Cruzer nodded, grateful for Tessa's support. He took a deep breath, steadying himself. The night was still thick with tension, but now it was mixed with determination. Deep down, he knew this day would surely come, a day when he had to end the life of a human like him.
In this world where power reigned supreme, it would be naive of him to think that he could get away without getting his hands soaked with blood. He closed his eyes, put his hands over his heart, feeling his heartbeat, each beat calming his nerves. After a few moments, he opened his eyes, a newfound resolve shining in them.
Around him, the other members of Team C were also struggling with their emotions. Many were shaking, their faces pale as they processed the reality of what they had just witnessed. The sight of people dying, the blood, the screams—it was a harsh initiation into the life of an adventurer.
Reinhardt observed the scene, his expression unreadable. He knew this was a necessary step in their journey, but it didn't make it any easier to watch. He stepped forward, addressing the group once more.
"Listen up, everyone," Reinhardt called out, his voice steady and strong. "What you felt back there, the fear, the nausea, the horror—that's part of what it means to be an adventurer. But you faced it, and you're still standing. That means you have the strength to overcome it."
He paused, letting his words sink in. "Remember this moment. Remember what it felt like to face death and survive. Use it to fuel your resolve, to make you stronger. Because out there, it's not going to get easier. The battles will be tougher, the enemies more ruthless. But if you can face this, you can face anything."
Cruzer nodded at Reinhardt's words, feeling a lot better. Reinhardt then announced that they would now be joining the fray, and if anyone felt they were not up for it, they could stand back. Besides one boy, everyone decided to head towards the battle.
As they moved toward the battlefield, Cruzer's mind sharpened with focus. His senses heightened, every sound and movement becoming clearer. He gripped his sword tightly, feeling its familiar weight in his hand, and prepared for the confrontation ahead.
The clash of weapons and the roar of spells filled the air as they reached the edge of the combat zone. The bandits, initially caught off guard, were now regrouping and fighting back fiercely. Cruzer's eyes darted across the battlefield, taking in the chaotic scene.
To his right, he saw a burly bandit charging at him with a massive axe. Cruzer stepped forward, his sword at the ready. As the bandit swung his axe downward, Cruzer sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the strike, and countered with a swift slash to the bandit's side. The bandit howled in pain, stumbling backward.
"Fireball!" a voice shouted from behind Cruzer. He turned just in time to see Tessa casting a spell, a blazing sphere of fire forming in her hands before she hurled it toward a group of bandits. The fireball exploded upon impact, engulfing them in flames. Their screams echoed through the night as they were consumed by the inferno.
Cruzer felt a surge of adrenaline. He couldn't afford to lose focus. He scanned the battlefield for his next target. Another bandit, wielding a spear, rushed at him. Cruzer parried the spear thrust with his sword, deflecting the attack and creating an opening. He lunged forward, driving his sword into the bandit's chest. The bandit gasped, his eyes wide with shock, before collapsing to the ground.
Ding! Killed a bandit. Obtained exp x122, bandit's boot.
Cruzer felt something inside him break as he took his first life. The vivid imagery of the bandit's lifeless eyes as he fell to the ground was etched onto his mind. He felt the need to vomit once again. As he was about to kneel to vomit, he felt a life-threatening danger from behind and instinctively put up a Mudwall. The Mudwall couldn't withstand the excess energy and broke down, fulfilling its job of protecting him.
The bandit who had attacked him was surprised at the quick thinking of the young boy in front of him. As he was preparing to attack again, a sudden sword thrust arrived right in front of his face. He grinned, dodging the strike easily, finding the young boy in front of him full of openings.
Just as he was about to swing down his sword, he felt a tingling sensation on his cheeks. The area around where he had dodged the sword then turned into a full burst of lightning, giving him a huge shock and burning his internal organs. With a puff of black smoke from his mouth, he fell down dead.
Ding! Killed a bandit. Obtained exp x122, bandit's sword.
Ding! Learned a new skill, Thunder Strike.
Thunder Strike: Channel the power of lightning through your weapon and strike at your opponent with a release. (Can be used in two ways: coat the weapon with lightning to create a lightning blade or release the lightning.)
The young boy in front of the now dead bandit was Cruzer, who had his eyes turned red as he had taken yet another life. His instincts had led him to create a new skill to counter the strong opponent. His breathing became ragged, and the metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils. The thrill of combat and the weight of his actions mixed within him, creating a whirlwind of emotions.
As he was catching his breath, the battle was heating up between the adventurers and the bandits. Cruzer searched around him, looking for next opponent. As he was searching around for his opponent, he saw a towering bandit with tattoo all over his face, slice off the head of one of the adventurers.
He then split the body of the adventurer into two and started laughing like a maniac. While the tattoed bandit was laughing around, he felt a strong gaze and when he turned around, he saw Cruzer looking at him with his bloodhsot eyes and ragged breathing.
The tattoed bandit grinned and charged directly at Cruzer arriving instantly infront of him with his heavy sword swinging right above Cruzer's head wanting to split him in half.