I was in that familiar room of the guild, adorned with relics of precious battles, and special items they had purchased. Wan's kunai, marked with a rune that seemed to allow for teleportation. A fragment of meteorite, no doubt worth a fortune. An orb made of pure ice that shimmered in the light. A phoenix feather suspended in midair. An axe that looked like it once belonged to a minotaur. And finally, a piece of armor—the helmet forged from pure earth and gems.
I sat down in the chair in front of Reyna's desk, resting my head in my hands. Though this wasn't the first time I had met Sho, she was even more captivating than before. There was something almost otherworldly about her—like the wind itself moved with her. Her gray hair shifted subtly, even though the air was still. And her eyes, those piercing emerald eyes, seemed as if the wind had whispered everything about you into her gaze.
But it wasn't just her appearance; it was the feeling in the air. The moment Sho stepped into the room, the atmosphere changed, like a storm on the horizon that you couldn't see but could be felt. The air seemed to bend to her will, becoming both lighter and heavier all at once.
When she spoke, her voice was calm, but it carried the force of a gale behind it. She didn't need to prove her strength—it was evident in every word, every breath. There was a confidence in her presence, the kind that only comes with absolute mastery of one's power. She didn't need to raise a hand to show it; the subtle shifts in the air around her spoke louder than any display ever could.
It was intimidating in ways you wouldn't expect. It wasn't fear of what she could do—it was like standing before something far greater than yourself, some ancient, untouchable force. Like the wind itself had taken human form.
Many players wondered what made her so powerful. Though she was similar in level to them, Sho was a force beyond reach, untouchable. It made some question whether level even mattered at all.
And then there was the system—the so-called lifeline. The Game Master claimed it was the key to surviving in this world, but Sho proved otherwise. Many believed she was so powerful because she was the first confirmed player to achieve a mana rating that shattered the scale. When you channel mana into a mana crystal, it usually glows in a spectrum of colors—white, yellow, orange, and so on. But when Sho was tested, the crystal broke into 32 shards. She tried again, and again the result was the same—32 shards. The guild quickly realized that her mana rating was in the billions.
Sho's exploits became legendary, and so did her powers. Unlike other players who toyed with air javelins or basic wind spells, Sho operated on an entirely different level. She had three abilities that came to define her in combat, abilities she claimed to have developed herself, which made her even more remarkable. These became known as The Exalted Triad.
The first, Whisira's Scar, was her most powerful offensive move. Sho would slash the air with her hand, creating razor-thin blades of wind that could cut through objects—and enemies—over vast distances. As long as she could sense them in the wind, she could unleash a barrage of these nearly invisible blades. The exact range of this ability remained unknown, but there were rumors she had used it to kill enemies on floors she wasn't even on.
The second, Whisira's Convergence, allowed Sho to manipulate the density of air and oxygen in a large, undefined range. She could make the air around her enemies too thin to breathe or too dense to move, suffocating them or slowing their movements to a stop. It was an ability that turned the battlefield into her domain, where opponents struggled even to stay conscious, let alone fight.
The third and most defensive ability, Whisira's Armor, wrapped Sho in a layer of wind so fine it was invisible. This wind deflected both physical and magical attacks, and increased her speed to near-instantaneous movements. The armor could even displace kinetic energy, so on the rare occasion she was struck, the force was absorbed and dispersed into the air around her.
There were even whispers suggesting she possessed a fourth ability, but those were merely rumors.
I wondered how anyone could defeat a monster like her. Her powers covered every form of attack, making it no surprise that even the top guilds feared her and obeyed her commands without question. The strongest guilds were kept in check by the mere thought of crossing the Child of Whisira. No one dared to oppose her, because doing so meant becoming her enemy—and that was a death sentence.
I waited. Minutes turned to hours as I sat there, still thinking about Sho's overwhelming presence, when a red light suddenly enveloped the room.
Reyna's expression shifted—she looked like she had just seen a ghost. The others were not in high spirits either. They stood still for a few moments before I spoke.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice tight with concern.
She sank into the chair, letting out a sigh. "Sho thinks we're putting off the boss."
"That's true," Eli replied, crossing her arms. "She wants to progress through the tower."
"So what are we going to do?" Tenshi said with a calm voice.
Looking confident, Viri replied, "We will fight the boss and clear the tower. No more delays."
"I like that plan," Eli smiled, feeling a surge of determination. "We can't let her down. She's counting on us."
"But we need to be smart about it," Reyna interjected, leaning forward. "What's our strategy? We can't just rush in."
"Agreed. We need to assess the boss's abilities first." Viri added.
"Right, then come up with a solid plan," Reyna suggested, her confidence contagious.
Based on Crusaders plans we should be fine as long as we focus on the one with the pendant."
"If we can predict its movements, we can set up ambushes," Viri replied, excitement shining in her green eyes.
"I can provide support. If we can weaken it before the fight, we'll have a better chance," Eli said, seriousness etched on her face.
"Sounds like we all have our roles." Reyna said, nodding appreciatively at each of us. "Let's make sure we're all ready. We don't want any surprises."
"And we should be prepared for anything" I reminded everyone, my mind racing with possibilities.
"Then it's settled. We'll regroup in an hour. No more waiting," Reyna declared, her voice resolute.
"Let's show Sho we're not afraid!" Viri said, excitement building within me.
"Let's clear that tower together!" Eli exclaimed, clinging onto me.
After an hour of waiting, the others finally entered the room, each of them wearing new armor I had enchanted. Viri's armor was reinforced with sturdy plates, intricately engraved to allow swift movement in battle despite its solid protection. Reyna's armor featured layered plating, designed for maximum defense, combining elegance with the durability needed for the battlefield. Eli's armor, made of heavier, interlocking segments, offered full protection without compromising flexibility. Tenshi's armor was sleek and curved, providing enhanced defense while incorporating magical resilience—an elegant balance of beauty and strength.
Except for Sera. Sera still wore her familiar cape and mask, with her signature viridian-green clothing underneath.
Just as I took in their appearances, a red light enveloped them all. Instinctively, I prepared to warp.
CRACK