The cool evening breeze accompanied us as we walked along the path leading to the cave entrance. Tesline walked beside me, silent for a moment, until, as usual, she decided to break it with a remark.
"If we rank up with this mission, have you thought of a name for our party?" she asked, crossing her arms, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"A name?" I repeated, looking ahead as if the idea had never crossed my mind. Of course, I had thought about it, but I wasn't sure what to suggest.
"Of course! All famous parties have cool names. Like the 'Crimson Spear' or the 'Ebony Guardians.' If we're going to be remembered, we need something impactful."
I shrugged, feigning disinterest. "I don't know, something simple would do. How about... 'Rurik's Party'?"
Tesline burst out laughing, gently punching my shoulder. "Don't be selfish! If that's the case, we could call ourselves 'Tesline's Fists.'"
"That doesn't sound bad either."
As we bantered, I took out my golden pocket watch. It was an item I'd inherited upon waking up in this world, something that, for some reason, felt important. With a twist of the crown, a faint golden glow enveloped my body, and my armor appeared before me.
"What's that?" Tesline asked, raising an eyebrow as I climbed into the armor.
"After the fight with Darius, it became clear how fragile I am compared to everyone else." My tone was neutral, but the truth weighed heavily within me.
I paused, adjusting the levers and pedals to make the armor move with heavy yet fluid steps. "Especially considering I can't increase my defense stat."
Tesline observed me for a moment before nodding. "Makes sense. Although, to be fair, it's not like you're weak. You just have to play to your strengths."
"That's why I'll use this armor more often." I smiled a little, though I wasn't sure if she noticed.
The metallic sound of the armor's steps echoed as we advanced toward the cave. As Aldwyn had told us, the main entrance was wide, but there were also several smaller exits scattered around the area.
"Well, this will be a problem if we don't handle it properly," I commented, stepping out of the armor and approaching Tesline.
She looked at me curiously. "What's on your mind?"
"A plan. Listen." I explained as I pointed to the smaller exits. "The idea is simple: we use wood and fuel to create bonfires that will fill the cave with smoke. That would force the goblins to come out through the main entrance, where we'd be waiting for them."
"And how do you plan to handle all those who come out?" she asked, crossing her arms.
I smiled, pulling out my grimoire and flipping to the page where I had been secretly practicing a spell. "I've been working on a new spell called 'Frost Trap.' It's a magical glyph I can place on the ground. It has two modes: one automatic, which activates when someone steps on the seal, and another manual, which I can trigger at will."
Tesline whistled, impressed. "That sounds useful."
"It is. It will freeze everyone who comes out, and then we'll use these." I took out small magical bombs from my bag. "I bought them in case we needed them later, but I think this situation warrants it."
"Magical bombs? That's the first I've heard of them," Tesline said with a smile, clearly excited. "That'll make things easier."
"Exactly. With this, we'll take care of most of them. After that, only a few goblins will remain, which we can handle easily. Of course, the goblin champion will be another story."
She nodded, understanding. "And your armor?"
"I'll use it to distract him. You'll handle the other goblins while I keep him busy."
"Sounds fair." Tesline gave a small punch to her palm. "Alright, let's get to work."
We split up to gather wood and fuel from the surroundings. Meanwhile, I placed the 'Frost Trap' seals strategically near the main entrance. Tesline, with her superior strength, carried the larger logs, while I fine-tuned the plan details.
"Ready?" Tesline asked, approaching with a log on her shoulder.
"Almost." I ensured everything was in place. "Now we just need to light the bonfires and wait."
We both stepped back a bit to observe the result of our preparation. The cave was surrounded by a well-designed trap, and though the plan was risky, I was confident it would work.
"So, are you still thinking about the name for our party?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood as we lit the first bonfires.
Tesline looked at me with a confident smile. "'Tesline's Fists' still sounds good."
I rolled my eyes, smiling. "Let's stick to the plan, and we'll decide later."
And with that, the smoke began seeping into the cave, marking the start of our attack.
The armor buzzed faintly as the levers and pedals inside the cabin responded to my movements. From the cave's main entrance, an unsettling murmur grew, transforming into an ear-piercing echo of grunts and quick steps. The goblins were coming out.
"Here they come!" I exclaimed, adjusting the visor controls of the armor and watching the swarm of creatures beginning to emerge from the large entrance.
Tesline, a few meters behind me, tensed up, flexing her fingers as she waited for the right moment to jump into action.
Once a significant number of goblins had exited, I nodded in her direction. "Now!"
Tesline hurled the magical bombs toward the main entrance. At the same time, I activated the frost trap I had set earlier.
The glyph on the ground glowed a frosty blue before releasing a burst of magic that encased the nearby goblins in a layer of ice.
Their movements froze entirely as the cold enveloped them. The magical bombs exploded in a flash of light and fire, obliterating a large number of them. The ground shook beneath the explosion, and the air filled with the scent of ozone and ashes.
"It works!" Tesline shouted, a smile spreading across her face as she positioned herself for the next wave.
We repeated the tactic again. More goblins emerged, their shrieks resonating in the air like an alarm. Another magical bomb, another frost trap, and another blast that significantly reduced their numbers. It was an efficient and devastating spectacle, but I knew not all of them would fall to this strategy.
Then, from the cave's darkness, an imposing figure emerged—the goblin champion.
His size was slightly smaller than my armor, with defined muscles and a commanding presence. In his hands, he held a massive club embedded with shards of obsidian, each glowing with a dangerous black glimmer.
"Here comes the big guy," I muttered tensely while adjusting the armor's levers.
The goblin champion wasted no time. He let out a guttural roar and charged at me with surprising speed, raising his weapon to deliver a crushing blow. My armor took the hit with a deafening clang but held firm. The metal plates groaned under the pressure, but they didn't give way.
"Perfect!" I murmured, taking the opportunity to maneuver the levers and execute a parry with one of the armor's hands.
The move was effective. The obsidian club collided with the armor's hand, deflecting enough to throw the goblin off balance. I seized the opening and delivered a direct blow to his ribs, followed by a strike to his head.
The goblin staggered backward, shaking his head as if trying to clear his vision. Then, with an enraged growl, he activated a bracelet on his right wrist.
A magical glyph appeared, radiating a crimson glow. I felt a chill as the remaining goblins began to scream, their eyes shining with an intense red light.
"Watch out!" I shouted to Tesline. "That bracelet is 'Beast's Vigor!'"
"And what does that mean?" she asked, dodging a strike while taking down another goblin with a precise blow to the head.
"It increases their damage and speed. Don't let your guard down!"
The goblins seemed possessed. Their movements became faster, their attacks much fiercer. Tesline stood her ground, dispatching those that tried to rush her.
One of them leaped from the side, attempting to catch her off guard, but she reacted swiftly, spinning and halting it with a kick that sent it flying backward. Wasting no time, she finished the goblin with a precise strike to the head.
Despite the situation, Tesline seemed to be enjoying herself. Her speed made her almost untouchable. She dodged poisoned daggers with grace, and each of her movements was a display of precision and strength. Then something changed.
I saw her aura intensify, a red glow enveloping her fists. Suddenly, she delivered a concentrated punch that left a trail in the shape of a red dragon. The impact was so strong that the goblin she struck was stunned, staggering for a moment before collapsing.
"That was amazing!" I shouted, recognizing the attack as 'Dragon Fist.'
She gave me a confident smile as she continued fighting.
I turned my attention back to the goblin champion just in time to dodge one of his attacks. His club swung close to my armor, but the force of the blow made me lose my balance for a moment.
Before I could fully recover, the goblin launched a counterattack that hit me squarely, sending me crashing into a nearby tree. The trunk splintered under the weight of my armor, leaving me momentarily dazed.
The goblin champion seized the opportunity to head toward Tesline.
"I'm still alive, idiot!" I growled, activating a special armor ability, 'Chain Bind.'
The armor's hand shot out from its arm, striking the goblin and forcing him to turn back toward me. The goblin barely had time to register me before I swung the tree I had just broken against him.
The impact left him reeling, and I took advantage of the moment to snatch his club. Now disarmed, the goblin was at the mercy of my blows.
I attacked repeatedly, each strike resonating like thunder in the clearing. Despite everything, the goblin tried to retreat, searching for an escape.
"Not this time!" Tesline shouted, having finished off the remaining goblins. She lunged at the goblin champion, landing a devastating punch that pushed him back several steps.
That was the opening I needed.
With a roar of effort, I delivered a final blow with the armor, connecting directly with his head. The goblin champion fell to the ground, motionless, and the glow in his eyes faded away.
Taking a moment to catch my breath, I felt the cabin of the armor hum softly, indicating its systems were functioning properly.
Tesline approached, dusting off her hands. "So, what do you think? Did we rank up or what?"
I laughed, exhausted but satisfied. "I think we did."
And with that, the mission was complete.
After the fight, the adrenaline still coursed through my body as I deactivated the armor. The metal plates opened with a hiss, releasing the accumulated heat inside the cabin. I carefully climbed out, feeling the weight of fatigue in my legs, but also a satisfaction I couldn't deny.
The goblin champion's corpse lay a few meters away, its massive body now motionless and without the aura of power that had surrounded it during the battle. My gaze fell on his right wrist, where the magical bracelet he had activated during the fight was still fastened.
"This won't go to waste." I crouched down and slid the bracelet off his arm. As soon as I held it, the object seemed to react, magically adjusting its size until it fit perfectly on my wrist. I examined it for a moment before putting it on.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Tesline asked, approaching as she extinguished one of the bonfires we had lit as part of our strategy.
"I'll find out." I opened my system, letting the magical text lines display the object's information.
[-System-]
[Bracelet of "Beast's Vigor"]
[Passive Effect: Increases physical damage by 10% and movement speed by 5%.]
[Active Skill: "Beastial Fury" – Temporarily boosts your damage, your allies' damage, and that of your minions by 25%, and increases attack speed by 15% for 30 seconds. After the effect ends, the user experiences fatigue for 1 minute. Cooldown: 15 minutes.]
"Interesting." I smiled as I closed the system. "This will come in handy."
Tesline gave me a look that mixed approval with caution. "As long as you don't end up with glowing red eyes like them, I'm fine with it."
With the bonfires extinguished, we ventured into the dungeon to confirm there were no goblins left.
The cave was larger than it appeared from the outside, with tunnels winding in various directions. We kept our weapons at the ready, advancing silently while inspecting every corner.
At the back of the cave, we discovered a small open area that seemed to have been used as a storage space by the goblins. In the center of the room rested a worn wooden chest.
"Want to open it, or should I?" Tesline asked, placing one hand on her hip while keeping the other ready for any surprises.
"I'll do it." I cautiously approached the chest, inspecting it for traps. Finding nothing suspicious, I carefully lifted the lid.
Inside, we found a decent amount of copper and silver coins—enough to cover our needs for several weeks. There were also stone weapons, rudimentary but in good condition. While not very valuable, they could be sold to a blacksmith for some extra coin.
"Not bad for a bunch of goblins," Tesline said with a smile, helping me gather the loot.
With the chest emptied and our bags filled, we returned outside, where goblin corpses were scattered across the field. It was time to collect the necessary proof to confirm we had completed the mission.
"Ready for a bit of unpleasant work?" I asked, pulling out a dagger.
"I've done worse." Tesline shrugged before getting to work.
We cut the ears off each goblin, making sure to include the champion's. It wasn't pleasant, but it was how the guild verified the subjugation of such creatures. When we finished, we had a bag full of ears that made Tesline wrinkle her nose.
"I hope they pay us well for this." I tossed her the bag, and she caught it with a look of disgust.
"At least I'm not the one carrying it," I teased as she hooked it onto her belt.
With everything ready, we returned to the guild. The journey back was quieter than expected, giving us time to reflect on what had happened. When we arrived, Aldwyn, the guild's manager, greeted us with his usual mix of curiosity and professionalism.
"Back so soon? What have you brought me?" he asked, crossing his arms as he leaned over the counter.
We placed the bag of ears on the table. Aldwyn opened it, carefully inspecting the contents as he took notes in a thick ledger.
"This confirms the mission." He pulled out a stamp and pressed it against our adventurer cards, which briefly glowed before displaying our new rank: Rank E.
"Good work." He returned the cards with a satisfied smile. "Anything else you'd like to add?"
At that moment, an idea crossed my mind. "Actually, yes. I think it's time our party had a name."
Tesline raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Do you have something in mind?"
"The Frozen Dragon Pact. Sounds strong, doesn't it?"
Tesline pondered for a moment before nodding with a smile. "I like it. It sounds intimidating."
Aldwyn chuckled softly. "Well, well, an official name for a Rank E party. Very well, I'll add it to the registry."
He pulled out another, more ornate book and wrote down our name before updating our cards. Now, beneath our names, the title "The Frozen Dragon Pact" was inscribed.
"Done. You're official now. I hope the name lives up to your deeds."
*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*
The moonlight shone brightly, making it easy to follow the dirt path ahead of us. The journey was peaceful, save for the crunch of leaves beneath our feet and the soft whistling of the wind.
Our hill, which we had transformed into a cozy home, finally came into view in the distance. There was always something comforting about seeing it after a long day.
"I never thought I'd miss this place so much in such a short time," I commented as I opened the door, letting Tesline enter first.
I left my backpack next to hers and lit a magical lamp. After ensuring everything was in order, we sat at the central table.
"Before doing anything else, I want to check something." I opened my system, letting the lines of text appear before me on a floating panel. To avoid looking suspicious, I activated my bracelet to create a distraction.
[Name: Rurik] - [Level 10]
(+ [Armor: Level 5])
-> Vitality: 15 (+15) > 30
(HP: 1845)
(Reg: 15 s)
-> Mind: 15
(MP: 395)
(Reg: 5 s)
-> Strength: 7 (+15) > 22
-> Dexterity: 5 (+12) > 17
-> Intelligence: 40
-> Defense: 0 (+30) > 30
[+5 Stat Points Available] [Can only be spent on stats without armor bonuses.]
[Skills]
-> Arcane Perception [Level 3 - Passive]
-> Jester of the Queen of Spades [Level 1 - Passive]
[Armor Skills]
-> Chain Bind [Level 2 - Activatable]
{Radius: 12m}
{Damage: 100}
{Range Damage Multiplier: 17.5%}
{Cost: 70 MP}
{Cooldown: 10s}
-> Unyielding Wall [Level 2 - Activatable]
{Additional Defense: 7}
{Dexterity Loss: 7}
{Barrier: 17.5%}
{Barrier HP: 300}
{Cost: None}
{Barrier Cooldown: 10s}
I was surprised to realize that the experience gained in battle had been directly transferred to my armor. This was something I needed to consider seriously since, if I wanted to stay at an adequate level, I'd need to be effective both with and without the armor. However, I set the matter aside for now; what really interested me was checking if I had completed a mission.
[-System-]
[Side Mission Complete: "Goblin Subjugation."]
[Reward: 10 Copper Coins.]
[Hidden Mission Complete: "Defeat the Goblin Champion."]
[Reward: 1 Gold Coin.]
I lifted my gaze and asked Tesline how her progress had been. She showed me her bracelet, revealing that she had only leveled up twice. Taking advantage of the moment, I asked for permission to review her abilities and stats.
[Name: Tesline Koizumi] - [Level 17]
-> Vitality: 17
(HP: 700)
(Recovery: 5 s)
-> Mind: 15
(Mana: 325)
(Recovery: 4.5 s)
-> Strength: 22
-> Dexterity: 22
-> Intelligence: 9
-> Defense: 18
[+7 Stat Points]
[Skills]
-> Titanium Hands. [Level 1 - Passive]
-> Quiet Impact. [Level 2 - Passive]
-> Catlike Reflexes. [Level 2 - Passive]
[Increases dodge chance by 15%.]
As we sat in front of the lamp, the warm light from the flames dancing, the conversation naturally shifted toward our stats. We were reviewing our levels and abilities when I proposed something that had been on my mind since we saw our level-ups.
"I think it's a good time to use our stat points." I put my tea cup down on the table and looked at Tesline, who was leaning back in her chair with a thoughtful expression.
She raised an eyebrow. "Have you figured out how you're going to spend them?"
"Yeah." I nodded, opening my skill system in front of me. "I'm going to spend three points on intelligence and two on mana. I need more magical capacity and better control over my spells if we're going to face stronger enemies."
Tesline leaned forward, showing interest. "That makes sense. Your magic is one of our best tools. As for me, I think I'll distribute three to strength, three to dexterity, and one to mana. I want to keep improving my speed and accuracy in combat, but also have some mana for those skills that start eating up magical energy."
I nodded, acknowledging the logic behind her choice. "That's a good combination."
She confirmed her choices, and we both felt the familiar chill as we assigned our points. It was a strange sensation, as if our bodies and minds were adjusting to accommodate the new power.
[Name: Rurik] - [Level 10]
-> Vitality: 15
(HP: 715)
(Recovery: 5.5 s)
-> Mind: 17
(Mana: 455)
(Recovery: 5 s)
-> Strength: 7
-> Dexterity: 5
-> Intelligence: 43
-> Defense: 0
[+0 Stat Points]
[Name: Tesline Koizumi] - [Level 17]
-> Vitality: 17
(HP: 700)
(Recovery: 5 s)
-> Mind: 16
(Mana: 350)
(Recovery: 4.5 s)
-> Strength: 25
-> Dexterity: 25
-> Intelligence: 9
-> Defense: 18
[+0 Stat Points]
"Well, that's done." Tesline let out a sigh of relief and looked at me. "So, what's next?"
For a moment, there was a silence between us. We both knew what topic was about to come up, but neither of us wanted to be the first to mention it. Finally, Tesline broke the silence.
"We need to talk about them, don't we?"
I didn't need to ask who she was referring to. Darius and Elaine had been a constant shadow on our minds since we returned to the guild. Darius, with his arrogance and physical strength, and Elaine, with her impeccable magical affinity, represented a challenge we couldn't ignore.
The atmosphere filled with a charged silence as Tesline fiddled with her cup, avoiding my gaze. I knew she was thinking about something important, so I stayed quiet, giving her space to speak. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked up at me, her gaze serious and somewhat nervous.
"I know the idea of facing Darius and Elaine... was mine." She paused, her voice trembling a bit at the end. "But getting you involved, I didn't think about how it would affect you."
I stayed silent as she continued, her tone growing firmer.
"I'm sorry, Rurik. I know this could complicate things, but..." She paused, and to my surprise, she flashed a small smile. "I'm glad you're on my team. If there's anyone I want to face this challenge with, it's you."
Her words were sincere, full of emotion, and for a moment, I was speechless. But before I could respond, she added something else.
"And that's why I need to ask you something. Don't hold back. I know how you are, how you analyze everything and find solutions no one else sees. I want you to use all of that and create a plan so effective that not only will we win, but we'll do it quickly."
I blinked, processing everything she had just said. My mind began to race, considering possibilities, strategies, and resources. And then, without realizing it, a smile started forming on my face. Not just any smile, but one of those Tesline would call "devilish."
"Now we're speaking my language." My words came out with a mix of excitement and determination. I stood up from my chair, stretching a bit before looking directly at her. "If you want a plan that works, let's not waste time. We need to get to work."
Tesline raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by my change in attitude.
"Do you have something in mind already?" she asked, crossing her arms as she watched me with interest.
"Oh, I have plenty of ideas." I smiled even wider, starting to pace back and forth.