Chloe: "Saber?"

Saber: "Feeling dizzy," he said, his face sleepy.

Chloe: "You’re feeling dizzy? Take this!" She handed him a potion bottle. Saber drank it, and Chloe helped him stand up. "Do you have healing potions?" she asked.

Saber: "Yeah, and where is that gutter grunt?"

Chloe: "You mean him?" She pointed to the left. The ogre was being pushed back by the mages (Ergo & Argil) and Marco, while Lead was choking the ogre’s neck.

Saber: "He’s in a really pitiful state, isn’t he?"

Chloe: "Yupp!" she said with a smile.

Saber did something on the screen, and a healing effect appeared around him. Chloe was shocked. "How did you do that?" she asked.

Saber, confused: "What now?"

Chloe: "No, how were you able to use the potion when you didn’t even drink it?"

Saber: "You can’t do that?"

Chloe: "Of course not."

Crap! I think this is one of those ‘Player Benefits’ which the system warned me about, Saber thought. "I think we should focus on the fight here," he said, nervously laughing.

Chloe: "Yeah, you’re right. Aw! I forgot about it." She put her hand behind her back.

Chloe: "Here." She handed Saber his black sword.

Saber: "Oh! I think I’ll be fine without it. I have unlocked ‘Arm’."

Marco: "I think my arms are going to fall off."

Lead: "We have to start slicing him."

Saber and Chloe smiled. "I think I’ll change my mind," Saber said, taking the sword.

Chloe: "You’re right."

The rope broke, and the ogre threw Marco and kicked Lead. Both slid towards the mages.

Saber: "So, what’s the plan?"

Ergo: "You know something, kid? You’re very lucky."

Argil: "Yeah, Chloe was worried about you the entire time."

Saber was surprised, and Chloe hid her face in embarrassment. "Really?" Saber asked.

Chloe turned back. "Hahaha… How cute!" Ergo said.

Lead: "What is your specialty?"

Saber: "Like?"

Marco: "A mage, a warrior?"

Saber: "I use close combat, decide yourself."

Lead: "Another warrior?"

Everybody took their stance. "Follow my lead!" Lead instructed.

Saber, Chloe, Marco, and Lead sprinted towards the ogre. A fist was incoming. Marco crossed his hands, and they became a shield. Saber and Chloe slashed the ogre’s knees, making it kneel. Lead punched its face, and Marco pushed it with the shield, causing the ogre to fall back.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Lead: "His health is really low. You two rookies take care of him."

Saber was shocked. No way, just a few swings took him to fall. These people are on another level, he thought, looking at the group. "Wait a minute? You ARE a rookie too?" Saber asked, his face scary. Chloe dodged eye contact. "Ahehehehe… Don’t know what you’re talking about?" she said.

Lead: "Look behind!"

Both looked back. The ogre had healed and stood up again. No way, Saber thought, his eyes wide in shock.

STATUS

King Ogre- 40 HP

Average HP remaining

Saber: He only healed himself physically, the HP is still the same. He looked at Chloe. But I don’t think that Chloe is able to see such details.

Chloe: "He-he healed himself? But how?"

Saber: Thought so… Wait.

Flashback:

* Player may use Player’s Benefits for or against NPCs but cannot reveal it.

Saber: I can use it but cannot reveal it. Alrighty then. He smiled. "Chloe, you stay behind him and keep stabbing him. I’ll get you the openings," he said, running ahead.

Chloe: "But…"

Saber: "He only ‘Sealed’ the wound, not ‘Healed’ them."

Chloe: "You sure?"

Saber: "Look at the knees carefully… He’s dragging them rather than walking."

Chloe: "You’re right."

Saber: "ON MY MARK!"

Chloe: "Understood!"

Lead giggled.

Argil: "What’s wrong?"

Lead: "Nothing, but the kid’s good at observation. Don’t you think, Marco?"

Marco: "Yeah, you’re correct. It would’ve been even difficult for me to notice too."

Lead: "Indeed."

Saber stopped. "Hey boiled egg! Catch me if you can," he taunted.

The ogre ran towards him. The legs were slashed, and the ogre fell.

Saber: "Still intact…"

Chloe: "You sure have really thick fat, don’t you?"

The ogre grabbed the ground.

Saber: "Hey potato head."

The ogre looked back. "Missed me?" Saber taunted, running towards him. Chloe slashed his legs again. He stood back up.

Chloe: "Hey sludge face."

The ogre looked at her. "Looking for company?" she taunted.

The ogre roared and threw a big stone at Saber. Saber’s eyes widened with a smile. His leg slipped, and he noticed.

BOOM! Right in front of the ogre’s face, holding the sword.

Saber: "You sure love to throw stones at people. DON’T YAA?" he swung the sword.

TING! The sword was blocked with the ogre’s teeth. The ogre punched Saber, tackling him into the wall.

Chloe: "SAB…" she started, but the ogre backhand slapped her, tackling her into the wall too.

Marco: "NO!" He tried to jump, but Lead stopped him.

Marco: "Are you out of your mind?"

Lead: "Chloe asked me for a chance. And it is crucial for the boy to understand the pros and cons that come with being an adventurer. If he gets too close, then I shall jump. Till then… Obey the order!" Lead’s face was scary.

The ogre walked towards Chloe.

Lead: "Come on, Saber. What’s wrong? The monster is going to tear apart your ‘Best Friend’ while you rest there."

Saber looked at the ogre. I told you, you were not made for this, Lead thought.

The ogre stopped and raised a fist. Lead jumped and rushed towards Chloe.

Incoming fist.

BOOM! Lead was confused. "She was not there!"

Marco: "Look there!"

Saber was carrying Chloe and looking back menacingly.

Lead: What happened to him? he thought, shocked.

Saber kept Chloe near the wall and walked straight towards the ogre, passing Lead.

Is he the same scared kid? Lead wondered.

The ogre roared, and both punches were incoming. Saber dodged both fists by tilting his face.

Argil: "How did he do that?"

Saber used double arms at the ogre’s gut.

System: "Leveled up to level 5."

Ergo: "Is that the same kid whom Lead chased away?"

The ogre missed another punch. Saber was about to punch but the ogre caught his fist and punched Saber, making him slide back. The ogre tried to punch Saber but missed every time. Claws incoming. Saber uppercut the ogre’s jaw. The ogre grabbed Saber’s waist and head. Both were struggling.

STATUS

Saber- 05 HP

ALERT! LOW HP!

Lightning sparked in Saber’s hand, and energy burst forth. Lead, Marco, Ergo, and Argil's faces showed their reactions. The ogre saw the smoke covering the image, and a light flashed, leaving the ogre confused. It looked back to see Saber holding the ‘Core Handle’ with aura waves covering him.

The ogre threw a rock at Saber, but he jumped, did an air split, grabbed the ogre’s head, pulled it back, and stabbed it in the back before backflipping. Saber took a run stance with both swords in hand. The ogre ran towards him, coming up close. A punch was about to be delivered, but a white X appeared in the black panel.

Ergo, Argil, Marco, and Lead’s faces showed their reactions. Saber was standing behind the ogre at a distance. The ogre looked back with bloody eyes, tried to move, but its dismantled limbs fell. Saber walked towards it.

Argil: "Who…"

Ergo: "Exactly…"

Marco: "Is…"

Lead: "This kid?"

Saber placed his left foot on the ogre’s face, his demonic smile showing. The ogre screamed in fright as Saber shoved the black sword into the creature’s face. Saber turned his head towards the group, and they stared at him while he stared back.

The aftermath of the battle showed Saber surrounded in aura with both swords in hand.