In a blink Ethan dashes at Anthony who couldn’t even react. His speed couldn’t be compared to the one he had before. As he reaches Anthony, he stops, his feet remaining in the ground. He prepared a heavy blow, his feet making cracks in the floor from the strength he was putting into that attack. Aimed directly at the upper body. That blow had everything. Precision, speed and strength. Anthony who saw the point to do a parry, was completely outspeed and was only able to minimize the damage. The huge blow impacted Anthony’s spear’s body, leaving a crack in it.

That blow push him back. His whole body trembling. He was having a hard time just to maintain a his guard up. Ethan didn't left him time to think and dashed at him again. Thanks to the injury in his leg Ethan couldn’t run as fast, so when he threw one more blow, Anthony jumped back to evade it. Even with that, the attack from Ethan cut two fingers of his left hand.

“AGGGGGGGH.” Anthony was in a huge pain.

“I'm just a D rank character right? You were lucky that I have this injury right here.” Says Ethan pointing at his still bleeding wounded leg.

Ethan rests his sword on his shoulder as he talks. “Give me the core of the boss, let me claim the rewards and I won’t kill you.” I’m about to win, but still, I’m having this feeling that something is not right. What is it?

Anthony, who was supported on his spear, starts talking with a cocky smirk at Ethan. “Let me ask you something Ethan. Do you think you have won?”

What does he mean? Does he still have something under his sleeve? “Yeah, pretty much. You nearly can’t stay standing and your neck is at a good distance from my sword.”

Anthony looks with a serious expression, just to start laughing out of nowhere “Ha. HAhahahaha. You haven’t changed a bit. You had this same issue when we were on the same team. When you get the advantage you always let your guard down.”

Anthony stabilizes himself in a better position. “Do you think that I could have beaten the boss alone? Someone you know came with me.”

Suddenly an incredible pressure could be felt from inside the room where the rewards of the boss awaited. Ethan started to sweat. He couldn’t believe this power. It is absurd, how could someone be so powerful when this game just started a few weeks ago.

In a moment he could see a silver haired woman coming out of the room. Just walking. He then felt it. A familiar sensation. It is not the first time I have this sensation. When Jack saved him in the cave of lizards he also felt the same and had that feeling. Fuck, a Rank S.

Ethan step backed a bit and adopted a fighting stance. Sweating and trembling. Breathing heavily. His heart beating at a high speed.

Name: Aria Larkspur

Level: 45

Character rank: S

Class: Bow and dagger warrior(2nd Tier Mercenary)

Weapon: S-Rank Convertible Galadhon Bow (Named Bow, Legolas)

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Unique skill: Predator's Focus[A] Lv5, Dancing Blades[B] Lv7(Class Skill), Phantom Stride[A] Lv6, Duelist's Agility[A] Lv3, Piercing Tempest[B](Class Skill) Lv8, Veil of Eternity[S] Lv2, Death's Embrace[A] Lv1(Evolved skill)

The moment Ethan saw his name his face took an expression of losing all hope. As if they had just pierced him multiple times in the chest. He lost his stance. Aria?

Aria spoke-”Veil of Eternity” {Allows the user to slow or stop the time for every enemy, depending on the level each enemy in its range}

Suddenly everything stopped, Ethan got a flashback, when Jack Hawkfire saved him. I can’t die here. Move. Get your guard up. COME ON, MOVE BODY!

He leaves aside that feeling and focuses solely on the battle. He gets his fighting stance again. There is no difference in level so the skill will only slow him. I can do this.

That’s what Ethan thought. But reality is more cruel than what someone can think.

Aria-”What a pain. Phantom Stride”. {Allows the user to get in the user shadow and teleport to another shadow in a range}.

Before Ethan could even blink, Aria already had emerged from his shadow. She transformed her bow into two daggers joined with the bows string. “Death's Embrace”. {When attacking from the back of an enemy allows Aria to aim precisely to 4 different vital points with increased accuracy, speed and power. This skill is the evolution of the backstab skill.}

Aria was about to stab precisely into Ethan's vital points. The first stab was aimed at the back's upper body, directly to the heart. Ethan was able to bend his back to dodge, but still received a scratch all across his chest. The second stab aimed at his head. Ethan was able to block it completely with his sword. The next stab was aimed at its flank, just below the ribs. Again , he dodge just barely jumping back as he landed the injured leg made him lose balance and the last stab was aimed directly to his other leg. Ethan was unable to react and the dagger pierced his thigh. Aria takes that dagger back and with a spin ends his attack.

The Veil of Eternity stopped working. “Tch, I haven't mastered it yet. So Ethan, it seems that you have a huge problem, huh.” Ethan, who didn't feel pain because of his skill, but still was breathing heavily from the exhaustion, looked at her from the floor.

{Due to the huge damage you just received in little time, temporary patch time will be decreased by 2 minutes. Soul stat time will be decreased. All your buffs time will be decreased.}

Ethan starts coughing blood. His body telling him to stop. “Damn, it seems that I’m really fucked this time.”

Anthony then talks from behind. ”That's what happens when you try to do everything alone despite being a D rank character.”

Ethan looked down for a moment. He heard a brief sound behind him and knew what was coming now. He smiled and looked again at Anthony and at Aria. Yeah, that could have been a problem when I played this game before.

Ethan starts laughing. “Hahahahahaha.”.He sighs. “You really think that I came here all alone? Nah, I already tried that several times in some of my many attempts to complete this game. The solitary path was impossible to complete. I did all I could but in the end most of the time. The feeling of being alone and burden every wound, every enemy, made my own character commit suicide in every run. The moment I met my best friend I promised myself that no matter what I wouldn't die alone anymore.

Ethan looked at them again smiling. “Don't worry, it's too early for me to die here. Right, Astrid?

Suddenly in Ethan’s shadow someone emerged, and in a second it reached Aria, who blocked an attack with her daggers that sent her flying back. On the dust generated from the clash a feminine figure could be appreciated. Anthony couldn’t believe it, how could someone enter here and send Aria flying with just an attack.

The figure started talking while the dust was dissipating. “Uh, well blocked girl.”

The dust dissipated and a woman could be seen. “Am I late, Ethan?

“Nah, perfect timing”

Suddenly on the woman's back a guy teleported. A man with a mage outfit appeared. “Damn Ethan, you look like you're having a hard time.”