Kai groaned as he sat up from the ground outside, brushing the dust and debris from his cloak. Blood dripped slightly from the corner of his mouth, but his smirk remained as he looked toward the inn. "Man, she really packs a punch," he muttered, standing up and stretching.
With a casual swagger, Kai walked back toward the inn, entering through the massive hole in the wall Elara had created with her punch. The room inside fell silent as his friends and classmates turned to stare at him, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.
Sean was the first to speak. "Kai, what the hell just happened? Did you seriously get punched through the wall by Elara?"
Kai chuckled, wiping the last trace of blood from his mouth. "Yep. And let me tell you, it was quite the experience." He looked over at Elara, who stood nearby with her arms crossed, her piercing green eyes narrowing at him. "Captain's got quite the right hook."
Elara scoffed, clearly still annoyed. "Maybe now you'll think twice before pulling another one of your stunts."
Kai grinned. "Not a chance."
Liam leaned forward in his seat, shaking his head. "You're insane, man. Anyway, you've been gone all day. What happened at the guild?"
Sarah nodded, curiosity lighting up her expression. "Yeah, tell us! Did you actually join?"
Kai's smirk widened as he leaned against a broken piece of wall, clearly enjoying the attention. "Oh, I didn't just join. I completed my first mission."
The room erupted into shocked exclamations.
"You already took on a mission?!"
"What kind of mission?"
"How are you still alive?!"
Kai held up his hands, laughing. "Relax! It wasn't that bad. Just a goblin extermination quest on the outskirts."
Alex frowned. "Goblins? How many?"
Kai shrugged nonchalantly. "Twenty goblins. Oh, and their leader."
The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in. Then, all at once, his friends and classmates erupted again.
"Are you serious?!"
"A goblin leader? On your first mission?!"
"Why do you always take things to the extreme?"
Kai crossed his arms, the grin never leaving his face. "Come on, you guys. Have a little faith in me."
Sean shook his head, clearly exasperated. "You're unbelievable."
Kai's grin turned mischievous. "Oh, you think that's unbelievable? Wait until you see this."
Before anyone could react, Kai extended his hand and said, "Skill: Summon Dead."
Dark magic circles appeared across the floor, their ominous glow casting eerie shadows on the walls. The room fell silent as skeletal goblins began to rise from the circles, their glowing eyes fixed on Kai as they awaited his command.
The room exploded into chaos.
"WHAT THE HELL, KAI?!" Sean yelled, scrambling backward.
"Are those... goblins?!" Sarah shrieked, pointing at the undead creatures.
Liam pressed himself against the wall. "You brought back the goblins you killed?! Are you out of your mind?!"
Kai laughed, clearly enjoying their reactions. "Relax! They're under my control. Completely harmless... to you, at least."
Elara, who had been watching with a mix of irritation and disbelief, finally stepped forward, her voice sharp. "Kai, dismiss them. Now."
Kai looked at her, his grin playful. "Aw, come on, Captain. They're harmless. Look at them—they're practically cute."
Elara's glare intensified, her tone deadly serious. "Kai, I'm not joking. Dismiss them."
Kai sighed dramatically, waving his hand. "Fine, fine. No need to get all serious about it."
Elara folded her arms, glaring at him as the tension in the room remained thick. Kai, sensing her gaze, decided to add, "Look, I know I'm still new to death magic, alright? But I'll train every day to control it. I've got this under control, for now at least."
Elara's expression darkened, her voice sharp. "New or not, you're already acting like you've mastered it. Training every day doesn't mean anything if you don't respect the power you're using, Kai. Magic like that is dangerous—no matter how much you think you've got it under control."
With a single gesture, the undead goblins vanished into wisps of shadow, leaving the room eerily quiet.
Elara didn't relax, though. She stepped closer, her eyes locking onto Kai's with a piercing intensity. "You think this is a game? Summoning undead in a crowded room, scaring everyone around you? What if one of them lost control? What if something went wrong?"
Kai leaned casually against the wall, unfazed by her sharp tone. "Nothing's going to go wrong. I've got everything under control."
Elara's fists clenched at her sides. "That's exactly the kind of arrogance that gets people killed."
Kai's smirk softened slightly, his tone turning more serious. "Elara, I get it. Really, I do. But I know what I'm doing. I've trained for this. These guys—" he gestured to the now-vanished undead "—they're tools, nothing more. They're not dangerous to anyone unless I want them to be."
Elara didn't back down, her voice firm. "And what happens when you're not in control? When you make a mistake? You're powerful, Kai, but you're not invincible."
Kai chuckled, his playful demeanor returning. "Well, if I ever mess up, I'll be sure to let you punch me again."
Elara's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't tempt me. I will."
The room was silent as the tension between them hung thick in the air. Finally, Sean broke the silence with an awkward laugh. "Uh, maybe we should all just... take a breather?"
Kai grinned, his eyes still on Elara. "Sure. But for the record, Captain, that punch was impressive. Might even say I deserved it."
Elara rolled her eyes, turning on her heel. "You're impossible."
As she walked away, Kai called out, "That's what makes me fun!"
Kai leaned casually against the wall, his crimson eyes glinting with curiosity as he looked at the group gathered around him. A playful smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth as he crossed his arms. "So," he began, his voice carrying an edge of mischief, "when are you all going to make your moves? You told me earlier this morning what you wanted to do in this world."
The room grew quiet for a moment as everyone exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond. Finally, Sean spoke up, his voice hesitant but determined. "I still want to explore the world," he said, leaning forward in his seat. "There's so much out there we've never seen. This is a chance to do something amazing."
Liam nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I've been thinking about it. I want to see what I'm capable of. Maybe take on some missions, see how far I can push myself."
Sarah, seated near the fireplace, added, "I want to help people. There's so much chaos in this world, and if we have these powers, we should use them to make a difference."
Alex crossed his arms, his expression serious. "I'm not sure yet. I feel like we've been thrown into this without much of a choice, but if I'm here, I want to find some purpose. Something worth fighting for."
Others chimed in, their voices a mix of excitement, nervousness, and determination:
"I want to become strong enough to protect myself and others."
"I think I'll try to join the guild and take missions like Kai."
"There's so much magic here—I want to learn everything I can about it."
Kai listened to each of them, his smirk softening into a thoughtful expression. "Not bad," he said, nodding. "You've all got plans. That's a good start. Just make sure you follow through. This world isn't going to hand you anything for free."
Sean raised an eyebrow, leaning back. "And what about you, Kai? You've already jumped into the guild, fought goblins, and scared the hell out of us with your magic. What's your next move?"
Kai chuckled, his crimson eyes glowing faintly. "Oh, don't worry about me. I've got plenty of plans. But for now, I think I'll stick around long enough to see if you all can keep up."
Elara, who had been listening quietly, narrowed her eyes at Kai. "Don't let your overconfidence blind you," she said sharply. "This world has a way of humbling even the strongest."
Kai turned to her, his smirk returning. "I wouldn't dream of it, Captain. But hey, maybe you'll be impressed when I show you what I'm capable of."
Elara sighed, crossing her arms. "I doubt that."