The instructors stood firm at the mountain pass, their worn weapons raised and faces set with grim determination. Their job was simple but deadly: hold the line long enough for the cadets to escape into the jagged safety of the mountains. Grade B rank hunters, they weren’t the most elite, but they had to hold their own against a Rank A enemy or risk everything. Yet the thought of the ogres charging all at once sent a chill down Kael Vi-rel’s spine. Even the best might fall here.
"I’m helping the instructors!" Damon Reid shouted, clenching his fists. "The righteous Damon Reid doesn’t stand still when people need him."
Elric Vales gave a small nod but kept his tone cautious. "I’ll help too... but if it gets too dangerous, I’m pulling back."
Lucian Crowe, never one to shy from competition, followed quickly. "Count me in."
The three of them stepped forward to join the fight.
Kael cleared his throat. "I’m joining as well."
Damon eyed Kael skeptically. "Just you? Are you sure that’s enough?"
Selene Whitmore, standing slightly behind them with arms crossed, sneered. "You’re crazy. I’m an assassin, not a tank. Don’t expect much from me fighting these big monsters."
Kael wondered briefly why Selene was even joining the fight. Did she not care about the danger? Or had the story twisted beyond what he had expected? But the questions wouldn’t wait.
"Hey! Hay! Summon the drone," Kael called out.
"Yes, Master!" came the quick reply, and the drone’s quiet hum buzzed into the air above them.
Elric glanced at the drone with raised eyebrows. "You want to film this?"
Damon laughed. "Yeah! Why not? This is going to be epic."
Damon dashed forward with incredible speed. "I’ll go first!"
"Kael, Selene, pole him with daggers!" Elric ordered.
"What? Am I being filmed too?" Selene muttered, half-annoyed.
"You’ll get your face blurred," Kael assured, trying to lighten the mood.
Damon’s fist slammed into an orc’s jaw, sending it crashing to the ground. The beast snarled but struggled to rise.
Elric unleashed a gravity skill, pinning another orc under an invisible crushing force.
Selene moved like a ghost, slicing through the legs of a third orc, dropping it to the ground.
Lucian shouted, "Double casting, ice spear!" Two spears of ice shot out and pierced the chest of the pinned orc.
The orc gurgled, then lay still.
More orcs charged. Damon punched one down, but it staggered up again, furious and relentless.
Suddenly, a spear of flame flew from behind, piercing an orc’s skull and killing it outright.
All eyes turned toward the caster.
Kael exhaled slowly, feeling his magic begin to drain. "I know my casting is fast stop staring."
Lucian muttered, Double casting is my limit, but Kael’s casting speed is ridiculous.
Elric frowned. "Kael, you’re pushing yourself too hard."
Kael avoided their eyes and stayed focused.
The orcs kept coming, relentless and furious.
His magic reserves were nearly depleted. If he didn’t find a way to boost his stamina, they’d be overwhelmed.
Then, a soft chime sounded in his ear.
Ding! Purchase complete. You have used 200 game points to purchase a random skill cube.
Kael’s eyes widened. "A skill cube... Maybe this will be the edge we need."
Without hesitation, he took the glowing cube from his pocket and pressed it in his palm.
A burst of light enveloped him, warm and humming with raw power.
He activated the skill cube.
The air around Kael shimmered with energy, but what the skill was, no one could yet tell.
The battle raged on but for now, Kael’s fate, and the power he’d gained, remained a mystery.