It had been about an hour since we delved deeper into the forest. So far, the only opposition we'd faced consisted of common forest mobs—Forest Wolves, Giant Bears, Kobolds, and, to my surprise, Goblins.
The goblins, however, looked quite different from the ones I had pictured. Instead of their usual green, their skin was a dull, earthy brown. Their faces were a strange mix of an orc's brutish features and a bear's ferocious snout. While intimidating at first glance, their small builds made them significantly weaker than other creatures of their rank.
Their real strength, as I quickly observed, lay in their traps and overwhelming numbers. But in an open field, they didn't stand a chance against a coordinated team like ours. Goblins were a threat only in narrow, confined spaces where they could funnel their enemies into deadly traps. Out here, they were little more than target practice.
Still, as we pressed on, I began to sense something different. Among the forest's dense mana signatures, there were a few particularly strong ones that stood out like beacons. From what I could tell, these belonged to creatures that were at least low Rank 2, possibly as high as mid- or even high Rank 2.
In a region like this—primarily populated by villages and smaller settlements—monsters of that caliber could wreak havoc. Fortunately, the villages here were protected by basic Mana Barriers.
These barriers, designed by none other than my family's company, were powered by large mana cores installed in facilities within major towns. For the nearby villages, their protection was tethered to the town of Lochacre, where their cores drew energy remotely through the Voidnet.
Still, the thought of Rank 2 monsters wandering this close to human settlements was concerning. For now, the barriers would hold. But if a particularly strong monster were to lead an assault or the barriers were compromised, it could spell disaster.
I glanced at Ashlyn and the others, evaluating their readiness. While they had proven themselves against weaker mobs, this was different. Rank 2 monsters weren't just stronger—they were smarter and far more dangerous.
"Hey, let's rest for a bit," I said, breaking the silence. "I'm sensing some strong mana signatures ahead. It'd be wise to tackle whatever's coming with full stamina and a full stomach."
"Yeah, I think that's a good idea," Greg chimed in surprisingly.
"Well, if you guys think so, I'm fine with it," Ashlyn agreed. Leon simply nodded, his eyes scanning the forest for any signs of movement.
We set up a small camp, gathering wood to roast some of the meat we'd brought along. The smell of cooking meat soon filled the air, a momentary respite in this dangerous place. We ate quickly but made sure not to rush—there was no telling when we'd have another chance to rest.
Half an hour later, we broke camp and moved forward. The oppressive aura I'd sensed earlier was growing stronger with every step.
Finally, we entered a clearing, and there it stood—a Golem.
It was a Stone Golem, towering at least 15 feet tall, its massive frame composed of jagged boulders and compacted earth. Its eyes glowed faintly with an eerie green light, and its very presence radiated power. If that wasn't intimidating enough, Golems of this type were known for their mastery over earth magic, capable of reshaping the battlefield to their advantage.
"Alright, I suggest you guys take this one seriously," I said, my voice calm but firm. "If things get too dangerous, I'll step in. But for now, you're on your own. Treat this as a test."
The group nodded, their expressions tense but determined. This was their chance to prove themselves, and they knew it.
The Golem turned its head toward us, its glowing eyes locking onto our auras. Without hesitation, Leon made the first move.
"Fireball!" he shouted, casting a large sphere of flames toward the creature.
The fireball hit its mark, but as expected, it barely left a scorch mark on the Golem's rock-hard surface.
"Of course fire won't work. It's made of stone," Greg muttered, gripping his sword tightly.
"It's a distraction, idiot," Leon snapped back. "Just get into position!"
Greg grumbled but complied, circling around the Golem to flank it. Meanwhile, Ashlyn charged head-on, her fists glowing with mana.
"Dragon Fist!" she yelled, delivering a powerful punch to the Golem's leg. This was different from her usual punches must be a special art that uses a concept as a medium rather an element.
The impact caused the creature to stumble slightly, its movements slower but no less menacing. With a deafening roar, the Golem retaliated, swinging one massive arm toward Ashlyn.
"Barrier!" Leon shouted, casting a protective spell just in time to deflect the attack. The barrier shattered on impact, but it gave Ashlyn enough time to dodge.
Greg took advantage of the opening, leaping onto the Golem's back and slamming his sword into a gap between its rocky plates.
"Take this!" he shouted, pouring mana into his blade. A burst of fire erupted from the sword, causing the Golem to thrash violently.
"Hold on, Greg!" Ashlyn shouted, dashing back into the fray.
The Golem, now visibly enraged, slammed both arms into the ground. The earth beneath us trembled violently, cracks forming as jagged spikes of rock erupted from the ground.
"Earthquake Spikes!" Leon warned, casting a spell to create a platform of hardened mana beneath his feet.
Ashlyn and Greg weren't so lucky. Both were caught off guard, the spikes grazing them as they scrambled to regain their footing.
"Alright, enough," I muttered, stepping forward.
With a wave of my hand, I cast a spell of my own.
"Gravity Bind."
The Golem froze in place, its massive frame suddenly weighed down by an invisible force. Its movements slowed to a crawl, giving Ashlyn and the others a chance to regroup.
"Finish it off," I said, nodding toward the immobilized creature.
Ashlyn didn't hesitate. Charging forward, she delivered a devastating Mana Fist to the Golem's core. The glowing stone in its chest cracked, and with a final, thunderous roar, the Golem collapsed into a heap of rubble.
The group stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath.
"Well, that was... something," Greg said, his voice shaky but triumphant.
"Yeah, but we did it," Ashlyn replied, a small smile forming on her lips.
Leon simply nodded, too exhausted to speak.
"Not bad," I said, stepping closer. "You've got a long way to go, but this was a good start."
Their faces lit up at the praise, though they quickly tried to hide it.
"Let's take a short break before we move on," I suggested. "There's no telling what else is waiting for us out here."
As the group settled down to rest, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. They'd come a long way, but the real challenges were still up ahead. There still some more stronger monsters out there now just killing the golem would count as the quest being completed however i doubt the group would agree with that.
There has been some visible improvements among the group. Leon can cast more spells and the effects also became more powerfull.
Greg can fight for longer and his body is also a bit stronger.
For Ashlyn her improvement lay in the fact that she can use more less of her mana with much more lethality.
Although these improvements would have been very hard to spot, but with my cognitive abilities it was easy.
"Let's move on guys, still more mobs to take down" I said while group also nodded.
To be continued