The following day marked the beginning of the mission. Alaric and Elyas were already packed and ready to go. Brody, the last to prepare, finally joined them and said firmly, "Let's get moving to Jeju Island." Just as the trio was about to leave, Yami, the vice-captain of their guild, suddenly appeared and called out, "Wait!"
All three turned around, startled. Their surprised expressions quickly turned into excitement, though none of them had a clue why Yami to join them. It was unusual for the vice-captain to participate in missions, and their curiosity grew. Before they could ask, Yami gave a sly smile, leaving them guessing
Just then, Claire, another guild member, rushed over. "Can I come too?" she asked eagerly. However, Elyas immediately shook his head. "Claire, it's too dangerous," he explained. "This mission involves facing a beast, one that's unlike anything we've dealt with before. We can't risk you getting hurt."
But after Alaric heard it, he disagreed and immediately took Claire's hands. Elyas said, 'Hey, that's dangerous! You can't just pick her up!' Alaric replied, 'I am the one who will protect her. Besides, she's the healer, and she's the one who helps us during our mission.' Elyas had no choice but to agree. The vice captain smiled and agreed as well.
After that, Claire smiled and said, 'I won't be in your way. I'll do my best.' Alaric smiled in response, while Brody ignored her. Then, they left for the guild.
After they finally arrived on Jeju Island, the vice-captain, Yami, took the lead. "Be careful," he
warned. "The surroundings look dangerous. One wrong move could put our lives at risk." The group nodded, understanding the gravity of his words.
As they carefully walked through the dense forest, a sudden noise from behind made them stop in
their tracks. Out of nowhere, a beast appeared, charging toward them. Brody killed the beast with lightning speed, swiftly cutting off its head in one motion. "Don't be slow!" he said to Claire.
Claire quickly apologized, embarrassed by her slow reaction. However, Alaric, frustrated, turned to her and grabbed her hand. "Stay behind me," he said firmly. "I'll protect you." His voice was stern, but Claire could hear the concern in his tone.
After that, the beasts appeared one by one. The group reacted immediately, using their magic to fight back. Yami used his frozen magic called Frostflare, which froze the beasts and made them explode into icy shards. Alaric followed with his attack called Doom's Cascade, which unleashed a powerful wave of destruction on the beasts. Brody joined in, using his lightning magic to strike the creatures. Elyas stepped forward with his sword, slashing at enemies even from a long distance. He then followed up with his Flareball, a burst of fiery energy.
Claire watched in amazement. She said to herself, "They're so strong!"
Suddenly, one of the beasts jumped quickly toward Claire. Before it could reach her, Alaric stepped in and killed it with a swift attack.
Claire sighed in relief and thanked Alaric. He smiled at her in response.
Yami led the team and said firmly, "Move forward." Behind him, Alaric, Elyas, Claire, and Brody followed in formation. Brody, being cautious, kept glancing back to make sure nothing was sneaking up on them. They moved quickly but carefully, their goal clear to find Balarok.
As they advanced, they barely had time to react when Balarok suddenly appeared, sitting casually on a tree branch above them. "It's been a while," he said with a sly smile, his voice dripping with mockery.
Yami's expression darkened at the sight of him. Anger flared in his eyes as he raised his hand and cast a powerful spell toward Balarok. However, Balarok was quick and agile. He dodged the attack effortlessly, landing gracefully on the ground.
"You're as bad as ever, Yami," Balarok said with a smug grin. His taunting words only fueled Yami's fury.
"ill come back to kill you," Yami snarled, his voice full of determination.
The tension in the air was thick as the team stood ready, their eyes fixed on Balarok. The encounter had only just begun, but it was clear that their mission was far from over.
After that, Alaric quickly jumped forward, hoping to show Balarok the strength of his power. However, Balarok was faster. With a single swipe of his hand, he sliced Alaric's attack in half, leaving Alaric shocked. Before he could react, Balarok launched his own attack. He kicked Alaric hard, sending him flying backward. Alaric barely managed to brace himself before crashing into a tree.
Elyas watched in worry, his eyes filled with concern for his teammate. Claire and Brody also noticed how easily Balarok had overpowered them. Brody, feeling unsure, whispered to himself, "They're not as strong as Master said."
But Brody quickly shook off the doubt. Determined, he followed up with his own attack, summoning lightning from the sky. He aimed it directly at Balarok. Balarok, however, blocked it effortlessly with his arm. "You're quick, kid," he said with a grin, before countering. With a swift punch, he knocked Brody backward, sending him flying through the air.
Yami, watching the battle unfold, shouted, "Don't just charge in! He's strong. Don't underestimate him!" His words were a warning to the others, as the fight was far from over.
After that, Balarok immediately unleashed his power. A dark wave of energy struck Claire, knocking her unconscious. She collapsed to the ground, her body limp.
Elyas rushed to her side, panic in his eyes. He carefully lifted her into his arms and held her close, his hand resting on her thigh for support. He had no idea what had just happened. Why had Claire passed out so suddenly?
Yami, watching from a distance, spoke calmly, though his voice carried a warning. "It's because of Balarok's presence. His power is so overwhelming that it can knock people out, just like it did to Claire."
Elyas was still confused, but he could see the truth in Yami's words. The situation was more dangerous than he had realized.