Upon arriving at the Adventurer's Guild lobby, the usual bustle of adventurers immediately filled their ears. Without wasting a moment, Party Noiver marched toward the main bulletin board.
However, before they could even begin sorting through the mission scrolls, the sound of hurried footsteps approached them.
"There you are! You've finally arrived!"
Bella, the guild receptionist, appeared with a look of slight anxiety on her face. She held a specialized mission scroll in her hand.
"What perfect timing! Could the four of you investigate the cave located in Treeze Forest, to the west of Verna City?" Bella asked, holding out the parchment. "There are reports of an abnormal mana surge there. Since this is potentially dangerous, I only feel comfortable entrusting this to you."
Keyzier took the scroll, scanned its contents for a moment, and smirked. "A mana anomaly investigation, huh? Sounds interesting. Alright, we'll do it."
"Thank you, Keyzier. Please, be careful." Bella said with a tone of relief.
Once the mission stamp was confirmed, Party Noiver promptly left the city's clamor and headed for the western gate.
The journey to Treeze Forest took about an hour on foot. As soon as they stepped into the woods, the atmosphere shifted drastically. Sunlight struggled to pierce through the thick canopy, making the forest feel damp and dimly lit.
Bzzzt! Bzzzt!
A loud humming of wings echoed from behind the bushes. A moment later, a swarm of Yellow Bees, giant bee monsters the size of adult dogs, emerged their venomous stingers aimed directly at the party.
"Annoying pests." Donovan muttered, looking bored.
For novice adventurers, Yellow Bees were a serious Rank-D threat due to their paralyzing venom. But for Party Noiver, this was nothing more than a light warm-up.
"We'll handle this!" Keyzier said casually.
In a matter of seconds, Donovan's sword dance and Keyzier's flickers of lightning magic wiped out the swarm. The monster carcasses fell to the ground without a single stinger even brushing against the party's clothes.
"Not bad, these parts can be sold." Keyzier commented pragmatically as he gathered the remains.
After storing the loot in his inventory, they pushed deeper into the woods until they finally stood before a cave entrance that gaped wide like the maw of a giant beast. A cold draft mixed with dense mana pressure blew out from the cavern, a sensation that would make any ordinary person's skin crawl.
"This energy... it's so thick." Novalia whispered, sensing the mana flow in the air.
"Looks like we've arrived." Keyzier exclaimed, his face looking as relieved as if he had just found a playground.
"Let's head in, Key!" Donovan challenged, drawing his sword.
Novalia and Evaliza nodded in agreement. Moving in a tight combat formation, Party Noiver stepped into the darkness.
The cave interior was damp and cluttered with sharp stalactites. However, their main concern wasn't the rocks around them, but the dozens of glowing red eyes staring from the shadows.
Grrrr...
Low growls echoed. One by one, silhouettes of jet-black wolves emerged. These were Black Wolves, Rank-C monsters known for their speed, sharp claws, and the ability to breathe fireballs.
"There are so many of them." Evaliza whispered, her hand gripping her bow tightly.
"Liza, focus on sniping from the back! Nova, buff us! Novan and I will charge the front line!" Keyzier commanded firmly.
"Okay!"
Novalia raised her staff. A golden light shimmered beautifully around her body.
"Strength, Agility, Sense, and Mana Regen!"
In an instant, four types of buff magic were cast upon her three comrades simultaneously.
Evaliza's eyes widened in shock. She could feel her body becoming significantly lighter, her vision sharpening, and her magical power overflowing. What amazed her wasn't just the effect, but Novalia's precision.
Ordinary support mages usually just gave standard buffs. However, Novalia calculated the mana capacity and physical endurance of each member in real-time. If a buff was too strong for a weak body, it would turn into a toxin (debuff) that damaged the user. But Novalia's execution was perfect.
"Your durations are different!" Novalia shouted as the battle erupted. "Keyzier has 16 seconds, Donovan has 24, and Evaliza has 25! Make every second count!"
The reason Keyzier's duration was so short was that his physical capacity and mana output were so far above average that the buff burned through his system much faster.
"Sixteen seconds? That's more than enough!" Keyzier lunged forward.
Evaliza nearly forgot to breathe as she watched the scene before her. Keyzier moved at a speed that was difficult for the naked eye to follow. He slashed through a Black Wolf's neck with a short sword in his right hand, while his left hand unleashed bursts of ice and lightning magic interchangeably. All without a single chant.
His movements weren't just fast. They were a masterclass in efficient slaughter.
On the other side, Donovan fought like a fire dancer. His greatsword swung lightly as if weightless, each strike accompanied by a burst of flames that incinerated his foes. He utilized close-range magic without a shred of hesitation.
So this is the true power of Party Noiver... Evaliza thought in awe. She remembered Keyzier's earlier words about fighting on the front lines while using magic. It wasn't a boast. It was a reality.
"Liza, focus on your arrows! Don't daze off!" Novalia's shout snapped Evaliza back to reality.
"Ah! Right!"
Evaliza drew her bowstring. Thanks to Novalia's buff and the power of her new bow, she released an arrow coated in wind magic.
Woosh! Zip!
A single arrow pierced through the heads of two Black Wolves at once.
"Great shot, Liza! You're amazing!" Keyzier praised her mid-combat.
Hearing the praise, Evaliza's cheeks flushed slightly. Meanwhile, in the back, Novalia puffed out her cheeks in a hint of jealousy, her concentration wavering for a split second before she shook her head to refocus on the buff timers.
It didn't take long for the pack of Black Wolves to be completely wiped out.
After collecting the spoils, they continued deeper until they found a massive stone door standing wide open. Without hesitation, they stepped through.
Slam!
The stone door shut automatically as soon as Evaliza's last foot cleared the threshold. Torches along the walls ignited simultaneously, illuminating a vast, arena-like chamber.
In the center of the room stood a three-meter-tall monster with fur as hard as steel. It was a Black Werewolf, a Rank-A monster. In its hands, it gripped two massive, rusted yet razor-sharp swords.
"Grraaaaaaahh!!"
The monster's roar shook the cave walls. Its killing intent was far more suffocating than the pack of wolves from before.
"This is no ordinary wolf." Donovan said seriously. "I'm certain he's incredibly strong."
Without warning, the Black Werewolf swung its sword.
Slash!
A sharp blade of wind hurtled toward them. Donovan leaped forward and parried it with his sword. Clang!
But the monster didn't stop. It crossed its blades, channeling fire in its left hand and wind in its right. They never expected a monster to be capable of using two-elemental magic simultaneously.
"Watch out!" Keyzier yelled.
The combination of the two elements created a roaring wave of flaming slashes that tore toward them.
"Holy Barrier!"
Novalia raised her staff. A wall of transparent light appeared, shielding them. The fire slammed into the barrier with violent force, creating a heat explosion that made sweat pour down their faces.
"Ugh... what terrifying power..." Novalia hissed, feeling the vibration through her staff. "If we took that hit unprotected, we'd be ashes by now!"
Keyzier glared at the monster. He immediately formulated a strategy.
"Liza, use your magic arrows to harass him from a distance! Nova, maintain a specialized barrier to protect Liza! Novan and I will draw his attention at close range!"
"Got it!" they replied in unison.
Novalia refreshed their buffs, focusing this time on speed and physical power. Keyzier and Donovan charged from the left and right. Their coordinated combination forced the Black Werewolf onto the defensive, the sound of clashing metal filling the room.
From a distance, Evaliza aimed calmly. "Take this!"
Splat!
A water-element arrow shot out, but the monster moved with unnatural speed, dodging the arrow simply by tilting its head. Its crimson gaze shifted to Evaliza. It had identified the long-range threat.
"Grrrr!"
Ignoring Keyzier and Donovan, the Black Werewolf leaped high into the air, intending to cleave Evaliza apart with both swords.
"Liza!" Donovan screamed.
Evaliza froze as she saw the giant monster descending upon her. However, Novalia didn't flinch.
"Absolute Shield!"
A layered barrier manifested in front of Evaliza, absorbing the impact of the monster's swords.
Crack! The barrier cracked, but it held against the fatal blow.
"Now, Key! Novan!" Novalia shouted.
Capitalizing on the moment the monster was focused on the shield, Keyzier and Donovan were already behind the Black Werewolf's wide-open back.
"Die!" Donovan roared.
Keyzier's short sword and Donovan's greatsword slashed through the monster's neck simultaneously from opposite directions.
Zrash!
The Black Werewolf's head was severed, flying through the air before rolling across the floor. Its massive body collapsed with a heavy thud.
"Hah... hah..." Donovan wiped sweat from his brow. "This monster was definitely a pain."
"Good work, everyone!" Keyzier praised, sheathing his weapon. "I'll take the carcass. I'm sure it'll fetch a high price."
However, just as they were about to clean up the battlefield, a blinding light appeared in the center of the room where the monster had stood.
An ancient, intricately carved treasure chest suddenly materialized out of thin air. The room fell into a sudden silence. They looked at each other in disbelief.
"Why did a chest suddenly appear here?" Keyzier asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.