Ben, Luca, Eddie, and Lena were now living in their Group house for two weeks, and a lot had happened in those two weeks. The first thing was that they got many applications for new players, right after word spread about their new group. To the surprise of many players, they denied everyone they said that there would only be one more player coming to their group, and they have already decided who that is.
The second thing was that a few strong players, of the more prominent groups, came by and warned them. Some were nice and some were not so nice, but it didn't matter to them because they don't have any plans to meddle in the business of the big groups. They just want to clear the levels and meet Anton again.
"Hey guys let's go to the 5th level"
"Ben we need to wait one or two more days"
"Luca you said the same thing two days ago"
"Ben come one just wait for a little bit more, we need time till Eddie catches up"
Ben and Luca both looked at Lena, she was right they should wait till Eddie is back. Eddie got a message from someone important and wanted to go there very quickly. He apologized many times to them for leaving in such a hard time, but the others just told him to go and that they will wait for him. In the meantime, Luca visited his girlfriend and Ben and Lena made a tour through the city and looked for players they knew.
To Ben's luck, he found his parents who were doing well under the circumstances. Lena who only had her father since birth, sadly couldn't find him. But she wasn't the only one, many players didn't find their parents and the other way around. Since Eddie took so long, and the three of them had done all their duties they went back to training.
They were fighting and cultivating in their garden, the garden was double the size of the house and already had training tools installed, like a big obsidian stone or pull-up bars. The rest of the park was just grass and Ben and Luca fought there very often, Lena mainly cultivated and healed the wounds of Ben and Luca. But sometimes, she joins them and they have an equal fight.
"Hah, I have gotten better"
"I can see that Ben, but there is still a little bit missing to be on my level"
Ben and Lena were fighting today because Luca decided to cultivate. Ben had acquired a skill that is called 'Body strengthening' with that skill he can withstand the strong fist attacks from Lena.
Not only Ben acquired a new skill, but Lena and Luca did also acquired a new skills. Lena got the skill 'Twenty Fists' even though she is a sword fighter, and Luca got the skill 'Water jumps' it was similar to 'Wind Jumps' but the skill could only be used on water.
Now back to the fight between Lena and Ben. Ben was holding a wooden sword, he engulfed it in his golden aura and strengthened it. Lena who was fighting with her fists until now also took out a wooden sword, her sword was slowly surrounded by little wind blades and clashed with Ben's sword.
Luca was watching their fight, he had stopped cultivating just a minute ago. He was satisfied with his progress. He had expanded his mythic power reserves and his body felt now lighter. Since he had worked hard till now, he thought a little break won't do much and watched Ben and Lena fighting while sitting in a comfortable chair.
The fight between Ben and Lena got fiercer and fiercer, their swords clashed and sparks could be seen. Then Ben tripped and fell to the ground, Lena used this chance immediately and swung her sword at Ben's neck. The latter used a skill and wings grew on his back, and he evaded the deathly slash.
Luca and Lena were a bit astonished by Ben, they thought he could only use that skill when he was put in danger.
"Ah, guys this isn't the same skill"
After hearing that Lena could summon her thoughts back to the fight but it was already too late and Ben's sword landed on her face.
Lena was unconscious for twenty minutes and Luca was yelling at Ben, it was a real fight, yes but they made some rules. One of these rules was, that it was forbidden to strike so hard that someone passes out.
Right about the time Lena woke up again someone else returned to them, it was Eddie. He saw the bruise on Lena's face and saw Ben holding a sword, Eddie put one and one together and just shook his head in disappointment. He had only left the house for four days, but they made it into a dojo, now he knew why Anton gave him the role of team leader, he was the only one who wasn't childish.
After they talked about what they did in the last few days, they went to the kitchen and started to make dinner. It was already dark outside when Eddie and Lena sat at the fireplaces in the house.
"So what happened Eddie?"
"Huh, do you want to now?"
"Yes, of course, I, Ben and Luca want to know it, you are an important member of our group."
Eddie sighed and began to speak to Lena.
"So I only have one brother left in this world and even back on earth, he was my only family. On the day I went away I got a letter from his wife, that I should quickly come to their house on the first level."
Eddie made a pause and a small tear flowed down his cheek, he quickly wiped it away and continued speaking.
"When I got to their house, I knew what had happened for some reason. I knew that my brother must have given his life to protect someone else, he was a person like that"
Eddie then spoke about how he saw his brother lying on the bed, his brother was about to die any minute and as Eddie entered the door a gentle smile appeared on his brother's face. He hugged his brother carefully and saw the big scar on his body, it was a scar so big only an extreme monster could have done that.
While listing to Eddie, Lena got the feeling that he had lived a very lonesome life till now, she felt somewhat closer to him now after knowing, that both of them had some resemblances. When Eddie finished his story, Lena hugged him, she felt that if she didn't do that, Eddie would disappear from them again.
On the next morning, only three players were sitting at the table, and Eddie wasn't there. But that was no surprise, he had gone to buy bread and milk. After Eddie returned all of the ate together and then went to the gate of the fifth level.
"Ohh, finally"
Ben was sighing in relive when he saw the gate. He waited a whole week for this moment.
"Are you satisfied now?"
Luca asked Ben that, but he didn't get an answer. Ben just looked at the portal and his eyes sparkled. Lena and Eddie had a small laugh about how cute Ben looked, he looked exactly like a little kid opening up his Birthday presents.
Before going through the Gate Eddie had something to say.
"So in that gate, you won't make any fun or silly things and concentrate on passing the level. You know that this is a small boss level don't you?"
They all answered in sync.
"Yes, we know boss."
And just like that, they went through the gate to the fifth level, a boss level. The boss was still unknown since no one had beaten it or returned alive from fighting it. But that didn't scare them, because they just thought that it can't be that bad. But surprise it was bad for them, except for one of them.
"Hey shit why is this a water level with giant sea monsters."
"Hah, Ben don't tell me you are afraid of them."
Luca mocked Ben but then he got a glare from Eddie and he stopped. They were still standing at the starting checkpoint, an island. There were many smaller islands in the water but small and giant sea monsters were swimming around them.
"Ok guys let's make a plan."
Luca called them together and they sat down. Luca picked up a branch of a tree and started to draw the landscape that could be seen before them. He drew the small islands, the sea monsters and at the end, the big island with the volcano.
"So what you guys do is fight against the sea monsters and go forward from island to island together."
"And what do you do Luca?"
"Oh, I? While you distract the sea monsters I will try to run over the water as fast as I can. And see if there is anything that could help us on the last island."
The other three scoffed a little bit at his plan, but they followed Luca's plan nonetheless.
Ben, Eddie and Lena followed the other players and jumped to the first small island, which was still easy, but the second island was thirty meters away and jumping was impossible. Swimming was not an option too because these monsters would eat you and running on the back of the sea monsters like other players, wasn't the best idea either.
But luckily, there was someone who had an idea, it was Ben.
"Now hold on tight guys I will fly us over there."
Without saying anything more Ben grabbed them both, and wings grew on his back. Eddie who had seen this for the first time was astonished, and the other players standing on the island were looking at them landing safely on the other island with shocked eyes.
"Ben, that was a brilliant plan, but how do we get to the next island? Can you fly us again?"
"No, the distance is too far this time. Thirty meters was already a hard distance."
Now the three of them were standing there alone, Luca was still standing on the starter island and looking at them. At his look, the three of them fired attacks at the nearby sea monsters. If it weren't for the protective barrier around the small island the three of them would have been dead.
"Shit, we are here fighting for our lives and he is still standing there"
But when Ben looked to the starter island, he couldn't see Luca. That was because Lucajumped onto the water and started running the second they distracted the sea monsters.
Luca had already passed the first, second, third, fourth and even fifth safety island, but had to stop immediately when he passed the fifth island. A tail of a giant sea monster came flying in his direction and he quickly turned around and started running to the island.
5 meters
4 meters
3 meters
2 meters
Jump.
Even though he sprinted as hard as he could, the tail still hit him and broke a few of his rips. But to his luck, he landed safely on the island. He sat himself up and pulled out a healing potion, when he finished drinking he looked to the front to see how much of a distance was still left. He was a little bit shocked by the distance, he would say it was around 1 km and there were only five islands.
While Luca had managed to get to the fifth island, the others barely managed to get to the third island. When they looked around them, they could see Luca sitting two islands away from them, and Eddie screamed to Luca.
"Luca, wait there. We will get to you, I think it is easier to fight them as a team."
Luca looked back and nodded to them.