Chapter 9: Under Siege
The Training Grounds – The Real Battle Begins
The training area had undergone a transformation, the atmosphere shifting from a simple practice field to a charged battle arena. The faint glow of distant torches flickered against the stone walls, radiating dancing shadows that moved like specters in the night. The ground bore the scars of previous encounters—faint scuffs and deeper cracks marking the intense battles that had taken place.
Axel burst into the area, slightly out of breath, his eyes wide with both concern and surprise.
“What is going on here?! I thought we were training?!” Axel exclaimed, his voice echoing slightly in the open space.
Alt, standing calmly amidst the chaos, turned to face him, her expression composed as ever. “I’m sorry. I got a little too excited…” her voice was steady, almost apologetic.
“Oh no! It’s okay, Alt!” Axel quickly reassured her, his earlier frustration melting into a dramatic flourish. He cleared his throat and regained his composure. “Anyway, enough dilly-dallying! We need to get in shape soon, so I made a chart of who’s battling who.”
He waved a piece of parchment in the air, his earlier enthusiasm returning as he outlined the plan. “We’ll fight our opposite combat range first. Then, we switch. First up—Kane! You’re fighting Alt.”
Kane’s face went pale, his soul seemingly leaving his body. “Thi-this can’t be happening.”
Axel chuckled slightly, the tension in his voice betraying his amusement. “Next is Damon vs. Madden.”
Ken chimed in, his tone curious. “That leaves me with you, then, Boss?”
Axel gulped, his confidence waning momentarily. “….Yeah… R-right.”
Damon interjected with a mix of boredom and challenge, “Wah?! That’s boring.”
Madden nodded thoughtfully, considering the matchup. “Come to think of it… we’ve never battled each other, huh?”
Damon blinked, then a smirk slowly spread across his face. “Areh?... You’re right.” He clenched his fist in realization, a spark of excitement igniting.
Kane, tears brimming in his eyes, turned to Axel in frustration. “Axel! This is ridiculous! We’re supposed to be a team!”
Axel met Kane’s gaze, his voice firm yet encouraging. “You got hands-on training with Alt. Time to put those skills to the test.”
Kane stared at Axel, dumbfounded, before throwing his arms up in exasperation.
Alt stepped forward, her sharp gaze cutting through the tension as she addressed Kane directly. “Kane.”
Kane flinched, barely managing a weak reply. “Y-yeah?”
“Do your best.”
Kane blinked, the weight of her words settling over him. He slowly nodded, feeling a mix of terror and a strange sense of honor.
Axel, trying to lighten the mood, looked around at the group. “Alright… Who wants to go first?”
Ken immediately raised his hand, eager to begin. “Let’s fight, Boss.”
Axel swallowed hard, his nervousness palpable. “R-right!”
Ken vs. Axel – Magic vs. Blade
Axel and Ken stepped onto the battlefield, their figures outlined by the silver moonlight filtering through the trees in the distance. The air was cool, a gentle breeze carrying the whispers of the night as it brushed through the leaves. The arena felt almost cinematic, the stillness broken only by the sound of their breathing and the rustling of the wind.
Axel shifted his weight nervously, gripping his staff tightly in both hands. His fingers tightened around it as he mentally prepared himself. He had never fought without his usual expensive gear before, and the raw weight of the challenge was beginning to sink in.
Ken, however, stood at ease, his posture relaxed yet alert. His greatsword rested casually on his shoulder, the weapon almost a part of him. His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with Axel's visible anxiety.
Kane, standing off to the side, couldn’t contain his excitement. He whispered loudly, his voice full of anticipation. “This is intense! Who do you think’s gonna win?”
Damon, his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on the combatants, gave a low, confident reply. “Ken, for sure. He may look weak, but his sword skills are pretty damn good.”
Madden, ever the silent observer, watched the match with sharp attention, his expression unreadable.
Alt stood with her arms crossed, her gaze focused entirely on the battle unfolding before her. Her concentration was unwavering, as she silently analyzed every movement.
Damon glanced at Axel, his tone teasing. “No offense to Axel, but… I’ve never seen him fight without his expensive equipment before.”
The moment Damon finished speaking, Ken’s eyes locked onto Axel. In the blink of an eye, he moved.
Axel barely had time to react before Ken’s greatsword was already swinging toward him, the speed of the attack almost too fast to track.
Axel’s heart skipped a beat. His mind raced, and panic surged through him as the blade came down. (“Shit! Ken's fast as fuck!”)
In a desperate move, Axel twirled his staff, using it as a shield to parry the incoming strikes. Each blow resonated through the wood of his staff, sending painful tremors down his arms, the force of Ken’s strikes pushing him back with every exchange.
(“I can't cast any spells like this!”) Axel realized, his breath coming faster. He couldn’t form his spells in time while trying to defend himself from Ken’s onslaught.
Ken didn’t relent. He pressed forward relentlessly, his movements calculated and precise as he delivered rapid slashes, each one a masterful strike aimed to break Axel’s defenses.
Madden, still watching intently, analyzed the battle with a calm assessment. “It’s going to be hard to beat a sword with magic… Casting spells takes too long.”
Damon, with his usual grin, added, “Yeah, Axel needs to keep his distance if he wants to land any magic hits.”
Kane, nervously biting his lip, turned to Alt, seeking her opinion. “Hmmm… What would you do in this situation, Alt?”
Alt’s gaze never left the battlefield as she watched Ken and Axel's clash unfold. After a moment, she finally spoke, her voice steady and quiet. "Like Damon and Madden said, I’d use a short-casting spell to buy time, then distance myself before unleashing a longer, stronger spell. A shield spell would also be helpful. But… it’s unlikely for Axel to win. Ken’s too fast. And his limited mana… yeah.”
Kane, eyes wide, took in her analysis, the weight of the fight settling in.
Her prediction hung in the air, an unspoken verdict on the battle’s likely outcome.
Just as everyone had foreseen—
“Gah!” Axel’s exclamation cut through the silence as Ken’s blade made sharp contact, destroying Axel’s magic shield and sending him skidding backward across the damp ground.
Axel landed hard, the impact jarring through him. He lay there for a moment, panting, trying to regain his bearings under the watchful eyes of his teammates.
Ken lowered his weapon and offered Axel a small nod of respect. His voice was calm, imbued with a sense of camaraderie. “This is why they recommend players to be in a team. To support each other’s weaknesses.”
Kane, who had been watching anxiously, jumped at the chance to lighten the mood. “Right on! Soooo…. Do we really need to do this training then?”
Axel managed to sit up, his breath still heavy. His voice was exhausted but carried a hint of revelation. “Ye-yeah… It helps open your eyes to some of your shortcomings.”
Ken extended a hand to help Axel up, his smirk playful. “Good game—err, I mean… training.”
Axel took his hand, smiling weakly as he steadied himself. “Thanks! I already knew I wasn’t going to win this.” He chuckled softly, the sound tinged with humility and a touch of self-deprecation.
Ken’s expression softened, his respect for Axel evident. “What do you mean? You did well despite being a mage. As you said, this is a team effort.”
Kane clapped his hands enthusiastically, giving them both a thumbs up. “Nice one! You both did great!”
Encouraged by the sportsmanship, Axel rallied his energy, his leader instincts kicking in. “Alright, everyone! Let’s move on to the next one! No time to waste!”
“Got it!” Kane responded, his voice echoing Axel’s determination.
Alt, always observant, placed her hand on Kane’s shoulder, her gesture firm yet reassuring. “Let’s go.”
Kane shuddered slightly under her touch, his anxiety palpable. “O-ok…”
Kane vs. Alt – A Short-Lived Victory
Kane and Alt stepped onto the battlefield, the wind picking up slightly as if sensing the tension thickening between them. The torches lining the training ground flickered, emitting shifting shadows against the stone walls. Despite the cool air, Kane could feel the warmth of adrenaline coursing through him.
He had trained for this. He was ready for this.
Axel, standing at the edge of the battlefield, raised a hand. “Okay! Let’s start!”
Kane wasted no time. He immediately distanced himself, rolling back and swiftly pulling an arrow from his quiver. With steady hands, he nocked it, drew back his bowstring, and let the arrow fly.
But—
He missed.
Alt barely acknowledged the projectile as she dodged effortlessly, her movements fluid and precise. Before Kane could adjust his aim, she rushed forward, closing the gap between them with terrifying speed.
Kane panicked, his mind screaming at his body to move—and instinct took over.
Without thinking, he flipped.
His body twisted in the air, barely managing a backflip just as Alt attempted to trip him. His boots skidded against the ground upon landing, his heart hammering in his chest.
Kane’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Woah! I’m awesome!” His thoughts raced, (“That intense training paid off!”)
Alt paused briefly, her sharp blue eyes analyzing his movement. Then, to Kane’s utter surprise, a small smirk tugged at her lips. She nodded slightly in approval.
Kane’s grin stretched wide, pride swelling in his chest—
Then it disappeared.
Alt vanished from sight.
His body stiffened, eyes darting frantically to track her movement. But before he could react—
THUD.
He was down.
Kane groaned as he hit the ground hard, his vision spinning. A shadow loomed over him.
Alt stood with her arms crossed, her expression calm but firm. “Don’t get too overconfident. This can happen.”
Kane’s swirly eyes spun in confusion. “Ughhh…”
A gloved hand extended toward him.
Alt helped him up without a word.
Axel, who had been watching intently, beamed. “Kane! That was pretty awesome! I took notes!” His voice carried genuine enthusiasm, clearly impressed.
Kane groggily shook his head but managed a grin. “Hehe… Thanks! You should get Alt to train you too! That helped a lot!”
Axel nodded, mentally filing the thought away for later.
Madden, standing with his arms crossed, gave Kane a small thumbs-up. “Not bad, shortie.”
Damon smirked, stretching his arms. “Welp, looks like me and Madden are ne—”
Suddenly—
A loud siren blared through the air.
The battlefield, once filled with laughter and camaraderie, fell into an eerie silence.
A City Under Siege
The air trembled as a sharp robotic female voice echoed through the skies, cutting through the tension like a blade.
[System Announcement]
Emergency Event Activated!
"Greetings, players. A surprise event has been placed for everyone to enjoy. A Crystal Nesticia has begun its attack on the city of Sethia. The first party to land the last killing blow on the destructive creature will be given a mysterious reward to aid them on their journey to the end. Best of luck to all players. Journey on!"
The message faded into the wind, but the sound of distant destruction quickly replaced it. The crash of collapsing buildings, the roar of chaos—it was surreal. The city was under siege.
A loud, unearthly screech tore through the air, an ear deafening sound that sent a ripple of dread through the team. It was followed by the crashing noise of what could only be described as pure devastation. Buildings crumbled under the weight of the attack, their remains scattering like dust in the wind.
Kane froze, eyes wide with disbelief. “A Nesticia?! What’s a high-level monster doing in the city?!”
Axel’s expression darkened, the weight of the situation sinking in. “I don’t like where this is going…”
Alt clicked her tongue, her voice cool but sharp. “Tsk… Seems like the game’s trying to lower our numbers by attacking our only safe zone.”
Madden clenched his fists at his sides, his jaw tightening with barely restrained anger. “Players are too scared to advance through the game, so they’re resorting to this… Fucking psychos…”
Damon grimaced, his eyes scanning the chaos beyond them. “We can’t get the low-levels out in time… They’ll be annihilated before they make it to the next city.”
Kane’s frantic voice broke through the tense silence. “What do we do, Axel?!”
Ken, his face set in a serious expression, turned toward Axel, waiting for his leadership. “It’s your call, Boss. We’ll follow your lead.”
Axel took a deep breath, his gaze narrowing as his hands clenched into fists. His mind raced, but his resolve solidified.
Axel’s voice rang out with unwavering determination. “We gotta beat this son of a gun. We’ll take down that Nesticia!”
The team, a mix of fear and resolve in their eyes, responded as one.
“You got it, Boss!”
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