Lyra was very scared. "Absolutely not," she said. "Ren, look at that thing! That is a Royal Guard. It is a B-Rank monster. We have to leave. Now."
Ren did not look scared. He looked excited. "We are not fighting the whole nest, Lyra. We just need to take him out of the way."
"And how will we do that?" she asked.
"I have a plan," Ren said. His voice was calm and serious. "I will be the bait. I will get its attention and lead it away from the nest. When it is far away, we will fight it together."
It was a very dangerous plan. It was a crazy plan. But Lyra looked at Ren's confident face, and she trusted him. "...Okay," she said. "What is the plan?"
"Stay hidden. Be ready," Ren said.
He stepped out from behind the tree. He picked up a rock and threw it. The rock hit a tree near the Royal Guard. The big wasp monster turned its head. Then, Ren stepped out where it could see him.
"Hey, ugly!" he shouted. "Looking for me?"
The Royal Guard made a very angry sound. It left its spot at the entrance of the nest and charged at Ren. Ren turned and ran. He was very fast, but he made sure to stay just close enough for the monster to follow him. He led it far away from the nest, into an open area.
Then, Ren stopped running. He turned and raised his sword. The Royal Guard lunged, its giant stinger aimed at Ren's heart.
The fight was very hard. The Guard was much stronger and faster than the normal drones. Ren had to use all his speed just to dodge its attacks. His sword scraped against the Guard's hard, black shell. It was like hitting a wall of steel. Only the [Piercing Edge] of his sword did any real damage.
The Guard spit a ball of yellow venom. Ren jumped out of the way just in time. The venom hit a tree, and the tree started to melt and smoke.
"Ren, its joints!" Lyra shouted. She had run around the fight and was hiding in the trees.
Ren heard her. He faked an attack to the monster's head. When the Guard lifted its claw to block, Ren dropped low and pushed his sword into the joint of its leg. The sword went in deep.
The monster screamed in pain. It swung its giant stinger wildly. Ren was too close to dodge it all. The edge of the stinger cut his side. It was not a deep cut, but it was painful. It was the first time Ren had been hurt.
The Guard saw that Ren was hurt and focused all its anger on him. But that was its mistake. Lyra charged out from the trees. She slammed her cracked shield into the monster's head. The hit was not strong, but it surprised the monster for one second.
One second was all Ren needed. He ignored the pain in his side. He saw his chance. He pushed forward with all his strength. His sword, Sting of the Queen, went deep into the Royal Guard's neck joint.
The big monster froze. The fight was over. It fell to the ground, dead.
Ren was breathing hard. His side was bleeding. But he had won. His System screen was full of messages.
[You have defeated: Glimmerwasp Royal Guard (Level 32)]
[System Glitch Active! x10 Reward Multiplier!]
[You have gained 25,000 EXP!]
...
[You have leveled up! You have reached Level 13!]
[You have obtained [Pristine Royal Stinger] x1]
Lyra ran to his side. "You're hurt!"
Ren smiled, full of victory. He used a healing potion, and the cut on his side began to close. His eyes were already looking at the entrance to the nest. It was now open.
"Phase one is done," he said. "Now for the fun part."