"I respect the self-confidence mate but seems like he worked his arse off saving ya and now your acting all spiffy on em" Oliver comments in his very English accent.

"Your right I was saved" he half bows towards me "anyways am I able to join you guys?"

Before anyone says anything Hana opens her mouth

"Are you from South Korea?"

"Yes, are you?" Joon starts smiling

"Yes"

"I'm glad we are together then" he runs up and hugs Hana with her face turning uncomfortable.

"Hey man she looks uncomfortable" I tell him.

"Oh-I'm sorry, so about what I said earlier?" he ponders around one foot on its big toe swooning around with his arms behind his back.

"The more the merrier just help us and our goals" Val announces with a smile, she seems to be a good-willed person since I've known her the past few days.

"Yes! Thank you so much" Joon-Woo smiles sprinting towards Val to hug her but Val side steps him making him run into the wall.

*Splat*

The noise make many of the customers at HQ look over and the bartender who is having a conversation with someone look over to us and mean glare Joon-Woo.

"Were you able to find Hana a proper bow and me a good sword?" Val asks with Hana nodding making the subject changed.

"I decided it was best for the two of you to pick which weapons you all want. For right now lets just split up supplies into our inventories and sell all the animal pelts and uncooked meat but not the well done meat which cooked from our fire trench." I announce too the group and they all receive it well as Joon-Woo recollects himself.

Well done meat is never good but at the very least its edible.

Joon-Woo stands up confused as ever as the 4 of us talk about our previous plans and our success.

Afterwards we sell all of the items we have gained from hunting as planned to the bartender and sold the rest to markets. We then buy some basic clothes and underwear which I forgot to buy the first go-around, plus bread with fruits and vegetables as well. Next we all faced the weapon and armor market in which we spent most of our money buying an elegant recurve bow colored hunters green and the string being cherry red. Hana's face brightened as she tested her new bow out and the new arrows she got.

After Hana we buy a arming sword made of iron with a blue handle for Val making her gain a deep smile as she tests her swings.

For myself I obtain a Baselard dagger in which gives me more control over my swing which has been a bad problem and its sharpness can easily pierce beasts like terror coyotes. I also bought throwing daggers to make use of my throwing skill and a equipment holster which extends from my left shoulder to right hip to hold my daggers and throw them with quick access.

"What do I get?" Joon-Woo asks

"We don't have enough money to buy anything now so here you can take this sword." Val hands off her old sword it still isn't broken and has a few okay days left in it.

We then all head back to HQ with no trouble at all ready to go too sleep. I enter my sleeping bag and for some reason Oliver gives up his citing that he is too big for it in which is true and gives it too Joon-Woo leaving Oliver to sleep somehow comfortably on the floor. In the morning we wake up and Val makes us all breakfast in which being devil horned meat its flavor being on par with the wolfs but only due to the meat being cooked well done. She also serves some of the bread and greens we purchased earlier helping us have a full diet. After finishing breakfast with Joon-Woo becoming more acquainted with the group Val opens her mouth.

"We still need to get stronger, much stronger" Val says motioning her hand into a fist.

"I agree there isn't no way we can beat the dragon in this current state" Oliver adds on.

"Well we only have one more objective left to make our debts here complete and we have heavily helped the town with the trench building all we have to do is inform them about it then we can grow stronger whichever ways we want." Hana comments speaking the most she has ever spoken her voice sounding sweet and harmonizing.

"I think we should go to the capital" Joon-Woo inquires and everyone shuts him down in union including me except for Val.

"Like Hana says we should finish our debts here and grow whichever way we see fit. The best way I feel is to go west into Demetius we can become acquainted with more information and meet up with more like minded people possibly. Also grow stronger too along the way." I announce to the group proving a solution with Hana giving a polite smile.

"What is Demetius?" Joon-Woo asks

Since he has entered Springfield his map should have augmented in size so I open my mouth to answer and say "speak out loud and say open world map".

He nods his head after seeing and everyone nods showing they approve of my plan. My original plan was to head to the capital and stay in safety but now it is to be with this group of allies as they provide the best safety. Also they are enjoyable.. plus the capital is under siege.

We all head out to finish off our objective after informing the bartender about our trench to spread knowledge of an easy way to take out groups of the enemies. We also leave Gertrude and Geralt back at HQ so our transports don't get attacked and we are able to move freely in the forest. As we enter the forest after walking to the grasslands we form a kite formation. Oliver being in the middle of the front while Val and I are at the sides with Joon-Woo and Hana rounding out the back.

The area consists of many trees which we will be able to climb on if need be and also a small lake where we could corner enemies or vice versa.

"Do you guys hear that?" Joon-Woo asks holding on to his sword tight.

"No, why?" Val comments

We continue walking on when again Joon-Woo asks if we hear anything, clearly he is nervous but it is for the most part understandable. A few days ago none of us had to fight animals or at least not animals that appear super sized and have weird pigments.

I look to my right and then see bushes twitch in movement.

"Everyone hold" I announce in a calm manner so the creature in the bush isn't alerted.

Everyone heeds to my word and we wait for the creature to come out.

Then it comes running out, its massive antlers breaking off tree branches and its height standing almost twice the size of a regular deer.

The buck bellows deeply charging in towards me, as its character window shows it must mean this "Terror Deer" is starving.

Just before the deer can reach me I leap to the ground too avoid contact and everyone stays in formation except Joon-Woo. Joon-Woo immediately slither more behind Hana then beside. Oliver swings his large battle axe at the terror deer hitting its antlers yet it doesn't cause them to break. I manage to get myself up and the deer has readied itself to charge towards Val this time who in which is standing next to a tree.

Hana starts releasing arrows at the deer marking it at its side multiple times and I start to aim daggers at its legs. The deer then releases his charge towards Val, Val stands behind the tree beside her to dodge the attack.

*Thump*

The deer made a huge wallop from its antler onto the tree in a few more hits the tree will fall onto Val. Val not standing frozen constantly swings her arming sword from the protection of the tree trying to target its constantly moving face causing her to hit the durable antlers. Hana continues shooting arrows at the Deer eventually hitting the neck and I accurately hit the deer's hind leg with my daggers from throwing.

The deer starts to slow down from the constant barrages and starts to bellow like an alarm then Oliver swings his battle axe onto the deer's neck finishing it off.

<XP +2500> Jim

<XP +2500> Val

<XP +2500> Hana

<XP +2500> Oliver

<+2 Terror Deer Antlers, +1 Terror Deer meat, +1 Terror Deer pelt>

Oliver smiles brightly when receiving his level 3 message and he places all of his stats into vitality. We all take a breather and I reclaim my daggers then we all go back into formation.

Then another loud bellow enters, 3 more Terror Deer come rushing through two being female with 1 massive antler in between their faces and another male.

"What the hell, how are we supposed to deal with this bunch" Oliver yells his previous smile completely disappearing. No one else says anything as Joon-Woo seemingly shudders and Val clearly makes a face of grit.

All 3 charge towards us 3 in the front of the formation with one of the females latching onto me. She comes running and screeching as she races towards me I throw my throwing daggers trying to target her front legs. I miss all times except once eventually making a perfect shot to her front leg causing her to run it to the ground. The deer falls forward just before completing her charge and I start slamming my base lard dagger into her neck. She dies but just before she slams her head upward causing her to pierce the right-side of my chest with my armor taking some of the damage and the distance saving me.

<Health 800/1000 remaining> Jim

<Stamina 550/700 remaining> Jim

<XP +10000> Jim

<+1 Terror Deer antlers, +1 Terror Deer meat, +1 Terror Deer pelt> Jim

As I now have the luxury to see how the others fair I see that Val also attracted the attention of a female and with the assistance of Hana they have managed to take her down. I then see Oliver who with one arrow from Hana as assistance has managed to take down the buck that tried to face him as well. Finally I look all the way at the back away from all the action to see Joon-Woo still shakily holding his sword.

<+3 Terror Deer antlers, +2 Terror Deer meat, +2 Terror Deer pelts>

"Aye Joon what are you doing over there mate" Oliver asks him.

"I-uh don't know" he answer with hands still shaking.

"You gotta get your head in the game" I tell him with a matter of fact tone.

"My head is in the game I'm just warming up" he announces to everyone and thrusts his sword forward and he becomes off balanced almost falling.

"Hey you got this" Hana gives him a thumps up and his face immediately lightens up and his grip becomes firm and so as his stance.

We continue on to finish our last objective along the way we cut down several devil horned rabbit even Joon-Woo participates being able to kill one. He celebrates extensively and his aura completely changes whether for the better or the worse I don't know yet. Eventually we spot 3 wolves circling us as if we are prey.

They snarl and growl in low tones their colors being dark shades of black.

"We need to form a circle so they can't single us out" I yell out quickly before they run to attack. We all group up close as they circle us closer and closer.

"Jim stand opposite of me so we can target them from range" Hana tells me and I nod we go back to back with everyone else surrounding us not being in our way to shoot and target.

Hana successfully shoots a few times and I fail to throw my daggers successfully but the wolfs now feel more antsy about attacking as they break out their teamwork and one that got hit runs out to attack.

The wolf runs and jumps to attack Hana as I look back. Just as it starts running up the other 2 also start running towards Hana likely to be in union and make their attack successful. The first one finishes their run up and allows me to quickly thrust my Baselard sword in its side but it doesn't stop now trying to bite Hana and claw her. Val finishes the job of taking out the wolf trying to kill Hana by thrusting her sword deep inside its temple. The other 2 also now finish their run up and Joon-Woo swings his sword and it meets his mark stabbing one of the wolfs but the wolf still continues with its focus now being on Joon-Woo.

The other wolf has changed its focus onto me and with my Baselard dagger I steady myself.

"Grrr" it growls deeply as it claws and tries to bite me eventually I fall under the wolf. It starts tearing at me.

<Health 300/1000> Jim

<Stamina 300/700> Jim

"Aghhh" I scream in agony but I find my Baselard dagger in its neck making it slow its strikes if it wasn't for my armor I'd be dead already.

I see Val behind the wolf thrusting her sword deep in its back making the wolf cave in dying on top of me.

"Just like last time right?" Val asks chuckling and checking if I'm good.

"Yup seems like I always curry their favor in attacking" I also chuckle after dying almost so many times its easy to have a warped sense of humor.

I look over and see that Oliver with the help of Hana have finished the wolf that focused itself on Joon-Woo his clothes all being mangled from its claws.

<XP +4000 Joon-Woo>

<XP +8000 Hana>

<XP +4000 Oliver>

<XP +9000 Val>

<XP +9000 Jim>

I can't hold back a smile when seeing my new level up and so I place two of my attributes into agility and one too strength.

After this what felt like life or death battle I see Val with her composure and spirits still high so as Oliver. Hana seems disappointed and I have no clue as to why and Joon-Woo seems to be proud of himself.

We all collect the animals resources and start walking back too Springfield to show we have finished our last objective and sell everything we don't need.

<+3 Terror Wolf meat, +3 Terror Wolf pelts>

"Hey Joon-Woo switch places with me" I say so I can ask why Hana seems so disappointed.

"Why?" he asks in protest

"You deserve to be in the front of the kite now, you did a great job" I comment to him and his face lightens immediately switching places with me.

As I walk side by side with Hana she side eyes me and opens her mouth instead first.

"Why did you trick him?" she asks in a low tone allowing the others to not hear,

"So I can ask you as to why you seem disappointed" I tell her and as I open my mouth I realize that this is foreign to how I have always operated. I don't know why I care for the way she currently feels maybe its because we are allies but still I never was like this with my friends.

"When that wolf was trying to kill me it scared me and I had no way to fight it close distance. I didn't know what to do and I've never been in a melee fight with human or animal." she whispers to me in my ear her light breath having a voice of its own and I look over to respond and see her red face seemingly embarrassed.

Cute

-Wait what no I don't see her like that, I put my head on straight and answer her statement.

"Here have this" I don't have the emotional capacity to do anything else as in this situation I have no clue what to do but give her one of my daggers.

She then hugs me.

Oh no

"May I call you Jim?" she asks looking deep into my eyes making me shutter inside.

"Yes Hana"

***********************

Authors note: If you are enjoying my book so far please star it and possibly comment what you enjoy and don't enjoy so I can thoroughly read it and take in the kindness or criticism to reflect on how to perfect my book.

Sincerely Isaiah Jimenez

**********************