The Orc seemed to disappear, reappearing next to Reyna, trying to slice her with his ax. Reyna summoned a fire shield. The fire engulfed the ax, causing the Orc to drop it as he began slamming the barrier. Reyna stood still, calculating her next move.
Then, she canceled the barrier, creating distance between herself and the Orc.
"Scorch it, Ashen_Dragon_Infernia!"
As Reyna uttered those words, a colossal dragon made entirely of fire materialized before her. The heat radiating from the dragon could be felt even from the walls, as the flames began to consume the surrounding cities. The very walls appeared to melt under the intense blaze. The fire dragon surged forward, targeting the boss as it gulped down a blue potion, yet the Orc remained unfazed.
With a ferocious roar, the Orc charged at Reyna, who swiftly drew her katana. "Blazing Edge," she whispered, and flames engulfed the blade.
The moment the Orc came within range, Reyna swung her katana, slicing the beast down the middle. But as she fell to the ground, red seeped from her side, pooling beneath her. The Orc, despite being cleaved in two, began to heal. A shaman appeared in the distance, casting a revival spell.
The Orc stood once again, its eyes black as night, stepping toward Reyna.
In a flash, Valen disappeared from sight, reappearing behind the shaman, killing it with a swift strike. He then drove his sword through the Orc Warlord's back. The creature twisted and writhed, desperately trying to free itself from the blade. Valen's sword, burning with the same fire as Reyna's, glowed brightly as the Orc Warlord collapsed.
Tenshi healed Reyna from the wall, and I was stunned she could do it from such a distance. When we finally made it down, Valen smirked.
"Since the shaman decided to step in, you get first crack at the 10th floor," he said before glancing at his guild rushing toward the fortress. "We're going to loot the city for anything valuable."
His group stormed in, grabbing anything that survived—plates, trinkets, anything they could find.
"Is that a good idea?" Risto asked, clearly concerned.
Reyna stirred as Valen disappeared into the fortress. I turned to her. "What's the plan? We can't let them take everything."
Reyna smiled. "It's fine. We got what we needed."
"Why don't we explore the floor a bit?" Tenshi chimed in, her excitement obvious. "No monsters left, right? The orcs are dead."
Viri frowned. "According to the Crusaders' guide, but they've been wrong before."
"Might as well check anyway," Tenshi said with a grin.
"Fine," Reyna sighed. "Let's split into groups of two."
Before I could say anything, Eli grabbed my arm. "Can I go with Arden?" she asked, looking up at me shyly.
Before Reyna could respond, Viri interjected, "Are you sure they should be alone?"
Eli shot her a glare, and Reyna just waved it off. "It'll be fine."
Eli wasted no time, pulling me into the forest. As we walked, the rest of the guild faded out of view. The forest was calm and quiet—no monsters, no goblins, no bears, just silence.
"This floor will definitely become a hub for activity," I said, noticing patches of vibrant flowers in every color and apple trees dotting the area. It felt safe now that the orcs were gone.
We walked quietly for a while, and I decided to break the silence. "Thanks for having my back earlier."
Eli blushed slightly. "No problem. You're part of the guild now." She gave me a soft smile.
I looked away. "I'm just... affiliated," I said, my voice more somber.
"To me, you're family," she said with warmth, stopping to smell the flowers.
"Family…" I repeated softly, a hint of sadness in my voice.
"Did I say something wrong?" she asked, her concern immediate.
"No, it's not your fault…"
"Can I tell you something?" I asked, hesitating.
"Of course," she replied, her eyes full of curiosity.
"You have to keep it a secret from Viri."
Eli nodded, serious now.
"My family... they died right before Earth and this world merged. Ever since then, I've had no one."
Eli stopped walking and gently took my hand. "Well, you have us now. I'll make sure Viri doesn't bother you."
"Why doesn't Viri like me?" I asked, still unsure.
"Viri's just... really protective. Maybe too much." Eli glanced away. "We were friends on Earth, even before the merge. She let me stay with her when I had nowhere to go." as she reached for an apple from a nearby tree.
Eli handed me the apple, and I took a bite before she blushed and took a bite from the same spot.
"I hope Viri warms up to me," I said, trying to lighten the mood. "I'd like to stay with you all."
Eli walked ahead, then turned back toward me, a playful smile on her face. "It doesn't matter if she does… because I like you." She paused, her expression turning serious. "Will you go on a date with me?"
I smiled, a little surprised, but nodded. "Yeah, I'd like that."