Two weeks had passed since Marcus joined the group. They had gained several levels and were now actively searching for the floor boss. Late afternoon in Eden carried a beauty that was both mesmerizing and irritating.
Beautiful, because the sky was painted in copper and violet hues, sunlight piercing the colossal canopies like living stained glass.
Irritating, because the darker it grew, the more monsters crawled out of their dens.
Ethan, Elenya, Jay, and Marcus followed a narrow trail between massive roots, returning from another day of hunting.
"If we keep this pace, we should be able to try a higher-level area tomorrow," Ethan commented, mentally reviewing the group's stats.
"As long as nobody decides to shove their face into a boar again," Elenya replied dryly.
"I learned from experience," Ethan muttered. "Today, no boar even touched me."
"That's because I touched them first," Jay added, spinning his shield on his arm.
Marcus walked in silence, long sword resting on his shoulder, eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.
Then they heard it.
Something tearing through the air.
Multiple snarls at once.
And a dense, muffled explosion of mana.
Ethan stopped.
"Did you feel that?"
Elenya already had her bow in hand.
"Concentrated mana. Someone's fighting."
Jay tightened his grip on the shield.
"Then let's see if they need help."
Marcus didn't reply. He simply quickened his pace.
They ran along the trail until the trees opened into a small clearing. And there she was.
A girl clad in gleaming golden armor, contrasted by a split black dress that left her legs free for combat. Her long black hair fell like an elegant shadow over her shoulders, framing sharp, ice-blue eyes — calculating, confident, and almost irritatingly self-assured.
The crooked smile on her face made everything clear.
She knew she was strong.
She knew she was beautiful.
And she knew exactly the effect she had.
Sienna.
Around her, three spectral wolves — formed of light and smoke — advanced and retreated at her command, clashing against an entire pack of real monsters.
The ordinary wolves snarled, fangs bared.
The spectral ones responded with clean, almost elegant strikes.
"Okay…" Ethan murmured. "That's new."
"Summoner," Elenya said, adjusting her aim without firing. "And not just any summoner."
Jay watched for a few seconds.
"She's holding a lot on her own."
Marcus analyzed in silence.
The spectral wolves moved in perfect sync: one attacking from behind, another from the flank, the third blocking the frontal advance. Sienna's fingers moved as if pulling invisible strings, controlling everything.
"Sooner or later, she'll get tired," Marcus muttered. "And if one of them breaks through, it'll go straight for her."
As if the world itself had heard him, that was exactly what happened.
One of the spectral wolves was struck by a coordinated attack and shattered into blue sparks. The formation faltered for a split second. A real wolf lunged forward — too fast.
"That's enough," Marcus said, already moving.
He charged straight in, his long sword carving a clean arc.
Sienna frowned.
"Don't you dare lay a hand on m—"
Too late.
Marcus passed her in a single stride. His strike hit the wolf from the side, nearly cleaving it in half. The creature dissolved into shimmering particles.
Silence fell for a heartbeat.
Sienna narrowed her eyes.
"You just… stole my kill."
Marcus spun the blade, wiping it clean.
"I just stopped it from biting your neck."
"I was going to block," she replied instantly.
"Didn't look like it."
"That's because you don't know how to look properly."
She snapped her fingers.
"Back."
The two remaining spectral wolves retreated, forming a defensive line in front of her.
Ethan stepped closer, slightly awkward.
"We heard the noise and thought it'd be better to check."
She assessed the group quickly: the mage, the archer, the tank… and the serious soldier.
"Then congratulations," she said. "You walked right into my fight."
Jay raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture.
"Happens a lot. Usually to save someone."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Did I look like someone who needed saving?"
Marcus answered flatly.
"You look like someone who doesn't know how to ask for help."
Her eyes gleamed, amused.
"And you look like someone who doesn't know how to stay quiet."
Elenya crossed her arms.
"You coordinate your summons well. Three wolves, alternating pattern… not common on the first floor."
Sienna shrugged.
"If I'm going to do something, I do it properly. I didn't spend hours testing builds just to look like an amateur in front of an audience."
Her gaze returned to Marcus.
"Especially not to have some little soldier playing hero."
"I'm not a hero," he replied. "I just thought you needed help."
"I didn't see a damsel in distress," she said with a crooked smile. "Just an intrusive soldier."
"Just a stubborn summoner," Marcus shot back.
She laughed. A short, genuine laugh.
"Okay, soldier."
"Ex-military," he corrected.
"That explains the lack of tact and the excess muscle."
Ethan stepped in before things escalated further.
"Before you two kill each other… you fight really well. What's your name?"
She studied him for a second.
Then smiled.
"Sienna."
With a small gesture, the spectral wolves sat beside her like trained hounds.
"Summoner. Specialized in crowd control, interruption… and humiliating monsters and stubborn men."
She shot Marcus a direct look.
Ethan held back a laugh.
"Ethan. Mage."
"Elenya. Archer."
"Jay. Tank."
Sienna examined the group slowly.
"Interesting."
Ethan got straight to the point.
"We're forming a party to face the floor's Guardian. Alone, everyone hits a ceiling. Together, our chances of surviving go up."
Elenya added,
"We don't want to die standing still."
Sienna tilted her head.
"Hm… dying alone would be boring. And being trapped here without irritating anyone… even worse."
She glanced at Marcus.
"Annoying a hardheaded soldier every day sounds like an excellent pastime."
"I already regret this," he muttered.
"You'll get used to it," she replied, smiling.
Ethan opened the panel.
"So?"
The invitation appeared.
Sienna tapped it without hesitation.
"Why not?"
[Player Sienna has joined the party]
The icons aligned.
ETHAN — Archmage of Flames
• ELENYA — Archer
• JAY — Tank
• MARCUS — Warrior
• SIENNA — Summoner
Jay spun his shield.
"Now this… this is starting to look like a complete party."
Sienna tapped his shield lightly.
"I put on the show. You just make sure nobody dies."
She looked at Marcus.
"And you try not to steal my kills again."
"Shut up."
"Touchy."
As they left the clearing behind, walking together along the trail lit by the fading sun, Ethan felt something strange.
Good.
Dangerous.
Necessary.
For the first time, the group felt complete.
Chaotic. Fragile. Full of personality.
But complete.
End of the chapter.
Thank you for reading.
See you tomorrow.