A few days had passed since they helped the group of beginners and solidified the trio's formation. Ethan, Elenya, and Jay walked along a road illuminated by mana crystals, talking about training routes and priorities for the next day.
Jay adjusted the shield strapped to his arm as he spoke.
"You two have talent. If we stick together, we can grow fast."
Elenya raised an eyebrow.
"You're not exactly falling behind either, golden tank."
Jay chuckled softly.
Ethan, however, was listening to the forest.
"Hey… did you hear that?"
Moments later, a figure burst from the trail — a tall man with a well-defined build, wearing simple but well-maintained armor. He wielded a large sword and was fighting a stone golem alone.
He moved with methodical precision, almost military.
There was no panic in his movements. Only calculation.
Each deflected strike sent sparks flying from the golem's rocky body.
Ethan murmured,
"He's not an ordinary player…"
The golem raised its arm.
A colossal stone fist formed.
The blow came down with crushing force.
The man tried to roll away — but he wasn't fast enough.
"Sh—!"
A golden shield slammed into place in front of him.
Jay.
The impact exploded like thunder.
The shield vibrated, golden light cracking for a brief instant as Jay was dragged several meters backward, carving deep grooves into the ground.
Still, he didn't fall.
He lowered his center of gravity, planted his legs, and held firm.
"Hah…" Jay breathed heavily. "That thing hits hard…"
"Jay, careful!" Elenya shouted.
The golem raised its other arm, now aiming again at the warrior.
The man stood immediately, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Get out of the way! It'll crush you this time!"
Jay smiled.
"Relax. That's what tanks are for."
The golem charged.
Ethan lifted his staff, thinking fast.
A fireball won't stop this… I need something stronger.
He stepped back, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, recalling Elenya's lessons about mana flow.
He focused.
Mana burned inside him like molten magma.
A circle of flames formed beneath his feet — more intense than anything he had summoned before.
"Flare Surge…" he whispered.
The flames compressed into the staff, growing dense and vibrant until the air itself began to tremble.
The golem raised its arm to crush Jay, but—
"NOW!" Ethan shouted.
The explosion didn't come as a sphere.
It came as a wave.
A tsunami of condensed fire slammed into the golem's chest with brutal force.
The stone heated instantly, glowing red-hot.
Cracks spread.
Moss burned away.
Green mana pulsed wildly, unstable.
The golem roared and staggered.
Jay, still holding firm behind his shield, saw the opening.
"Perfect opening, Ethan!"
The golem turned to attack Ethan.
It raised its massive arm—
"NOT TODAY!" Jay roared.
He charged forward, wedging his shield between the golem's arm and his own body, locking his feet into the ground and stopping the blow before it could reach Ethan.
"Go, Marcus! NOW!"
The warrior didn't hesitate.
He sprinted up the golem's arm while Jay held it immobilized, using the cracks opened by Ethan's attack as footholds. His movements were precise, trained.
He reached the creature's chest.
The green core pulsed within a fractured cavity.
Marcus raised his sword with both hands.
"Sleep, you damn rock."
The strike fell with full force.
The core split cleanly in two.
The light went out.
The golem collapsed like a crumbling wall and dissolved into shimmering dust.
Silence.
Mana particles drifted slowly through the air, like glowing snow.
Marcus jumped down and exhaled.
"…You showed up just in time."
Jay planted his shield on the ground and laughed.
"I'd say you were doing fine… right up until you almost turned into paste."
Marcus rolled his eyes.
"Yeah. Not my finest moment."
Ethan lowered his staff.
"You fight really well. But why alone?"
Marcus studied them as if assessing soldiers.
"Marcus. Ex-military."
"Sometimes it's better to fight alone than rely on people who slow you down."
Elenya crossed her arms.
"Maybe. But this time, we stopped you from dying."
Marcus gave a half-smile — his first genuine one.
"Can't argue with that."
Jay stepped closer and patted his shoulder.
"You've got strength. Technique. But zero self-preservation instinct."
"I think you'd fit right in with us."
Ethan stepped forward.
"We're forming a group.
Jay holds the front line.
Elenya covers the rear.
I control the battlefield."
He looked Marcus in the eye.
"And you'd be our heavy physical damage."
Marcus stayed silent for a few seconds.
Then he sheathed his sword.
"Alright."
"I'm in."
"But if someone screws up… I walk away."
Ethan smiled.
"Fair. But as long as you fight with us… you won't have to retreat."
A blue panel appeared in the air.
[Invitation sent to: Marcus]
[Marcus accepted the invitation]
[Party updated]
The icons aligned.
ETHAN — Mage
• ELENYA — Archer
• JAY — Tank
• MARCUS — Warrior
Jay spun the shield on his arm.
"Now this… this is starting to look like a real team."
Marcus glanced toward the forest.
"Let's move. The noise from that fight will attract something worse."
And so…
The second warrior joined the group.
Not out of trust.
Not out of friendship.
But because, in that moment…
It was the only way to survive.
End of the chapter.
Thank you for reading.
See you tomorrow.