Barracks. Practice Field. “What’s happening, what’s going on?!” “There’s a match going on!” “Who and who?” “The Lord’s personal troops and the newbies!” “Wow, crazy. Any leftover snacks from yesterday?! Bring it here!” …the surroundings were bustling like a marketplace. Excited mercenaries were buzzing around this place, where they had come to watch upon hearing…

Snack time had ended. While the main party members chatted amongst themselves, I lay flat on the floor, lost in my thoughts. ‘There’s about a month until the next stage.’ [STAGE 5] — Start in: 28 days Stages 5, 10, 15, 20… These stages that were multiples of 5 were a kind of boss stage….

There were none. Such sweet, sugar-coated events were nonexistent in my life. “…” Inside the men’s bath, in a private bathtub filled with pleasantly warm water. I was floating in it, fully immersed, like a dumpling in a soup. The bathhouse’s design was strikingly similar to that of the ancient Romans, something I had often…

“Tell me. Don’t hold back. Why did you save me?” “…” After a long silence in response to Lilly’s inquiry, Godhand let out a quiet sigh. “May I be frank with you?” “Of course. I won’t forgive you if you’re not honest.” “…” After hesitating for a long while, Godhand opened his mouth. “There’s no…

Godhand’s injury was more severe than I had initially thought. “The entire lower arm is crushed. It’s completely disfigured.” Silence. As she prepared for surgery, Saintess Margarita spoke quickly. “It’s way beyond the point where healing magic could be of use.” “You mean…?” “We have to amputate his arm.” The words seemed to hang heavily…

The dense smoke cleared. In the pouring rain, the flames subsided quickly. Shielding my face with my arms from the heat, I cautiously lowered my hands. A hulking mass of metal, still glowing hot, came into view. Three archers from the Shadow Squad aimed their bows, murmuring apprehensively. “Where’s the boss monster?” “Seems like… it’s…

The eyes of the Gargoyle Chieftain under my command changed, their blood-red pupils turning to blue within the confines of my control magic. One of them suddenly stopped dead in its tracks, causing its twin counterpart to halt as well, sensing something was off. A moment of silence passed. “Huh?” “What’s with them?” As Lucas…

Boom-! A hammer, swung by the Gargoyle Chieftain with Lilly in its sights, went right through Lilly’s body, as if a sword cut through water. It was Lilly’s trait, [Flame Skin]. She had evaded the physical attack by consuming MP. The Gargoyle Chieftain was taken aback for a moment, but quickly raised the other hammer…

The composition of the sub-party ‘Shadow Squad’ was extreme. Two mages. Three archers. It’s a combination that would never be attempted in the game. The formation was dangerously skewed towards firepower. Without a tanker or healer, the party would be annihilated if exposed to the enemy. However, if both of those mages were not pure…

The strategy was simple. While Lucas and Evangeline stalled for time at the frontlines, Damien and I would take care of the enemies. The overwhelming specifications of two SSR-grade knights. And Damien’s insane offensive power. That was the defensive strategy we had chosen to go with. But I didn’t solely rely on it. I considered…