Ritu was dying. His strength was fading with every passing minute.
"Switch!"
"Seema, are you okay?!"
"I said switch! Don't worry about him! Block those trolls!"
"But the way to my left is completely blocked. Dead trolls are piled up there to stop the incoming assault. It's safe for now."
"Okay. Varsha, treat Ritu's wounds."
"And what about the trolls?"
"I'll handle them."
...
"What do you think? Will they be able to claim the boss's kill?"
"The chances are pretty high, though her attitude is the worst."
The group led by Divya stood far away on the cliff, overlooking the events transpiring below.
"Want to add some trouble?" Divya joked.
"Even though I hate to admit it, her leadership skills are top-notch. She'll handle it easily," Sneha complimented Seema.
Monika joked, "You might add trouble, but she'll give you the feeling of flying through hell."
"Anyway, let's watch their fight. We can learn something about our opponent."
...
"Hey, Sanjeet! Get hold of yourself," Ritu shouted as he recovered and engaged in battle again.
Roar!
A loud voice reverberated, and the ground trembled.
"The boss is coming! I'll handle it!" Seema shouted with all her strength and ran toward the boss, leaving a faint word to her group.
"Better finish the trolls early to assist."
A spear materialized in her hand, which she threw with all her strength. Another spear materialized, and she threw it again.
Can't let them come into the range of the trolls.
With this goal, she moved forward, leaving the limp trolls scattered on the ground.
Can't exhaust all my strength on these weak trolls.
After repeating the same process, a giant figure, 3 meters tall, appeared before her, holding a wooden hammer in its hand.
"This is going to be trouble."
This time, an enchanted version of her spear appeared in her hand. It was the same size as before, but its sharpness tripled, as though born to pierce through any beast.
She sprinted through the air.
Dong!
The spear was blocked by the wooden hammer, and the troll boss easily deflected both her and her attack.
Regaining her footing, she adjusted herself, but suddenly, a large object appeared in her view.
Her eyes widened. The next moment, she rolled on the ground, barely escaping as her previous position was decimated.
Thank God! I was quick, or...
She swallowed hard, her careless look replaced with a determined expression.
No need to waste energy on futile things. Just need to hold it off.
Getting into position, she adopted a defensive stance. As expected, the troll boss's rough attack came.
Dodging the wooden hammer, she delivered a swift cut to the troll boss's abdomen.
Her pupils widened, and her grip on the spear tightened.
Winning this battle is nearly impossible with just our group.
She had seen it—the troll boss's wound healed rapidly, indicating it had regenerative traits. A nightmare for all beginner certificate holders and other beasts.
...
"What do you think?" Divya asked. No one had expected the troll boss to have a regenerative skill, something that occurred in only one in a million cases.
"I hate to say it, but we have to collaborate before someone else takes advantage of the situation," Sneha suggested.
The leader's suggestion was enough. Monika shouted with all her strength, "Seema, need help?"
...
"Hey, Ritu! What's taking so long?"
Tackling the troll boss, Seema's strength seemed to deteriorate, and her power was taking a toll on her body.
"Hold on for some time!" a shout entered her ears.
"Varsha, your side?!"
"Sorry, I don't see any hope."
That statement was enough to drive anyone to despair, but Seema persisted. Thoughts began to swirl in her mind.
Should I use the beast?
"No! That's against the rules." She dismissed the thought before it could fully form.
Need a plan!
"Got it," she whispered under her breath.
Taking a deep, long breath, she commanded her group while tackling the beast.
A shout entered her ear. "Seema! Need help?!"
Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked toward the source of the sound.
With a faint smile, she replied, "Sorry to say, but we don't need help."
...
"Isn't she too arrogant to deny us, even though her situation is bad?" Priya asked in disbelief.
Sighing, Monika patted Priya's shoulder. "You just joined this year, so you don't know."
Sneha, the leader of the group, added, "Though she seems arrogant and sometimes goes too far against her opponents, her heart is soft for her friends. She just hides it behind a tough exterior."
A realization dawned on Priya's face. "That's why you guys were...," she sighed, then added, "My bad! I thought it was just between you, so I didn't ask."
Amrita seemed curious. "Leader, she isn't going to use that tactic, is she?"
Sneha smirked. "Seems so." The group laughed heartily.
"That gives us a chance to make more fun of her."
...
"Have the supporters retreated?"
"Positive. And the trolls have been reduced to a negligible number."
"Okay, you guys take your positions. I'm leading the troll boss."
...
Sam's eyes were glowing as he stared at a small fissure, about a meter wide, in the air. A scarlet eyeball stared back at him from within.
"You shouldn't be here," he said.
The eyeball trembled, producing a strange wave in the air that seemed to translate into words.
"You hindered me, my plan, my ascension. I'll have my revenge."
"Just for thi—" Sam's eyes widened. Without wasting time, he sprinted into the air, but an invisible wall seemed to trap him within the boundary of the fissure.