Written all over their faces was a mix of fear and confusion. Despite their alertness and preparedness for whatever might happen, there was still a lingering desire to just run away. They could feel their hearts pounding strongly, as well as the scent of the true nature of the woods, as their focus reached its peak. Their attention at the moment was on the looming threat, no matter the emotions they were feeling.
Painted on Leonard's face was seriousness. He couldn't let his party falter, as this was his first time. Protecting them was his priority at this moment.
But he hadn't thought that they were thinking the same as him. Their weapons were raised, jaws clenched as they faced their enemies.
"Everyone, raise your weapons. We will fight. We can't let Zeus do all the work."
Leonard was surprised by the leadership Brian showed. His dependable presence was palpable as he commanded his party to prepare their attacks.
One golem threw a rock, and Fred stepped forward, raising his shield to bash it away from the party. He did the same with another incoming rock from a different direction, moving with precision and deep concentration.
'How did this party fail to kill that Supreme Chanak?' Leonard thought, amazed as he watched the chemistry of the party unfold.
Yuna took an arrow from her quiver and loaded her bow. She released it, aiming at one golem's eye from her position just behind Leonard and Fred.
Brian sprinted alongside, passing through the woods as he confronted the golem Yuna targeted. He then sliced its neck but failed, retreating behind Fred's back as another rock flew toward them.
'I can't even do anything. They're basically protecting me,' Leonard hissed inwardly as he watched the scene, becoming more aware that he was weak.
Zeus had already taken down almost seven of the golems, and more were coming. The rest of the party succeeded in taking down one, leaving Leonard questioning what he was doing anyway.
Yuna, who had been observing what Leonard would do, noticed him in deep concentration in one direction. As she looked at it, her eyes widened, noticing a silhouette of a human.
As she pointed it out, Zeus nodded, with Leonard surprised by his quick movement. As Zeus released electric bolts from his fingers, each directed at the golems ahead, the threat of the golems disappeared instantly.
Dust in the air covered the area like a cloud just above the woods. With Zeus dashing toward the direction of the silhouette, he could see clearly the appearance of the human.
Covered in a black cloak, with a wand and a bag slung over his back, Zeus pondered this person's identity. As he tried to reach him, an invisible force field protected the figure, causing Zeus to bump into it with strong impact.
Zeus paused, feeling the hit of the invisible protective barrier around the hooded person. As his eyes darted ahead, the hooded figure disappeared. His brows furrowed as he searched for the mysterious person.
Meanwhile, the party caught their breaths. The fight against the golems had been tough, leaving their energy nearly depleted. Noticing this, Leonard finally realized that despite their good chemistry, they were still human and could only push their energy so far in a short timeframe.
Unlike Zeus, who could fight for extended periods, the party couldn't sustain the same effort.
"You found the person behind this!" Yuna commended with a wide smile, hesitantly tapping his back.
Surprised, Leonard scratched the back of his head. He had been aiming to do it, but it was Yuna who had spotted the person.
"It was you. Your keen and sharp eyes saved us. Now, Zeus is on his way to capture that person." Even though he was calm, Leonard was carefully watching his magic points. He had summoned Zeus for a long time, and the toll on his magic wasn't cheap.
[Magic: 4950/6000]
Even though it was still high compared to normal usage, the enemy wasn't a simple person. There could be tricks, and Zeus would have to use his power more than before. The intensity wouldn't be the same as fighting chanaks inside the tower.
Those golems showed complicated summoning methods, being powerful enough to make Zeus feel the impact of his punch. Furthermore, summoning that many golems wasn't easy for any normal summoner, suggesting the possibility that their opponent was a high-ranking summoner.
"No, it was you, Leonard."
Leonard didn't argue with what Yuna wanted to believe. They all remained on guard for anything that could happen, despite the disappearance of the golems.
"Zeus is really powerful, isn't he? His rank must be high. He's physically strong and has magic," Brian commented as he looked ahead, where Zeus had disappeared.
Even with the conversation, the party wasn't entirely calm. They kept their composure, but their focus remained spread across their surroundings.
Leonard nodded. "I feel too weak next to him. He does all the work."
"Even so, you have incredible senses. You easily pinpointed those monsters earlier. What do you call them?" Fred asked.
"Golems," Leonard replied.
Everyone nodded, pronouncing the name of the creature they had fought.
Silently, Liam admired Leonard—not just for his sharp senses, but also for his ability to have Zeus as his butler. Not only that, Leonard had maintained his composure since the beginning, without a hint of fear in his eyes.
At the same time, Yuna was looking at Leonard with concern. 'He's too humble. I'm afraid people will take advantage of him because of his personality.'
"I know this isn't the right time for a conversation, but is it possible to know how Zeus works for you? Are you a rich young man?" Jane asked with pure curiosity, causing Leonard to accidentally bite his lip in surprise.
'Shit... They're asking about him. I need to divert their attention.'
"Wait... I sense something," Leonard mumbled, and everyone immediately followed his alert, raising their weapons once more.
Inwardly, Leonard smiled at their reaction. They believed him instantly, which proved their respect for him.
"Just jo—"
Before he could retract his statement, everyone's eyes widened as a figure, covered in a black cloak with a hood and a man's build, appeared right behind Leonard. He couldn't understand why they reacted like that, but his instincts told him that danger had just appeared behind him.
Before he could even react, the man grabbed his arm, and Leonard's consciousness faded, along with the others'.
"It was you, kid, who stole my Black Box."