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Alex arrived at the gates of Romania City just as the golden rays of sunrise painted the sky in hues of orange and pink. The crisp morning air carried a chill, and a faint mist still clung to the cobblestone path. Three figures stood waiting—Emily, Sarah, and William.
He approached them quietly. When Sarah noticed him, she waved cheerfully.
"Hey, Alex!"
He responded with a small wave and a faint smile.
"Let me introduce everyone and their roles," Sarah said
"Let's do that while walking to the forest," Alex suggested. Everyone nodded, and together they moved toward the edge of the woods, where the trees swayed gently in the early morning breeze.
As the forest canopy thickened overhead, Sarah began the introductions. "This is Young Master William Roarhart, the eldest son of Saint Lebron Roarhart. This is Emily Ashe from the Ashe Merchant Clan, and I'm Sarah Smith from the Smith Clan."
After finishing, she looked expectantly at Alex, waiting for a reaction—but his expression remained blank.
Alex knew little of noble families or worldly affairs. All he understood was that the ten clans were the strongest in the world.
"My name is Alexander," he said in a plain, deadpan voice. "So, what's the plan for this hunt? What are everyone's roles, and what mission are we on?"
Sarah cleared her throat, a blush of embarrassment rising to her cheeks.
"Our mission is to hunt the Fire-Bellied Toad and retrieve its heart. It secretes poison through its skin and can shoot acidic venom, producing a poisonous gas. Its belly glows red like fire, and it's about two meters in size. Above the beginner level, some can grow up to five meters. Due to its mobility and toxic nature, even though it's classified as an E-rank monster, the mission is ranked D. They're especially weak against wind and dark elements."
Alex fell into thought. Will its poison affect me? He shook the thought. We'll find out when we face it.
By midday, after following the river's edge where the sound of rushing water echoed through the dense forest, they hadn't found the toad. Instead, they spotted an Earth Bear—a hulking beast covered in golden brown fur—drinking from the river.
William stepped forward confidently, voice sharp and commanding.
"Emily, use wind slashes! Sarah, use water bullets! Mr. Alexander, stay behind us!"
They spread out in a practiced formation. William launched earth spikes while Emily's wind slashes sliced through the air. Sarah was still trying to find an opening to attack.
The Earth Bear growled, more annoyed than harmed. William's spikes barely dented its hide, and Emily's attacks left only shallow scratches. Sarah's water bullets had little effect. Enraged, the bear charged at William, slashing with massive paws.
William threw up an earth armor and crossed his arms defensively. The next moment, he flew through the air like a ragdoll, crashing into a tree with a thud.
"William!" both girls cried out, running toward him. But the bear struck again. Its claw swiped toward Sarah, who barely dodged, tumbling into the river with a splash.
The beast turned toward Emily, its next target. Just as it lunged, a dagger flashed through the air, slicing across its snout.
Alex had stepped in.
He shoved Emily behind him and faced the bear with his remaining dagger. In a blink, he used Shadow Step, vanishing and reappearing at the bear's side, slashing one of its legs deeply.
Roaring in pain, the Earth Bear limped away and fled into the woods.
Monsters with elemental powers had intelligence—and this one knew it couldn't win.
Alex checked Emily—she was shaken but had only minor scratches. Then he rushed to the riverbank, pulling a soaked and coughing Sarah from the water. She clung to him, dazed. Once she was safe, he hurried to William.
William's injuries were serious—three broken ribs and fractures in both forearms. Sarah had only a dislocated shoulder.
Alex focused, placing his hands over William's injuries. Warm green light flowed from his palms. Slowly, bone and tissue knit back together. After mending the ribs, he moved to the arms and healed them fully. The effort left him drained.
He then treated Sarah's shoulder, realigning it with a soft glow. Within fifteen minutes, Alex had healed two serious injuries.
Completely exhausted, he collapsed on his back. Sarah and Emily rushed to William. He was unconscious, but breathing steadily.
"Alex," Emily asked, wide-eyed, "William… he had no injuries?"
"What?! No!" Alex snapped. "His ribs were shattered, both arms broken. It drained a lot of my wood elemental energy to heal him."
Both girls stared in disbelief.
"You're… a Grandmaster in Wood Element?" they asked in unison.
"What? No!" Alex replied, confused. "I only have two circles."
"Then how did you heal him so quickly? Did you train at a hospital?"
"No. I just read some books and practiced… on animals."
They stepped back, stunned.
"Impossible..."
---
Later that day, William regained consciousness. They decided to set camp by the river. The sky turned a deep indigo, stars beginning to twinkle above. Alex caught a few fish, cooking them over a small fire. The scent of grilled fish filled the air.
All three thanked Alex sincerely for saving their lives. They sat together, eating hungrily.
That night, Alex set up two tents—one for the girls and one for himself and William.
"You all rest. I'll keep watch tonight," he said, settling on a smooth stone near the fire.
Hours later, soft footsteps approached. Emily sat beside him in silence.
"You seem to know a lot about the forest," she said quietly. "Do you come here often?"
"You could say that," Alex replied.
They spoke for a while—about random things, nothing important. But Alex found himself enjoying her presence. It was the longest he'd ever talked to someone.
This continued for five days. Slowly, Alex grew closer to all three, especially Emily. For the first time, he was enjoying himself—praised by two beautiful girls and even tolerated by a prideful noble.
One evening, Sarah brought them back to reality.
"Alex, we still haven't hunted the Fire-Bellied Toad. If we don't complete the mission in five days, we'll be punished by the academy. Please help us."
Alex smirked. "Don't worry. Leave it to me."
They searched the forest's Green Zone thoroughly, but there was no sign of the monster.
"We'll have to enter the Yellow Zone," William said, concerned. "If we fail, we'll all be in trouble."
Sarah smiled brightly. "Don't worry! We have Alex with us. He'll protect us, even in the Yellow Zone. Right, Alex?"
Alex chuckled softly. "Yes. Don't worry—I'll handle it."