[System Warning!]
*PvP mode is currently disabled*
[!] You cannot attack other players [!]
A sharp vibration of the system rippled through us as a holographic red warning flared in front of all of us.
"They are the ones who started the fight!" I muttered at the system, frustration slipping into my voice.
A second later, another notification appeared, hovering above us.
[System Tip]
» Challenge a player to start PvP. Select the [▶Duel] option from their profile.
"Can we all just chill?" Efren said quickly, raising his hands. "We're not trying to fight you guys."
"Then what are you doing?" Claude muttered as he approached my side, lowering his weapon before extending a hand to help me up.
"Because you're getting greedy," Efren replied. "You didn't give us any kill."
I hesitated for a moment, then took his hand, dusting myself off as I stood.
"Slaying the Goblin Ravager is part of our quest," Freya said calmly as she stepped forward, bringing Dahlia's trident in our direction.
"You should've said that earlier," I said, exhaling slowly. "We could've helped you instead of turning this into a mess."
Freya glanced at Dahlia and handed the trident back.
Dahlia caught it with both hands, then bowed deeply. "I'm sorry," she said, her tone guilty.
The tension in the air finally loosened, replaced by an uneasy but genuine calm.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" a voice echoed from behind, sudden and sharp.
We all turned, looking toward the source.
Five people stepped onto the battlefield, moving with confidence that made them impossible to ignore.
Each carried a weapon or an aura that showed they were skilled, the kind that made you tense up and feel intimidated.
My eyes immediately focused on two of them.
The first was a tall, imposing young man with black hair, gripping an Excalibur adorned with a dragon's head impaled on its tip. He moved with a calculating, cunning gaze, his eyes sharp as blades.
You could feel his arrogance just by looking at him.
Beside him walked a young lady with attractive maroon hair. A heart-shaped bow glimmered in her hand, and she had a smirk that made it clear she loved being noticed.
The other three walked behind them, trying to keep up, but they already looked less important compared to the two in front.
"They're not here to play nice," Freya muttered under her breath, her tone a sharp warning.
The young man stopped a few steps away and slammed his Excalibur into the ground, scanning us carefully.
"Well, looks like we found some weaklings," he said, his voice deep and mocking.
The young lady laughed, tilting her head. "I thought we had killed all the weaklings earlier. I didn't expect to find a gathering of them here," she said, stepping closer, her eyes full of mischief.
"Play nice, Selene," the guy said, his voice calm but teasing. "We're not here to fight."
"My name's Draco, and with pleasure, these are my companions," he said, stepping forward. He held out his hand toward me with a confident smile.
"Malachi," I replied, taking his hand and shaking it. His grip was strong, like he expected me to match his energy.
"Well, Malachi, a little advice," he said with a grin as he shook my hand. "Make more friends fast. You never know when something bad might happen."
I raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at my lips. "I'll keep that in mind."
Draco's eyes flicked over the rest of our group. "Are these your companions too?" he asked, walking slowly past us, scanning each person carefully.
He paused for a moment, his gaze sharp as he looked us over one by one. I could feel the weight of his inspection, but it wasn't hostile, just thorough, almost like he was thinking of future opponents.
I glanced at his companions as he stopped. Their Player Status displays all showed level 15. They had leveled up fast.
"We just completed a boss quest," he said arrogantly.
"If you'll excuse us, we're still finding stronger monsters to kill. Nice meeting you all," Draco said finally, giving a small bow of his head. "I hope we see each other again sometime, maybe in the Arena. Then we can really see what you're made of."
Selene let out a soft laugh behind him, flipping her hair at us. "Don't let him scare you too much," she called over, her tone teasing.
Draco nodded toward her, then turned and walked away. His companions followed smoothly behind him.
As they disappeared over the ridge, I exhaled, looking at my companions.
"They're just showing off. A bunch of arrogant people. I wasn't intimidated by them at all," Claude said, punching his fist into the air.
"I can't wait to kick their asses someday," Efren mumbled, gritting his teeth.
I nodded, though a small part of me couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of our journey. We would face strong opponents someday.
"What do we do now?" Dahlia asked, looking at me, expecting an immediate answer.
"We help Efren and Freya with their quest, just like they helped us," I replied.
"Yeah, that's right," Efren said with a grin, patting me on the shoulder. "You should know how to treat people who just helped you."
Freya raised her eyebrow and gave him a small gesture, motioning him to stop complaining.
We walked quietly, finally enjoying a moment of peace.
As we moved along the path, I noticed something unusual.
An owl sat high on a branch of one of the trees, its eyes glowing a deep violet. It stared at us intently, unblinking, as if it had been watching us for a long time.
Then it spread its wings and flew away, leaving a trail of shimmering magical dust behind.
I didn't pay it much attention.
We continued walking, the forest around us calm and quiet, though the strange owl lingered in the back of my mind.
---
After a long day of fighting monsters, we finally finished helping Efren and Freya complete their quest.
By the time everything was done, we had leveled up to level 10, while Efren and Freya had reached level 12. The battles had been tough, but the experience clearly paid off.
We also collected a fair amount of loot from the monsters we had defeated. I carefully stored everything in my inventory, feeling a small sense of pride at how much we had accomplished.
We started walking back toward Bestia Kingdom, the sunset drifting across the sky.
By the time we reached the kingdom, Freya and Efren decided to depart from us.
I watched them go, but I was certain this wouldn't be the last time we would cross paths. There was a bond formed through the battle, one that would bring us together again.
We managed to find an inn, a cozy place with a warm hearth and comfortable rooms. It felt good to finally rest, to let our tired muscles relax after such a long day of fighting.
As we settled in for the night, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Today had been challenging, but we had grown stronger, gained valuable experience, and shared moments that would stay with us.
Tomorrow promised new adventures, but for now, it was good to simply rest and prepare for whatever lay ahead.