to throw another prank at us," Chloe said, rolling her eyes. The group was attacked by goblins. "Be ready!" Lead commanded. A goblin shot an arrow at Chloe, and Saber sliced both the arrow and the goblin. Chloe was surprised and smiled. Further in the dungeon, the group encountered a narrow passage. "A narrow passage, huh?" Marco observed. "I think I¡¯ve gained some weight from all those drinks last night," Ergo said, squeezing through. "Careful, Ergo. If you get stuck, we¡¯ll leave you behind," Chloe laughed. "Just push through. Use that stubbornness to your advantage," Lead teased. "Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m through. Your turn, Chloe. Try not to bring the whole wall down," Ergo mock-annoyed. "Watch and learn!" Chloe said playfully, squeezing through with exaggerated effort, causing loose stones to tumble. "Well, I guess you weren¡¯t kidding about bringing the wall down," Marco laughed. "Let¡¯s hope the rest of the dungeon is as easy to break through," Argil smiled. The passage was filled with minions. They panted heavily after exiting the passage. Marco panted, "Those¡­ damn minions¡­ why do they all have to be¡­" Ergo, also panting, teased, "What¡¯s wrong... can¡¯t speak properly?" "I hope¡­ everyone¡¯s alright¡­" Lead said, still catching his breath. Saber, nearly dying from exhaustion, tried to speak, "Yeshh¡­ I¡­ am¡­ f..f..fine! ¡­ I¡­ can¡­ gu¡­ hon!... Whashh¡­ wronghh¡­? Trired alreary?... needh shome¡­ reshth huh¡­" "You¡¯re the one who needs it the most!" Lead retorted. "Do you even hear yourself¡­ Saber? You¡¯re breathing¡­ like a wild boar¡­" Argil observed. "Saber! You¡¯re hurt!" Chloe exclaimed, shocked. Saber looked at the scratch on his left arm. "Oh! I didn¡¯t even know I got something." "One moment," Chloe said as she tore a piece of her sleeve, applied the ointment on it, and wrapped it around the wound. "It must¡¯ve happened along the way. Honestly, that passage was really packed. No wonder I got this," Saber said. "Seriously, Saber, do you even feel the pain?" Argil asked. "Sometimes, not regularly," Saber replied. Can¡¯t disclose the secret, sorry folks, Saber thought. "Done!" Chloe said. "Oh, thanks," Saber responded. "Don¡¯t make me worry too much," Chloe cautioned. Ergo teased, "Uhu¡­ I think I got a scratch too. Can somebody tie my wound too?" "Do it yourself," Chloe pouted, blushing. "By the way, Chloe, you do have bandages, so why tear the sleeve?" Saber asked. The other four slammed their palms to their foreheads in disappointment. You idiot! Read the room, dumbass! they thought. Chloe got angry, and a red aura surrounded her. Saber was scared to death. Now I regret it! I should¡¯ve shut my mouth! he thought. May his soul rest in peace, the other four prayed. BOOM! THAP! BOOM! Sound effects were heard as she beat him. "That¡¯s why you don¡¯t have girls," Chloe said, wiping her hands. An arrow hit Saber¡¯s butt. "Oww," Saber exclaimed. "Come on, we have already wasted so much time," Lead urged. "And we¡¯ve only been fighting the minions and goblins," Argil added. "Lead, is this what I think it is?" Marco asked, suspicious. "It can be possible, but not fully confirmed," Lead responded, also suspicious. "Oh dear lord, please share your wisdom along the way," Saber pleaded. "I think somebody didn¡¯t have enough beatings yet," Chloe remarked. "Sorry, Chloe, please?" Saber apologized. "Go on, Lead," Ergo urged. "Well, if the atmosphere seems really quiet and there are only groups of these weakling creatures with not many monsters, then that means..." Lead explained. "They¡¯re maintaining a distance and trying to be safe," Argil added. "But if you would¡¯ve looked carefully during the fight, you would¡¯ve seen¡­" Lead continued. "Traces of scratch marks," Saber said. They looked at him. "I saw and ignored it, thinking they must¡¯ve stabbed each other¡­" Saber explained. The kid¡¯s pretty good, Lead thought. "...or by any fellow adventurer, but¡­" Saber added. "They didn¡¯t have any human blood, did they?" Lead asked. "Exactly. And by judging where we encountered them, it can result in only one thing¡­ They weren¡¯t maintaining any safety or ground rules¡­" Saber concluded. "They were trying to hide from something¡­" Argil said, scared. "Or someone," Ergo added. "Like last time," Chloe recalled. A flashback of the King Ogre fight played in their minds. "Like that big Baldy," Chloe added. "Hey! I found something!" Marco called from a distance. They hurried to Marco. They entered a cracked room where Marco was holding a wooden box. "Show me," Lead instructed. "This room is really¡­ unique," Ergo observed. "I¡¯ve been trying to open the box, but it just doesn¡¯t move in the slightest," Marco explained. "The thing is sure sealed tightly," Lead remarked. "This place feels like a cursed room," Argil noted. "Now we¡¯re giving rooms names?" Saber asked. "No, cursed rooms are the forbidden rooms which are sealed really carefully so that normal adventurers like us cannot stumble upon dark relics like that," Argil explained, pointing at the box. Everybody looked at the box. "The box is sealed with a special variant of cloth enchanted by light sorcerers. And it even has a tag that literally says ¡®Do not Touch It,¡¯" Argil continued. "You sure know a lot about these ¡®cursed¡¯ stuff," Saber said, surprised. "Well, I come from a family that specializes in light magic, so I do have the ideas and know the rituals, but sadly I¡¯m not a light sorcerer like my family tree," Argil explained. "Stuff like that does happen sometimes when a child is born with an entirely different skill," Lead remarked. "Are you sure you¡¯re the product of the same company?" Saber teased. Argil hit Saber¡¯s stomach with his elbow. "Then it¡¯s better not to mess with such superiorities," Marco advised. Marco placed the box back on the stand on the table. The group turned around but heard a crack. The box fell down and cracked open. "Marco, you idiot!" Lead exclaimed. "I don¡¯t understand either. The table¡¯s really wide to stop it from falling, even if I made a mistake," Marco explained, confused. "Now at least keep it properly this time," Lead instructed. Marco picked up the box and saw a broken and rusted dagger. "Lead?" Marco called. "What is it?" Lead asked. Marco turned to show the dagger. "A knife?" Saber asked. "No, it¡¯s a dagger," Argil corrected. "It¡¯s all rusted, and the blade is even missing a piece. It¡¯s probably a criminal¡¯s dagger, wrapped to look like a cursed one and hidden here," Lead surmised. Chloe fell to the ground. "Chloe?... CHLOE!" Saber shouted, shocked. "Hey! Chloe¡­ How do you feel?" Lead asked, worried. "Are you serious? She¡¯s clearly fainting!" Saber exclaimed, giving Lead the water bank. "That¡¯s not what he means," Marco said. "Then?" Saber asked. "Chloe has a special aura where she can sense false auras or¡­" Marco began. "The presence of ¡®spirits¡¯," Argil finished. "Like ghosts?" Saber asked. "Exactly," Argil confirmed. "This effect had on her brother too. The closer and stronger the spiritual pressure is, the more exhausting it becomes for them to keep up," Lead explained, holding Chloe. "I¡¯ve¡­been¡­ feeling this¡­ the entire time," Chloe panted. "That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t speak or roast me a single time after entering," Saber realized. "She tried to maintain her composure to not make us worry," Ergo added. Lead left Chloe, and she sat up properly. "Hey, are you fine? Can you get up? Let''s worry about the egg later and return for today," Saber said, worried. "Sounds good," Lead agreed. Suddenly, they felt a powerful pressure. All six pairs of eyes widened in fear and shock. "You feel that?!" Lead asked. "It¡¯s better to leave this place," Marco suggested. Saber quickly lifted Chloe by the arm. They ran out of the entrance. "How is this possible?" Lead wondered, shocked. "Is this an illusion?" Marco asked, shocked. "Bu-But how is this¡­" Ergo stammered, shocked. "Possible if there was¡­" Argil added, shocked. "Only one way to get out!" Saber exclaimed, shocked. They found themselves in a big open space in the cave where a guy was standing in front of them. The guy was holding a half-torn person by the neck who was struggling due to the choke. The guy squeezed the neck hard, and the head went flying, separated from the body. The body fell. The head fell in front of the group. "Look at all those corpses," Marco said, terrified. The field was covered with countless corpses and blood spills. A hand grabbed Saber¡¯s leg. Saber looked down. "R-R-Run!" the severed guy said in agony before dying. "You know? You shouldn¡¯t mess with other people¡¯s stuff," the guy said, turning back to see them. "Now you¡¯ll join your friends," the guy continued. "Hey guys, is it only me or is that guy covered with a purple and black aura?" Saber whispered. "No, you¡¯re not alone" Lead confirmed, serious. "That¡¯s an actual spirit," Lead stated. The guy was standing there smiling, holding two severed limbs. "And to make matters even worse, that¡¯s not an ordinary spirit. That¡¯s... Disaster No.3," Lead said. Chapter 18- The Disaster Upon 3 Lead was scared. "That¡¯s¡­ Disaster No.3." The guy, excited, said, "So you can see AND know who I am? That¡¯s a surprise. Allow me to introduce myself. I¡¯m Gale - The Third Disaster of 8." This guy is third amongst eight? Just what are these ¡®Disaster Spirits¡¯? Saber thought. Lead, nervous, asked, "What¡¯s a spirit of city doing here in a mere small town¡¯s dungeon event?" Gale replied, "Well, I¡¯m after only one thing." "And that is?" Lead asked. "An ugly looking broken and fully rusted sword. Have you seen it? I¡¯ll take my leave as soon as I get it," Gale explained. The other five eyes widened in shock. He¡¯s looking for the sword... Marco thought. Which the kid¡¯s holding... Lead thought. He looks oddly well-mannered but... Saber looked at the sick Chloe. With Chloe not well, any false move will result in immediate extermination, Lead thought, looking at Gale. I have to be careful. Gale shouted, "Excuse me? Have you seen it?" "No," Lead shouted back. Gale gave a devilish smile. "Is that so?" The other five eyes widened in fear. Gale continued, "Then care to explain to me why am I sensing the presence of ¡®spirit king¡¯ from that boy?" He pointed at Saber. All five widened their eyes in shock. Lead, hesitant but keeping composure, said, "What nonsense? And why do you even need the sword anyway?" Gale smiled like a devil in excitement. "So you DO have it?" "Kid! Stay with Chloe. Marco!" Lead instructed. Lead and Marco rushed towards Gale. Gale shot a big hand of aura at them. Argil nullified it with a thunder spear dug in the ground. "I see! You can nullify ¡®aura¡¯? That¡¯s impressive!" Gale commented. Lead swung his sword at Gale and severed his hand. Marco hugged him from behind and slammed him. Gale¡¯s hand recovered. "So the old one is able to even touch me? Today you guys are full of surprises, friends," Gale said. So that¡¯s the power of a spirit. He can regenerate without any trouble, Marco thought. "He can regenerate?" Saber asked in fear. "It makes sense because he has no form," Argil said, troubled. That¡¯s the exact behavior of ghosts, Saber thought. Saber felt a spark in his head. "AAAH!" Gale looked at Saber in excitement. "You felt something¡­ didn¡¯t you?" Gale shot the hand of purple aura. Marco waved his hand up, and the ground dug up into a wall. The hand destroyed the wall and Argil¡¯s barrier too. "I finally touch you!" Gale exclaimed. "No, you don¡¯t!" Lead sliced Gale¡¯s arm. Marco touched Gale and trapped his legs with dry mud. Lead came near Gale. "Stay¡­ Away from me!" Gale shot Lead with aura. He looked at Marco. "You want an invitation?" "No¡­ but you do," Marco replied, running away in the distance. Gale looked up. "By flame and spark, ignite the dark, From ember¡¯s heart, let fire embark¡­" Ergo chanted. Gale slowly broke through the mud. "Fury¡¯s breath, and phoenix¡¯s might, Unleash the blaze, bring forth the light! Fire Blast!" Ergo shouted. The big ball of fire exploded on Gale. All three landed near Argil, Saber, and Chloe. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Is it over?" Saber asked. "Please tell me it¡¯s over," Marco pleaded. "Any disaster spirit will never go down that easily," Lead said, turning back. "Marco, stay with me and Ergo. You take the¡­" Lead began, but a green hand came towards them from the fire. Saber tackled it with the handle. A green hand? Saber thought. The fire set off with a wind gust easily. Gale declared, "Nobody will leave the room until I get that sword." "Never!" Lead responded, taking a stance. Lead shouted, "Astral Projection." The room turned black, time stopped, and two white Leads came out of his black frozen body. Time resumed. "What was that?" Ergo asked. "I can sense a sudden change in air," Saber said. Gale laughed hard. "You¡­ are not an ordinary person, are you?" Lead ran towards Gale. Is it me or did Lead¡¯s aura just get divided? Saber thought. "Come on, Argil, lift her up," Marco said. Marco and Argil lifted Chloe onto Marco¡¯s shoulder. "You three run, and I¡¯ll assist Lead," Ergo instructed. "Sounds like a plan," Marco agreed. Lead missed his attack. "Whoopsie!" Gale taunted. The projection was about to hit Gale¡¯s head. Gale quickly grabbed the projection¡¯s head. "Not today," Gale said. A blade of green aura went through the projection and ended it. Gale licked his thumb, smiling. "One more to go." Lead missed the attack from behind. Gale taunted, "Hohoho¡­ Sneaky." Gale grabbed Lead¡¯s back and threw him at a wall. The ground cracked and glowed. Lead¡¯s projection grabbed Lead and flew up. "Flame Flower Bloom!" Ergo shouted from a distance. The ground exploded in a flower pattern. Marco, Saber, and Argil were about to reach the next door. A purple hand smashed the entrance, and it collapsed. "Shit!" Marco cursed. Marco kept Chloe leaning against the wall. A green hand came towards Marco. "Watch out!" Saber used dash to tackle Marco away. The hand squashed Saber. A heart tied with chains around shook. The fire set off again. "How can I not modify you?" Gale puzzled. Gale grabbed Saber and pulled him. Another hand grabbed Ergo and tossed her down. "Now tell me, who are you?" Gale demanded. "I¡¯ll tell you," Lead interrupted. Gale looked up, disappointed. The projection threw Lead with speed. Lead landed right in front of Gale. "Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re getting too old for this? Old man," Gale mocked. "Not too old for this." Lead kicked Gale¡¯s head with a backflip. The projection flew below Lead and tackled Gale, slamming him into a wall. Lead helped Saber to get up. "Get up," Lead instructed. "Why is it after that thing anyways?" Saber asked. "Who knows, but right now, run away¡­ and fast," Lead urged. The wall Gale was slammed into exploded. Gale punched Lead¡¯s stomach hard and threw him up. Gale grabbed Saber¡¯s neck. "Quit fooling around and just hand me the sword," Gale demanded. "I¡­ don¡¯t¡­ have it¡­" Saber struggled. "Don¡¯t lie to me, I can see it clearly within you," Gale insisted. "What? How ish that¡­ posshible?" Saber was confused. Gale¡¯s legs were covered in mud. Gale shot the aura handle and slammed Marco into the wall. This guy¡¯s not playing around anymore, Saber thought. The hand slapped Ergo and Argil. Lead jumped down and sliced Gale¡¯s back. Gale screamed. Lead carried Saber and ran off. Gale¡¯s hand grabbed Lead¡¯s leg. I can¡¯t change him either? Gale thought. Gale pulled Lead¡¯s leg, and both Lead and Saber fell. "Don¡¯t blame me now for her death!" Gale said, going straight for Chloe. "No, you don¡¯t!" Saber hurried. Saber used dash, and Gale jumped at Chloe. Saber¡¯s dash ended exactly in-between them. Shit! Now it had to end? Saber thought. Gale was about to touch them with green aura. "Stay¡­" Saber closed his eyes in fear and tackled the hand with his own aura hand. "Away!" A purple aura? I clearly saw the aura coming out of that blade, but how? Did he stab himself with the blade? Let¡¯s try again, Gale thought, shocked. Gale slammed Saber into the wall. Gale was about to touch Chloe. Saber screamed. The purple flame inside Saber tried to expand. "Whatever," Gale sighed. Gale snatched Saber¡¯s bag. "Is this a joke?" Gale was confused and angry. Gale slammed Saber. "Where is it?" Gale demanded. Gale slammed again. "Where is it?!" Gale repeated. Gale slammed harder. "WHERE IS IT?" Gale yelled. Gale grabbed Saber, jumped, and slammed him down. Gale punched him. "Where¡­" Gale punched again. "Is¡­" Gale punched again. "It???!!!" Gale punched again. Gale jumped and slammed down. "First, I shall end you." Gale¡¯s fist was in purple aura. Gale felt a gust. A gust of wind? In a cave? Gale thought. Gale fell down half-sliced beside Saber. What the hell is happening here? What¡¯s wrong with this team here? These guys are full of surprises, huh? Gale thought. Gale looked down. Chloe, with white aura, was standing there, holding the handle. "H-Hey, that¡¯s my entrance," Saber said. Saber stood up and walked towards Chloe. "Took you long enough to wake up from your sweet nap," Saber remarked. Chloe turned back. "Sleepy head." "Are you done with your reunion?" Gale asked. Chloe and Saber turned towards Gale. Gale completely recovered. Lead fell from the ceiling with the blade. "How is this possible?" Gale was shocked. Gale looked at Saber. Two purple auras? So, this entire time, the geezer had the sword? So, what am I even looking at? Gale thought. "What do you think is going on in his mind?" Saber asked. "Whatever it is, he got a high voltage shock," Chloe replied. Gale grabbed Saber and missed Chloe with the aura hand. "Now tell me..." Gale said. Saber struggled. "What?..." "Why can¡¯t I do this?" Gale asked. The heart with chains and a lock shook again. "Something is stopping you from inside," Gale observed, curious. Chloe sliced Gale¡¯s back. "AAA!!!" Gale screamed in pain. "I completely forgot about you, bitch!" Gale spat. Saber sliced the same area too. "Bastard!" Gale cursed. Chloe knee-kicked Gale on the head. Saber pushed him into the center with a dash. Gale grabbed Saber with the aura hand and slammed him down. Chloe sliced Gale¡¯s back again. "AAAH!!! BITCH!" Gale shouted in pain. Saber kicked Gale¡¯s face in a handstand. Gale stepped back a bit in stress. Gale looked at Saber in position, then looked back and saw Chloe in position too. "YOU BRATS!!!" Gale yelled angrily, shooting aura hands. Saber and Chloe dodged the arms and struck Gale together in style. They smiled as Gale was in agony, spitting blood. The mud covered Gale¡¯s feet and Lead¡¯s projection hugged him from behind. Saber and Chloe rushed back, and the ground started cracking. "Flame Flower Bloom!!!" Ergo shouted. The ground in the center of the field burst in a flower opening pattern. Fire in liquid form covered the field. Chapter 19- Disaster on its Way Saber gently shook Ergo. "Hey Ergo, wake up." Ergo slowly opened her eyes to see Saber in front of her. "Where am... I?" "In one of the doors from that field," Saber explained. Ergo quickly sat up. "Argil! Where¡¯s he? He took a direct hit from that guy!" "Relax, he¡¯s just knocked out like you were," Saber reassured her. They saw Argil with one cracked eye glass, and Marco was healing him. "You know? He really likes you," Saber mentioned. "That¡¯s good and bad to know at the same time," Ergo responded. Saber stood up. "Where is Chloe?" Ergo asked. "Alive and kicking in," Chloe said from the distance. Chloe came out of the shadow and in front of them. "You missed me?" "Not at all," Ergo replied calmly. "And not only her but look at this," Marco said, showing the handle. "How were you able to do that?" Ergo was shocked. "Not only that, but she was able to fight with that ghost, though only for some time," Lead added, walking closer. "I¡¯m still feeling uneasy, but I¡¯m able to maintain my feet better than before," Chloe said. "Alright, so Lead, now¡¯s a good time to explain what that is," Saber said. Lead looked confused. "What which?" Saber pointed up where the air was moving slightly visible. "Are you able to see it?" Lead asked. Saber smiled. "What if I am?" This kid! What IS he? How is he able to do the things sorcerers can do while he hasn¡¯t even awakened yet? I might even lose my rank here, Lead thought. "Alright, I¡¯ll explain," Lead said. The floating Lead revealed itself, and everybody was shocked to see it. "Are there two Leads, or am I dreaming?" Chloe''s eyes were spinning. "Yes, you¡¯re dreaming. Continue, Lead," Saber said. "This ¡®Lead¡¯ you see here is just a part of my energy. My sorcery allows me to construct at least four of these servitors by separating a small portion from me, like five percent for one construct. In other words, this is my ¡®technique,¡¯ and many sorcerers have different techniques they unlock, kind of like how Ergo specializes in fire magic," Lead explained. "I see," Saber said. "Where are you guys? Don¡¯t keep your guest waiting, my snacks!" Gale shouted. "He sounds pissed," Marco observed. "He has to be. After all, Saber and Chloe did manage to make him feel inferior to them. Hey, Chloe! Want to go for another round?" Lead said. "Us alone? Is this a date?" Chloe asked. Saber blushed. "Never mind." Chloe hugged Saber¡¯s arm. "You didn¡¯t give me your answer yet, my little dagger? Do you love me?" "I-I¡¯ll give you my answer later," Saber said, hiding his red face. "I¡¯ll be waiting," Chloe smiled. "Before you go, Lead! Want to name our group? After all, there¡¯s no guarantee of returning, right? Might as well go down with a name," Marco suggested. "Marco, if anything goes down, we¡¯ll execute the second command no matter what, is that clear?" Lead said. Marco¡¯s eyes widened. "Clear." Saber stared at them with a side eye. "Before that, want to give this team a name, Lead?" Marco asked. "Oh! It has been so long since that, hasn¡¯t it?" Lead reminisced. "Yes, so true. Then what is it going to be?" Marco inquired. Lead looked at Chloe and gave her a smile. "Then we¡¯ll call it ¡®The Bonded Souls.¡¯" "But isn¡¯t that name given by¡­" Chloe was surprised. "Correct, you like it?" Marco asked. "By who?" Saber asked. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "My brother. He used to call this group the name," Chloe explained. "And from today onwards, we¡¯re going to officially name this group... ¡®THE BONDED SOULS¡¯!" Lead declared. Saber and Chloe jumped off the cliff. Gale caught Chloe and smashed her into Saber to the side. Ergo started enchanting. "By flame and spark, ignite the dark, From ember¡¯s heart, let fire embark. Fury¡¯s breath, and phoenix¡¯s might, Unleash the blaze, bring forth the light! FIRE FLOWER BLOOM!" Gale was about to run but wasn¡¯t able to. He looked down. The mud was drying around his feet. The flower of fire bloomed, exploding and covering the area in fire. Gale jumped out of the fire, and Lead¡¯s projection grabbed him from behind. Saber and Chloe repeated the two-way slash, making Gale spit blood. Gale burst out his purple aura, and Argil activated the thunder spear. Gale screamed in pain, and Marco punched him with a mud arm. Gale fell and stood up, shooting both hands of green aura. Ergo, Argil, and Marco shot their specialties (fire, thunder, and terra). The green hands overpowered them and were about to hit them. Saber and Chloe slashed Gale¡¯s both knees, making him fall. "Damn it!" Gale cursed. Gale looked up. Lead jumped on him and was about to slash Gale¡¯s neck. Gale burst aura again, sending everyone flying away. Gale grabbed Lead with a green hand, squeezing him as smoke came out. Chloe was about to interfere, but Gale punched her away at the stomach. "You¡¯re the real deal, aren¡¯t you. Rank no. 10?" Gale smiled. "You¡¯re... mistaking me for someone..." Lead struggled. Lead screamed in burning pain. "No use in lying, geezer," Gale said. "You¡¯re right, then... here¡¯s a truth," Lead admitted. "And that is?" Gale inquired. "Your head will be on the ground," Lead said, looking up. Gale, confused, looked up. The projection was showing the middle finger. Saber came from the side and slashed Gale¡¯s neck. "How do you even think a head can be sliced vertically, dumbass?" Saber said in motion. Gale¡¯s head fell. The body also relaxed, and Lead screamed. "MARCO! SECOND COMMAND!" Lead screamed. Marco quickly took Ergo and Argil, while the servitor took Chloe. They rushed towards the entrance. "Saber! Follow them!" Lead hurriedly instructed. "What about you? And why? He¡¯s already dead!" Saber exclaimed. "NO HE¡¯S NOT!" Lead shouted back. A gust passed them, and Marco felt a little push. Saber and Lead were in shock as the green aura pierced Marco through the chest, and Marco fell. "Marco!" Ergo cried out. "You¡¯re alright, right?" Argil asked, concerned. Another dart was incoming towards Argil. Ergo hugged Argil, and Argil¡¯s eyes widened in fear. "W-WHY?! Why did you do this?!" Argil asked, scared. "You remember what we promised about?" Ergo said, hugging him tighter. Flashback: In a garden full of flowers. "Hey Ergo! Wait! Don¡¯t leave me behind!" Kid Argil (10 years old) called out. Argil fell and cried. "I told you so many times, not to run. What am I going to do with you?" Ergo (15 years old) said. "Hey Ergo, don¡¯t leave me behind," Argil (12 years old) pleaded. "I have to. To become the greatest mage, I have to leave everything behind and go alone," Ergo (17 years old) replied. "Then I¡¯ll come with you too! And then, and then¡­" Argil stammered. Ergo turned around to look at him. "I¡¯LL MARRY YOU!" Argil (12 years old) blushed. Ergo¡¯s eyes shimmered with joy. "Aren¡¯t you way too young for that?" Ergo (17 years old) chuckled. "Then wait for me. I¡¯ll become strong, and strong enough to protect you with ease," Argil (12 years old) declared. Ergo flicked Argil¡¯s forehead. "Aww!" Argil winced. Ergo hugged him, and Argil was in shock. "Till then, I¡¯ll protect you¡­" Ergo (17 years old) said. Present: "...you no matter what," Ergo finished. Ergo pushed Argil. "Now run! And learn a spell to revive the dead, alright?" Ergo smiled and then died, a big hole in her abdomen. Argil shivered in fear. "NOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" Argil screamed, in tears. Saber, Chloe, and Lead¡¯s eyes widened with tears. "You really thought I¡¯d let you escape? Without playing? ¡®Dumbass¡¯?" Gale recovered. Saber and Chloe ran towards Gale. Gale grabbed both of them. "You know when the game starts?" Gale taunted. Saber and Chloe struggled. Gale stepped on Lead. "When the enemy has a broken heart," Gale smiled devilishly. Argil screamed louder and burst out white aura. All four were shocked. "You bunch are full of surprises, aren¡¯t you?" Gale remarked. Lead felt uneasy and turned a little blue. "Ho ho ho! Look who¡¯s turning blue. It looks like the poison has finally taken over, huh, geezer?" Gale said happily. "P-Poison?" Saber stammered. "Yes, I¡¯m a spirit, so anyone normal who touches my contaminated aura will be poisoned, and to get rid of it¡­ Well, you won¡¯t be alive anyway, why bother?" Gale explained. Argil suddenly appeared in front of Gale. "You¡¯ll regret doing this to her," Argil said with serious white eyes. Argil punched Gale in the face, sending him far. It seems that while awakening, the sorrows and adrenaline are mixed together for a short power boost, but¡­ Saber thought. That power will soon disappear when the emotional levels drop to normal, Gale thought, wiping blood from his lips. "Chloe! Take Lead with you and collect the group near the entrance," Saber instructed. "Got it!" Chloe dashed off. "So, what¡¯s your specialty?" Saber asked. Argil looked at the handle. "Looks like a dagger." Gale burst through the wall in excitement. "I¡¯ve seen pairs like you, but¡­ nobody made me THIS HAPPY!!!" "LET THE HUNT BEGIN!" all three shouted. Saber charged. Gale shot out an aura hand, which was deflected upwards. Saber caught the second arm, and Argil thrust his spear from behind Saber. Saber twisted Gale¡¯s holding arm, held Gale¡¯s hair, and pulled down, exposing his neck. Gale punched Saber with his broken hand and wiped out Argil far. Argil threw the spear at Gale¡¯s face, but Gale dodged it. "You¡¯re pretty usele-?" Gale taunted, but the dagger in the aura hand activated, and Gale screamed in shock from the current. Saber grabbed the spear and thrust it, standing on Gale into his chest. "Time to end this!" Saber said, removing the broken sword. Gale grabbed Saber¡¯s legs and slammed him. Chloe dashed behind Gale. "You haven¡¯t forgotten about me, have you?" Chloe taunted. Chloe kicked Gale in the face. Argil grabbed Gale¡¯s leg and spun to break it. Gale kicked him off with the momentum from the spin, along with Chloe. Gale picked the sword. "Time to see what¡¯s stopping you, shall we?" Gale said. Argil threw the dagger at Gale. Saber grabbed it and shoved it in Gale¡¯s eye. "Now, I¡¯m pissed," Gale said, grabbing Saber¡¯s neck. Gale shoved the broken sword into Saber¡¯s chest. Saber screamed in pain. "SABER!" Argil and Chloe shouted, shocked. "Ch-Chloe?" Lead called weakly. "Lead? Are you alright? Can you move?" Chloe asked. "My¡­ my legacy finally comes to an end," Lead said. "What are you talking about?" Chloe cried. "I promised¡­ your brother that I¡¯d protect you, no matter what. But it looks like, we¡¯ll just meet the same fate. Alas! I couldn¡¯t do anything once again," Lead said, tears in his eyes. The purple flames consumed Saber. "You just burned yourself? What a waste," Gale said, confused. Gale let Saber burn. "Why YOU!?!" Argil shouted angrily. Gale skewered Argil with the aura hand. "You were saying something?" "Saber could¡¯ve defeated this one, and I would¡¯ve liked to see it too, but he got less time to develop at last. What a wasted potential. Looks like the Bonded Souls are¡­ Unbonding apart¡­" Lead lamented. "What now? That kid who got burned in his own aura could defeat me? What a joke, right? Any last wish?" Gale taunted, lifting his hand up. Then I¡¯ll take it as a no, Gale thought as he swung and missed. Gale was in shock as he saw Saber standing behind him with Chloe in his arms. Gale smirked. Chapter 20- The Disaster Depart Away The broken sword was pierced in Saber¡¯s chest, the blade went inside the keyhole of the chain¡¯s lock and started shining purple. Saber, feeling the pain, started screaming and got burned in his own power. Gale¡¯s face showed disappointment as he walked away. Saber felt great pressure, and flashback frames covered his surroundings. A chorus of voices echoed within Saber''s mind, each word a sharp, stinging blow. "You cow!" a gruff voice accused. "You cow!" a higher-pitched voice repeated. "You cow!" a deeper tone resonated. "You¡­ Were¡­ Always¡­ A slave¡­" But then, a single, clear voice cut through the darkness. "Don¡¯t give up." Saber''s eyes snapped open. He found himself enveloped in an intense purple fire, the heat radiating outwards, distorting the air around him. He took a powerful stance, his muscles coiled, ready to move. When he dashed forward, the ground beneath his feet cracked and splintered, a testament to the raw power he now wielded. Chloe, still within his arms, gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "S-Saber?" she choked out, tears streaming down her face. "You¡¯re¡­ alive." Saber gently set Chloe down, his gaze shifting to Gale. Gale''s face twitched, a bizarre mix of confusion and manic excitement contorting his features. "OH!" Gale exclaimed, his voice laced with a disturbing thrill. "I¡¯ve never felt anything like this since the last fight against the Spirit King. It¡­ it seems you¡¯ve earned my respect but¡­" His voice rose to a scream, filled with a primal rage. "WHAT ARE YOU, SABER?!" Is this thing completely out of his mind? Saber thought, a flicker of disgust crossing his face. "ANSWER ME!" Gale roared, his voice echoing through the space. Saber''s voice was calm, almost chilling in its seriousness. "You don¡¯t have to shout¡­" A psycho smile spread across his lips, twisting his features into something unsettling. "Find it out yourself." Gale''s eyes widened, a strange mixture of fear and exhilaration swirling within them. "I think you¡¯ll make me hit my adrenaline if this goes on." Saber scoffed, a hint of disdain in his tone. "A ghost? Hitting adrenaline? What a joke." Chloe, her voice trembling, began, "Sab¡­" "Not now," Saber interrupted, his eyes still fixed on Gale. "He¡¯s way out of your league, mine too, I think. So be ready when I signal you¡­ we HAVE to save everyone, right?" He offered her a brief, reassuring smile. Chloe, her fear momentarily replaced by a surge of determination, nodded and ran towards the others, her footsteps echoing in the sudden silence. Gale''s laughter, a chilling, psycho sound, filled the air. "Then COME AT ME!!!" he screamed, his voice a raw, primal challenge. Saber took the stance with the broken sword and his handle. "SABER!!!" Gale screamed. Saber dashed straight. Gale threw a purple fist, but Saber cut through the fist, making Gale happy. Saber passed through Gale, cutting his active arm. Gale turned back. Saber saw it. Gale shot him at the wall. Saber stood on the wall. "I have no time to waste. SYSTEM! Initialize Battle Mode!" Saber commanded. System: Initializing Battle Mode. SYSTEM OVERWRITE COMMAND SEQUENCE ¡®BATTLE MODE¡¯ CODE- 2405/PLAYER FINAL ID POST: 9 INITIALIZING BATTLE PREPARATION SEQUENCE - CLEAR SCREEN OVERLAYS - ACTIVATE BATTLE MODE UI - VOICE COMMAND ACTIVATE QUICK ACCESSIBILITY CONFUGURATION - ASSIGNED HEALING SLOTS ON THE LEFT SIDE - ASSIGNED WEAPON SLOT (EMPTY) ON THE BOTH SIDE BOTTOM - ASSIGNED UTILITY ITEMS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OPTIMIZE UI FOR VISIBILITY - ABILITY USAGE INFORMATION GENERATION IN PORCESS - MINIMIZE UNNECESSARY HUD ELEMENTS - ALERT NOTIFICATION ON THE RIGHT SIDE Gale and Saber dashed at each other. Saber grabbed Gale¡¯s neck and slammed him on the ground. Gale burst his energy and punched Saber. Saber rotated and kicked him back, foot on the ground with Gale¡¯s head. Gale¡¯s aura hand emerged from the ground behind Saber and punched. Saber fell a bit far. Gale stood up still smiling and spat blood. "I think we¡¯re destined to be together. What do you think?" Gale asked. "Me? A soulmate of yours?" Saber chuckled. "That can¡¯t be possible." "We can be best buddies, don¡¯t you think? Admit it¡­ You and I are the same here," Gale continued. "Did you read some kind of Manga? How did you even find that out with just 2 minutes of talking and 10 minutes of punching?" Saber questioned. "I¡¯m not saying this on a hunch, but you¡¯ll find out soon, my buddy. After you''ll make the first kill," Gale said. "It makes me cringe to the core," Saber replied. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Then I¡¯ll have to make you believe that you¡¯re a cringe too. By the way, you might want to check on that girl, buddy," Gale said. Saber¡¯s eye widened in shock. Shit! I completely forgot about the poison, he thought. Gale, behind him, slammed Saber down. Saber kicked Gale¡¯s head when he jumped up with a handstand, spun his legs to double hit Gale. Saber quickly landed in a kneeling position and kept punching Gale in the gut. Gale pushed him back with a green aura hand. Saber lost balance and fell. Saber dashed forward at Gale, missed the slash. Gale countered by grabbing the blade with a green hand and striking Saber. Saber countered it with the handle. Both pushed each other back. Gale slammed the ground with both aura hands, creating a shockwave of energy at Saber, cracking the stone floor beneath him. Saber flipped backward, using the handle to control his balance. Gale taunted him with a hand sign. Saber dashed at Gale. Gale spun and grabbed the broken cursed sword, dashed too. Both clashed. CLASH! Gale made a massive aura hand behind him and swiped. Saber ducked down, sliding under the hand and slicing upwards. Gale grabbed Saber¡¯s neck with another hand. "Caught you, Mouse!" Gale taunted. Saber struggled and burst his purple energy. Gale fell way back, suffering some damage for real. A random burst of spirit energy? But I didn¡¯t sense anything? Gale thought. Saber rushed towards Chloe. Chloe coughed blood, laying down. Shit! I was so focused on him that I forgot to check on her! Saber thought. Saber removed a portion and tried to make Chloe drink, but she spilled. She can¡¯t even drink now. I¡¯ll have to pour the drink from upwards, creating a vertical position but¡­ My both hands are holding her, Saber realized. Saber looked at her lips. Should I go for it? Screw it! Her life is more important than a random kiss, he thought. Saber poured the portion in his mouth, held Chloe¡¯s chin, and kissed her. She gulped the portion as they kissed. Saber held Chloe, and she coughed and opened her eyes. "Chloe? Chloe! Open your eyes, damn it!" Saber called out. "¡­. ¡­.. ... ¡­.." Chloe whispered faintly. "What?" Saber asked, coming closer. "You stole¡­ my first kiss¡­ take res¡­ponsi¡­bility¡­" Chloe said. "I will¡­ I will¡­" Saber hugged her while sobbing. The green aura hand came out of the dust. The hand just behind Saber. His eyes widened in alert. Saber slashed it with the handle. Gale laughed while coming out of the dust. "Come on, Darling! Pay some attention to me too," Gale taunted. "Wait here, Chloe. I¡¯ll finish this quickly," Saber said. Saber turned towards Gale. Saber¡¯s serious face. Gale¡¯s smiling face. The small rock pieces shook. Earthquake? Saber thought. The top and the side of the cave exploded, and the Gem Dragon came out roaring at the two of them staring at each other. Saber pointed his right hand at the dragon. Gale pointed his left hand. "Out of my way," Saber and Gale said in unison. Both shot their energy shot at the dragon, making two holes in the dragon¡¯s chest. The dragon turned into dust roaring. Saber stiffened himself. Gale smiled and charged forward, throwing a series of punches at Saber. Saber dodged most of them, but got hit in between. I can see them coming, but I cannot adapt to this body, Saber thought. Saber ducked below and punched Gale in the rib. "ARM!" A force was shot under the chest. Gale spat blood but laughed and threw another punch. Saber caught that punch, turned around, and elbowed Gale in the face. Gale, now maniacally, kept throwing punches. Saber was about to dash off but got hit by the punch and was slammed by the wall. The purple energy burst off Saber. Gale burst as well, and both went back and forth with their power. Saber dashed off. Gale dashed off. Both dashed here and there in purple light, as they kept dashing and clashing with each other. The area started to crack and fall. Both fell when hit by the rocks. "It looks like I have to go, but¡­ Be sure to be alive for me, buddy!" Gale said, flying off. Saber rushed towards Chloe. "Chloe! Let¡¯s get out of here," he said, picking her up. "¡­aber¡­" Chloe muttered. Both fell down. "Hey-Hey! Come on, Chloe! Chloe!!!" Saber hurried. "Listen¡­ you used everything¡­ you had¡­ now leave... only one¡­ can¡­ be out here¡­" Chloe said weakly. "The poison, right? System! Give me antidote! Now!" Saber commanded. System: The Player¡¯s current items cannot cure the illness. "No¡­ no¡­ no¡­" Saber cried. "You¡¯re¡­ wasting the¡­ time¡­ Saber¡­" Chloe said. "I don¡¯t want to be alone again," Saber cried. "You were¡­ never alone¡­ Before going¡­ answer me¡­" Chloe said. "Tell me, what?" Saber asked. "You didn¡¯t¡­ give me¡­ the answer¡­ Do you love me?..." Chloe asked. "Yes, I do love you," Saber said, smiling in tears. Chloe smiled, crying. She pulled Saber closer and kissed him. "There, you¡¯ve taken your responsibility. NOW GO!!!" Chloe pushed Saber away. Chloe coughed. The ground started to crack and explode. Saber turned back one last time. Chloe smilingly said goodbye. The ground between them exploded. The air crackled with the frantic urgency of the announcer''s voice. "Mission Abort! Mission Abort! Heavy civilian casualties reported! Rescue teams are en route!" DURATION: ONE WEEK LATER The news broadcasts painted a grim picture of the aftermath. "Dungeon raids suspended indefinitely due to catastrophic civilian casualties," a reporter somberly announced. "The town mourns the loss of its hero team, paying a devastating price." "Sir," another reporter pressed, his voice sharp with accusation, "how could this incident have occurred?" "We were told drones were deployed for surveillance and rescue," a third reporter interjected. "What happened to them?" The announcer''s voice, strained and weary, echoed through the news feed. "The drones were destroyed before they could issue a warning." "But how could such a catastrophic failure occur with professionals on site?" a reporter demanded. "Was there a lack of proper planning?" "And is it true," another reporter added, his tone accusatory, "that you failed to recover three bodies?" The announcer, his voice thick with grief, finally spoke. "Listen¡­ we have lost too much today. Do not ask us to lose hope as well. That is all." The reporters surged forward, their voices a cacophony of unanswered questions. "Sir¡­ sir¡­ sir¡­" The internet buzzed with the reporters'' accounts, the discussions a somber dirge. The townspeople, their faces etched with sorrow, gathered for the funeral. "Where is the boy who survived the collapse?" a woman whispered, her voice laced with a mixture of grief and resentment. "He could have at least shown some respect," another woman replied, her words heavy with unspoken judgment. ...But none felt more sadness than¡­ Saber laying in his bed, looking at the ceiling with dull eyes. ...The one who tried his best and still failed. 2 WEEKS LATER Saber was in an empty, abandoned hotel, searching for something. "Meow," a cat said. "Finally found you," Saber said. A knife flew towards Saber¡¯s head; he dodged it and turned back. A hand grabbed his neck. The person was covered in a robe. "Finally found you. Bastard!" the guy said.