After Time-skip stats:

Heart:

Level 15: 30 physical atk, 22 def, Physical spd: 21 and health: 139

Blue sword bonus:+2 atk and 4 def.

Red sword bonus: +4 atk and 2 def

Inventory: Swords, Ash’s homemade stew (one serving), Two red health potions (Can be bought for 5 silver, sold for two sliver). Health potion can regenerate (20-30 points of health instantly). Coin: 24 gold, 16 Silver. 2 Poor health potion (Heals 10 health instantly, first potion recipe made from Ash).

On Person: One hidden dagger.

Ash:

Level 15: 26 spell atk, 13 def, Casting spd 20, Physical attack 5, MP 21, Physical speed: 7 health 108.

Staff bonus:Half casting time for spells, +10 health.

Inventory: 1 homemade Keema Peinirli, with egg. Coin: 12 silver and 7 cooper. Seeds: 3 big seeds, 6 small seeds, 2 flat seeds. Staff. 1 Clothing items (shirts, pants, etc). 3 Poor health potion (Heals 10 health instantly)

On person: One hidden dagger.

Spells: Low Healing. (20-30 Possible points per heal) Basic attack, and basic fire both deal 9 attack.

Relationships> Friendship: +5/ 100.

Relationships> Romance: +3/100.

It had happened, the quest had appeared when they had still been level thirteen but they had aboved it at the time. Everyone knew however, at it had gleamed and seemingly snarled on the board, that it was ‘their’ quest so it had remained untouched during that time. Heart had called it a good sign, it meant that the lowest level that one could face the boss had been thirteen, so they had trained like crazy to get their last two levels. They no longer needed their weapons to deal with the level one monsters, even Howlers were hardly anything - now only the Chobin Hood ( a demi-human rat like creature that fired arrows at them ) only gave them slight trouble. But they had been useful to teach Ash to dodge however. Today was the day, the entire town felt it, and for the normal early risers appearing in the guild saw that the quest had been taken down and accepted already.

The bell to the blacksmith shop rang as Heart and Ash stepped inside, their faces set rather than cheerful. Even the blacksmith was waiting for them as he stood behind his wife, arms crossed over his powerful chest. “Whatever you have for defense.” Heart said as he stood by the counter. No stronger weapons had been made for them, and resting in the band of their pants were their hidden daggers. He had trained Ash in human self-defence, something that had meant him getting stabbed by that weapon in order to let Ash get use to it. They had done that at home as to not alarm the town’s people.

The woman smiled softly, her eyes shining a little as if she knew as well. They were all happy to have a huge monster like that removed from so close to their town, and their homes. “We have special accessories for you both now. I’m glad you dropped by before leaving town.” She smiled. Moving over now, beyond the counter they were so used to seeing her. Gesturing to a beautifully wooden cabinet. They had seen that cabinet there since they had first entered the blacksmith’s shop, but only now did they see it open up now with a special key that she used and it disappeared. It shone for a moment- like opening a chest before it revealed two items. A bracelet, that looked both elegant and masculate, and a necklace with a deep emerald jewel in the middle.

“These accessories can be equipped with ease. The steel bracelet has a skill of increased mobility for warrior classes. The necklace has a skill of increasing defence by seven points.” she smiled softly now as the pair oogled the items.

Ash and Heart looked at each other, nodding their heads as Heart took the steel bracelet and Ash the necklace. Right now, anything could be used to keep them from dying. “How much?” Heart asked her after he had fit it on, already beginning to pull out his coin purse.

The woman smiled softly and said “It’s free, on the condition that you two come back often to see our shop, and help with any quests we might need.”

“In that case we’ll each buy one more item from you.” He said with a smile. “And promise to come back from time to time.” If they lived. For the first time Heart was feeling his heart fluttering in his chest. Fear? Eagerness? He wasn’t sure, but it thrilled him.

Ash grinned coyly. Knowing that look in Heart’s eyes, and knew.. They were either going to go kick ass, or get their ass kicked. Either way, he was ready for both. The woman chuckled and said “Come back when I have something nice and expensive.”

Heart grinned as they headed out, though he wondered if that had been her way of keeping them from getting too powerful to make it easy. Coming outside they headed down the path to come to the edge of town leading into the forest where Ash’s family and several other people they had helped out around town were waiting for him. Ash’s mother looked ready to cry as she handed them two more potions and Heart got the feeling it had taken a lot of control for her not to hand them the entire store. Some people gave them food and water, since just getting there was going to take a bit.

Heart watched Ash hug them before together they set off. Neither of them said anything at the moment, a month of training had brought them this far together and they had spent the night before going over their plan in length. The only thing they were missing right now was a badass song playing over them. Ash didn’t even bother attacking when a monster encountered them and yet even then attacks were very thin today, as though the forest itself knew what was coming and monsters held back - as though to see who would become the new king of the forest.

It took them close to an hour to reach the cove, and looking around Heart knew that once they jumped down that they weren’t getting out until someone was dead. He could see the cave where the boss was waiting, a low rumbling growl echoing out from it promising death for anyone foolish enough to enter it. “Last chance Ash,” Heart told him, looking at him now. “We can walk away right now, keep training..” From where they were standing they couldn’t even see a hint of what level the boss was.

This was it. It felt like years since they had met, and certainly having trained his stamina for a while there had felt like years with each level. Though he smiled and said “I think we can do it, we stocked up just for this.” he nodded firmly. “...Besides, if we don’t fight, we’ll never know what level he even is.” he hummed. They had to be a couple of levels above the boss himself by now- or at least that was his hope. “We got this. Just remember the strategies, just in case he’s insanely stronger than us.”

“Looking around at this it’s clear we’re not getting out without the death of something.” Heart said as he took out his red jeweled sword first. “No use thinking about it then. Tuck and roll!” He said as he ran forward, jumping off the edge and tucking himself so he rolled forward when he hit, taking no damage as he did so. But when Ash joined him, when they stood up, something new popped up that Heart had never seen before. A quill writing? Then he spotted the words under it and his heart plunged - Auto Save..

It was very real, it had all become really real as the giant wolf, covered in colorful feathers along it’s head to its tail. It rose up slowly, getting into a fighting stance as Heart’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of his level for a moment. Level Twenty, far beyond what they were. Glancing at Ash though, the wolf howled out now. Shaking the entire area as Ash was preparing his first attack spell- but was waiting for Heart to do the first blow. His spell that caused a temporary ‘bleeding’ damage over a minute worked better when Heart first caused actual damage. Ash looked at him, as if confused as to why he was hesitating so long. Well it had only been a couple of seconds but all Heart could think about in those seconds was losing Ash. He.. was just another life in this world after all. “Heart!” Ash snapped at him, jerking him out of it as Heart dodged now claws that had slashed forward at him. Though there was a pause. Enough of a pause for Heart to jerk forward now.

Screaming in anger and strength as he wielded his sword tightly. Attacking across the wolf’s chest, making it growl as he could see 20 damage- on a health bar that was going to take time wearing down. Fuck. “Move!” Ash said, Heart dodging just in time to have the spell fly over his head, hitting the wolf directly, and stunning him for a second in his next attack enough for Heart to get some distance between them again. “Distract him, I’m going to cast fire now.” he said, beginning to build the spell around him.

“Got it!” Heart hissed, moving forward now as he attacked the ground, which sent him high into the air, and tearing the wolf’s attention from Ash to him, as he landed on his head. Attacking once, then twice before he was jerked off of him harshly as the wolf leaped into the air now too. Spinning into a ball as the colorful feathers were suddenly shot out like daggers- directly towards Ash. Heart took damage for falling off the wolf- but he could hear Ash’s health take a hit too - at the same time he spot his fire spell at the boss. Both hitting each other really, but Ash quickly took out a couple of apples, biting into them and dropping them as his damaged health regained some until he was at ninety-eight again. He had brought an assload of apples for stuff like this though.

“Underbelly-” Ash said, but the wolf was moving now. Still there seemed to be a pause in his actual attacks but the creature knew better than exposing his weak points. That’s when Heart learned something horrifying. The Boss could learn from their attacks.

“Ash!” Heart shouted as he dodged a bite attack, running along its side but not taking the chance to attack. “Focus! No call outs! Watch it’s pattern and keep further back!” He shouted at him as the boss turned to try and catch him, but Heart slammed his foot down and lunged back - his sword slashing through the tender flesh of its nose to cut it wide and take a good chunk of damage from it now. The underbelly was not the only weak point for this creature - it had plenty of other spots that could cut when cut.

But he knew, in the back of his mind, if he died right now that they were not going back home - they were starting again right at the front. And he also knew something else, something that fueled his swords and drove him to keep it focused on him, if that was the case - if they restarted here at the beginning of this attack, Ash would not know any better. Hell - he didn’t even know if he would. The boss raised itself up on its hind legs to perform a slash attack and Heart darted forward, getting a massive cut that took him down under half health but he had gotten under the beast. “Heart-” He heard Ash cry out.

“Focus!” He shouted as he struck a low blow by cutting along the beasts underbelly - and even worse, its maleness. That seemed to make it lose control and Heart barely had time to get out from under it as the beast jumped up again but now Heart had seen that there was a range to its attacks and he rushed to Ash to yank him back as the feathers rained down onto the ground where he had just been. “Feather attack - close range, stay back and move forward after.” He said to himself as he popped open a small health and drank it, barely getting him back up above half. He had to take it, he had to keep standing because if he fell Ash stood no chance.

He gave a signal with his hand telling Ash to fall back and ready a healing spell for him as he rushed around the side of the boss who turned to him as he had fully enraged this thing now. It wanted him dead for daring to attack him on his cock, but Heart saw that he had lowered its speed now as a result. There was blood running down from its nose, from under its stomach, chest - but there was just one more spot Heart needed to strike in order to turn the tide fully for them. He snarled at the wolf and the other snarled back at him. He changed his sword, going to blue and buffing his defence now - his steps more careful as he waited.

The attack came sooner than he thought, dodging the bite attack and moving around it like an annoying little grasshopper it just couldn’t catch. The boss raised itself up onto its hind legs in the same moment Ash’s healing spell got off, buffing him back up - perfect timing as Heart took the blunt of its slash attack as he rushed forward. He spotted the boss’ eyes widening, thinking he was going back under it and rushed to try and get its front paws on the ground again but this was what Heart had been waiting for - jumping up to sink his blue sword into the underside of its right paw nearly to the hilt. He let it go, leaving it there as the boss had no choice but to now either fight with a sword in its paw or attempt to get it out. His red jeweled sword returned as he didn’t let up and the boss stepped forward to attack, but then lost control of itself when it forgot the sword and only shoved it up inside deeper allowing Heart’s attack to land fully on its right eye - “Ash!” He shouted out loudly as the wolf jerked to the left trying to flee the pain - but with its one good eye spotted the mage just as he fired off his fireball attack into its other eye. The boss shook his head, screaming and howling - blinded, bleeding, crippled - and for a moment it felt something land on the spot just slightly above his nose and struggled to open one of its eye in time to see Heart - flying above him - and his sword rushing down to sink into the top of its skull -

It jerked and twitched - but the damage was critical and its bar disappeared. It let out a long slow breath, falling to its side slowly as Heart tumbled away from it. He let out a primal gut wrenching roar as the boss disappeared fully now - marking that they had won.