"Rage, help me push this door open," Ethan stated as he placed the sword he held into his inventory, laying both hands on the left side of the palace door with a stance that suggested his intent to push.
The door leading to the interior of the palace was quite massive, yet its appearance still suggested it could be easily pushed open. However, appearances were deceiving, as it proved to be very difficult for a single person to open.
Realising his strength was insufficient, Ethan asked RageHeart for help.
RageHeart was a human who focused on strength, with enhancements from choosing the warrior class.
This was similar for Ethan, except his intelligence was heightened, becoming his highest stat.
Despite this though, the stat remained useless as Ethan hadn't been able to put it to work.
Following his conversation with RageHeart, Ethan was determined to ensure his newfound skill usage ability remained with him.
Even before choosing the warrior class, RageHeart was naturally strong, evident in his physique.
While not a bodybuilder, RageHeart possessed a physique that could impress gym instructors.
Ethan shared a similar situation, but he differed from RageHeart as his focus was on achieving fitness, driven by his martial arts training which demanded a well-conditioned physique for practice.
RageHeart surpassed him in terms of muscle, their overall appearances told different tales.
Since RageHeart lacked a weapon like Ethan's sword that needed to be placed in his inventory, he immediately joined Ethan in pushing the palace door from the other side when Ethan asked for help.
Meanwhile, Mia stood by obediently.
The more Mia watched Ethan and RageHeart taking action, the more she felt her own uselessness.
This feeling wasn't as intense when she was alone with Ethan, but with RageHeart's presence, even for the short time he had been around compared to the time she had spent walking with Ethan, Mia was coming to the realisation of just how inactive she was as a teammate, if Ethan even considered her one.
What had she thought when making that trade with Ethan?
How foolish was she to believe she had something valuable to offer him?
As she thought more about it, she began to consider that perhaps Ethan's help wasn't due to what she had given him, but rather out of pity or some other reason.
The more she dwelled on this possibility, the stronger the feeling became that it was indeed the case. Mia was disheartened by the emotions she was experiencing at this moment.
Mia was also discontent with her current situation.
While Mia was engrossed in her own thoughts, Ethan and RageHeart prepared to open the door with their combined strength.
Placing their hands on the door to push it open, RageHeart seized the moment to speak and address Ethan.
"Haven't you noticed anything strange since we arrived in this place, Aurora?" RageHeart inquired, his and Ethan's muscles bulging as they strained to push the entrance door of the palace, which was in reality much heavier than it appeared.
"Yes," Ethan replied simply, his face calm as he continued to push the palace door.
Fortunately, Ethan's initial thought that even two people might not be able to push it open had been proven false, as with great effort, both he and RageHeart were gradually creating a gap between the doors.
As the door continued to open, it emitted a harsh sound that shattered the previously silent ambiance around Ethan, making the surroundings a bit noisy.
This however, did not deter Ethan and RageHeart from continuing their discussion.
The only change was that they became more attentive to their surroundings, in case the noise caused by the palace doors attracted undead knights or any other monsters to their location.
Upon hearing Ethan's response, RageHeart's curiosity was piqued.
RageHeart wondered what it was that Ethan had noticed and whether it aligned with what he himself had observed.
"What is it you've noticed?" RageHeart asked, exhaling a foul breath as he applied more force to the palace door, working with Ethan to create a larger gap between the doors.
Ethan responded amidst his slight, rough breath caused by accumulating stress. "What I've observed about this entire castle area is that even though it's evident that other players should have entered, why haven't we encountered a single player until now?" RageHeart nodded in agreement, his expression conveying that he had been thinking along the same lines.
"Stay vigilant, Aurora," RageHeart suddenly advised, his expression serious.
While RageHeart words were indeed a warning, they were also laced with concern.
Upon hearing RageHeart's words, Ethan simply nodded.
"Same to you, Rage," Ethan stated, to which RageHeart replied with a solemn nod. Meanwhile, in the midst of all this, both Ethan and RageHeart paid little attention to Mia.
Mia was the least of their concerns, especially for RageHeart, who was occupied with the idea of teaming up with a capable player like Ethan.
Ethan shared a similar perspective, and as the others were lost in their own thoughts, Ethan and RageHeart were finally able to create a gap between the doors, allowing entry.