The Ice Wizard stood tall in the frozen cavern, his presence commanding and lethal. One by one, the players charged at him, trying to utilize their newly acquired powers, but they fell just as quickly as they approached. The Ice Wizard was ruthless, methodical, and relentless. Waves of cold energy and jagged ice attacks kept battering the players, freezing the unlucky and overwhelming the reckless.
Kira stood back, watching the massacre unfold. He had anticipated that many of the players would struggle—they were still adapting to their powers, and none of them had the experience to take on an opponent like the Ice Wizard. But even so, the sheer carnage of the scene was something to behold. Screams echoed across the frozen chamber, and the ground was littered with the fallen, some still breathing, others not so lucky.
Yet amid the chaos, something caught Kira's eye.
A group of four players had formed a makeshift alliance. They weren't charging in mindlessly like the others. They were calculating, strategic, and most importantly—they were working together.
The first member of the group, a tall man with broad shoulders, raised his hands. A translucent shield formed in front of him, shimmering like glass. Kira narrowed his eyes. The shield was large but visibly unstable, shimmering weakly at the edges. It was clear that the larger it got, the less effective it became. But then, the man focused, concentrating all his energy on one small point in the center. The shield solidified, becoming a nearly impenetrable barrier in that one spot. Interesting, Kira thought.
Next to him, a woman stood still, her eyes closed in concentration. Kira noticed the subtle way her body shifted each time the Ice Wizard attacked, dodging just before the shards of ice or freezing winds could strike her. Her power, Kira realized, allowed her to predict where she would be hit. "That's weak," he muttered to himself at first, but then reconsidered. Paired with that concentrated shield... it's not so weak anymore.
The third member of the group—a boy, perhaps the youngest among them—was clearly not as physically adept as the others. But Kira could see the boy touching the shield-wielder, a strange glow emanating from his hand. Suddenly, the man's shield grew brighter and stronger, holding off a massive ice spike that would have shattered it otherwise.
Kira's eyes widened. The boy's power allowed him to draw out the strength of another person and let it flow through someone else—but they had to make physical contact for it to work. A power like that could turn the tide of a battle if used strategically.
Finally, there was the fourth player—a girl with a look of fierce determination. She stood a few paces behind the others, forming a bow of pure light in her hands. Her arrows, also made of light, shimmered with energy, but each one she fired seemed to drain her. Her face grew pale, and her breaths labored after every shot. "She can't keep that up for long," Kira mused, but he also noted that her arrows were striking true, each one finding its mark with deadly precision.
Together, they were forming a formidable defense against the Ice Wizard. The shield-wielder blocked the incoming attacks, concentrating his power at critical moments. The woman with the predictive ability guided the group, dodging and evading when necessary. The boy kept everyone powered up, ensuring they could maintain their efforts, while the archer girl rained down light arrows, dealing real damage when the opportunity presented itself.
Kira couldn't help but smirk. They're not bad, he thought. Still, they're only holding him off for now.
The battle raged on, but the Ice Wizard's icy domain was beginning to take its toll on the players. The temperature plummeted with every second that passed, and Kira noticed the frost creeping up the legs of several players, their movements slowing as the cold seeped into their bones. Some had already succumbed, collapsing in the snow, their breath turning to ice in the freezing air. It became clear—if they didn't act soon, the terrain itself would claim them long before the Ice Wizard did.
A deep voice echoed in Kira's mind, a notification system they had all become used to by now.
"Because there were so many of you, we split you up into different groups. From your group, there are 956 players out of 1000... ERROR, make that 930."
Kira grimaced as the number dropped further. Clearly, the Ice Wizard had been more effective than even the system anticipated. Players were falling like flies.
Then, through the haze of freezing mist, Kira noticed something—a blur of fire in the distance. A boy, sprinting towards the Ice Wizard at incredible speed, his legs engulfed in flames. As the figure came closer, Kira could see that the boy's ability—Hot Wheels—allowed him to turn his legs and feet into blazing fire, giving him the speed and agility to move like a comet streaking through the icy battlefield.
The boy launched himself at the Ice Wizard, each of his fiery kicks landing with thunderous impact. Every blow sent a shockwave through the frozen ground, melting the ice in small bursts. The flames roared around his legs as he unleashed a barrage of powerful kicks—spinning, leaping, twisting in mid-air with the kind of precision that only a martial artist could pull off.
Kira's eyes widened slightly. "Those kicks... only a taekwondo black belt could land blows like that," he muttered to himself, impressed by the boy's skill and agility.
But the Ice Wizard wasn't done yet. With a wave of his frosty hand, the air around him grew colder still, the temperature plunging as jagged shards of ice shot from his fingertips. Before the boy could dodge, the Wizard's cold grip latched onto his arm, and frost began spreading rapidly up his body, turning his skin blue with every passing second.
The boy gritted his teeth, flames still licking at his feet as he struggled to free himself, but it was clear the Ice Wizard's freezing magic was too strong. The boy's movements slowed as ice formed on his limbs, threatening to encase him entirely.
"No!" Kira's thoughts screamed as he watched the scene unfold. But before the boy was completely frozen, an arrow of pure light shot through the air, piercing the Ice Wizard's shoulder. The light exploded in a flash, and for a moment, the Wizard's grip slackened.
The boy broke free, flames reigniting around his legs as he somersaulted backward, landing on the frosted ground with a gasp of relief. The girl with the light arrows stood behind him, her bow still glowing, though her face was drained of color from the effort.
They have no choice, Kira thought, his mind racing. If they don't all start working together, they'll be slaughtered—either by the Wizard or by the cold.
The tide of battle was turning. One by one, players from across the battlefield realized that going solo wasn't an option. They began forming alliances, launching coordinated attacks against the Ice Wizard. Flames, arrows, and all manner of elemental abilities bombarded the Wizard, chipping away at his icy defenses. But despite their efforts, the chilling aura surrounding him continued to freeze anyone who came too close.
Kira surveyed the scene. The players' teamwork was admirable, but it wasn't enough. They needed something more—a decisive blow to end the fight before the cold claimed them all.
Then he noticed Hajin, the boy with Hot Wheels, still recovering from his last encounter with the Wizard. A plan formed in Kira's mind. He rushed over to Hajin, who looked up at him, flames still crackling around his legs.
"We're ending this now," Kira said, his tone steady.
Hajin's eyes widened, then he nodded, understanding Kira's intent. Together, they charged toward the Ice Wizard, dodging the blasts of ice and frost emanating from the Wizard's outstretched hands. Kira spotted a sharp shard of ice jutting from the ground—a potential weapon. He scooped it up without hesitation, gripping it tightly.
"Hajin!" Kira shouted. "Boost me!"
With a fiery burst, Hajin propelled Kira forward, his legs burning as he pushed his body to the limit. The speed at which they moved was staggering—Kira became little more than a blur as Hajin's flames propelled him straight toward the Ice Wizard.
The Wizard, momentarily distracted by the barrage of attacks from other players, barely registered Kira's approach. And by the time he did, it was too late.
Kira plunged the jagged piece of ice into the Wizard's chest with all his strength. The sound of ice cracking filled the air as the shard pierced through, shattering the Wizard's icy core. For a split second, the battlefield went silent.
Then the Ice Wizard's form crumbled, falling to pieces in a cascade of glittering frost. The freezing wind died down, and the temperature began to normalize, the suffocating cold finally retreating.
A notification appeared before Kira, glowing brightly:
"Congratulations on beating the Level 5 boss. Here are your rewards: [A cloak that regulates temperature]. Congratulations, you are now an MVP candidate."
Kira blinked, processing the words. An MVP candidate? His heart raced with excitement. Not only had they defeated the boss, but he was now one of the potential leaders in this game.
He glanced back at Hajin, who gave him a grin of approval. They had done it. But as Kira looked around at the other players, he knew this was only the beginning. There were many more challenges ahead—and if the first boss was this deadly, the road to victory would be anything but easy.