“Positions!” I barked.

The team moved quickly, each falling into their assigned roles. Artemeni was in front, and Thalia and I brought the rear.

“They’re closer than I thought,” Aurora murmured, adjusting her glasses as her gaze flickered to me. “They’re splitting into two groups—one small and fast, the other slower but heavier. They’re trying to bait us.”

I closed my eyes for a second.

“The small group is either ranger and support or ranger and ganker. Hm. We will be going after them first. Gökbörü, I need you to pull the other group away but don’t get caught. Best if you can get them to Aurora’s traps. Do you understand?”

Gökbörü tilted his head for a moment, his sapphire-like eyes narrowing in understanding. He let out a low growl of acknowledgment before bounding off into the shadows, his snow-white fur blending into the icy terrain.

“Alright,” I said, refocusing on the team. “Aurora, stay sharp. If they start to dismantle the traps or use them against us, signal immediately. Artemeni, you will be drawing the aggro. Thalia, hang back and be ready to reinforce or heal as needed. Blanche—ice walls to funnel the small group into a kill zone.”

Blanche’s jaw tightened, but she gave a curt nod, mana already gathering in her palms. “Understood.”

I manifested several arrows so I don’t have to do it in mid-combat.

"We take out the small group fast and clean. No wasting energy, no giving them a chance to regroup. We will use Drake Soul and finish this floor.”

(You acquired the passive skill Drake’s Soul. Having slain the four elemental drakes, your team has absorbed the combined might of fire, earth, water, and wind. The Drake Soul empowers you with unparalleled resilience, strength, and versatility.)

(All stats increases by 10 for the next 10 minutes.)

(Health and mana regeneration increase by 25% for 10 minutes.)

(Resistance to all elements and physical attacks increases by 20% for 10 minutes.)

(Damage dealt is increased by 10%, with an additional 5% elemental damage that rotates between fire, water, earth, and wind every 10 seconds for 10 minutes.)

Unlike other base drake buffs, this one had a time limit probably to create some kind of balance. While it sucked that we had to hurry, it was still a lot of time to finish the job.

Aurora adjusted her glasses, the faint glow intensifying as she monitored the enemy’s movements. I wondered if her glasses were enhanced or if this was a spell she created.

“The small group is heading east—trying to loop around to flank us. If they keep this pace, they’ll hit the outer traps in thirty seconds.”

“Good,” I replied, my voice steady. “Let them think they’re being clever. Blanche, prepare an ice barrier behind them once they trigger the traps. Box them in.”

Blanche smirked faintly, a dangerous glint in her eye. “Consider it done.”

The team moved like clockwork, each member falling into their role with precision honed by countless battles. Aurora's traps gleamed faintly in the distance, a web of mana waiting to spring which I could only see thanks to Enhanced Perception. I kept my eyes on the horizon, trusting Gökbörü to handle the distraction with his typical agility and instincts.

A faint shimmer rippled through the air—a trigger. Aurora’s traps had been breached.

“They’ve hit the first layer,” Aurora confirmed, her voice taut with focus. “No hesitation. They’re moving fast.”

“Blanche, now!” I ordered.

Blanche raised her arms, mana flaring like a blizzard in a storm. With a swift motion, jagged ice walls erupted behind the enemy group, cutting off their retreat. The shimmering ice glowed faintly with the cold precision of her craft, each barrier thick and unyielding.

“They’re boxed in,” Blanche said, her voice as cold as the ice she created.

“Artemeni, engage! Aurora, get ready to disrupt any spellcasting.” I nocked one of my manifested arrows onto the Shadowchaser’s Eclipsebow. Its dark sheen hummed faintly. Artemeni surged forward, her presence drawing the attention of the small group. A ranger and a support mage, just as I suspected. The ranger’s arrows flew toward Artemeni, but her shield skillfully deflected the shots, her movements precise and deliberate.

The support mage began to chant, their staff glowing with preparation for a spell, but Aurora was already on them. A glowing rune flared under the mage’s feet, releasing a concussive burst that interrupted the chant.

“Thalia, now!” I called.

Thalia’s magic surged, reinforcing Artemeni’s speed and strength. The effect was immediate; Artemeni closed the distance to the ranger in a flash, her blade striking with terrifying force. The ranger’s desperate dodge was too slow, and blood sprayed as Artemeni’s spear found its mark.

The mage raised their staff in panic, trying to cast a defensive spell, but Aurora was merciless. Another rune exploded beneath them, forcing them to stagger back directly into the icy barrier. I loosed an arrow, its tip glowing faintly with elemental energy. It struck true, piercing the mage’s chest and ending their resistance.

“Small group neutralized,” Artemeni confirmed, her breathing even as she scanned for additional threats. Her shield was chipped, but her stance was unshaken.

“Well done,” I said. “Now let’s regroup before—”

Aurora’s glasses flared again. “The larger group… They’ve hit the traps but are bulldozing through them! Gökbörü’s drawing them into the second layer, but they’ll reach us in under a minute.”

“Then we hold here,” I said, planting myself firmly. “Blanche, rebuild the barriers behind us to funnel them into a tighter choke point. Thalia, enhance my speed and power. Aurora, keep disrupting. Artemeni, you’re still the frontline.”

“And you?” Artemeni asked, her tone curious but calm.

“I’ll be their executioner.”

I stepped forward, my mana pooling into my body. The Drake Soul’s buff surged through me, its combined elemental energy crackling like a storm beneath my skin. My Shadowchaser’s Eclipsebow shimmered in the cold light, resonating with my intent.

Gökbörü appeared in the distance, his snow-white fur streaked with blood that wasn’t his own. He bounded toward us, the larger enemy group close on his tail. There were 3 of them. A dual-wielding ganker, a massive tank that looked like a wall instead of a human being, and lastly a levitating mage wearing skimpy clothes and black orbs made of mana orbiting her.

“Showoff.”

Aurora’s reaction made me chuckle despite the situation we were in. Gökbörü dashed past me, his sapphire eyes flashing as he gave a brief glance back, a silent confirmation that the bait had been set. I shifted my stance, my muscles coiling as the larger group entered the funnel created by Blanche’s ice barriers.

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

“Eyes sharp!” I barked but before I could mutter another word, something ridiculous happened. The tank smashed his shield into the ground, it growing in size until it was the size of a fortress wall, cutting our line of sight of them. Yet the bullshit didn’t end here. The wall moved towards us. It was slow at first but it sped up as it approached closer.

Both Aurora and I threw our attacks towards it, but it only managed to slow it down slightly.

“Fuck this! We are not going to play their game. Enter the jungle! They won’t be able to follow us with that ridiculous shield! Then flank behind them! Go! Go! Go!”

The team didn’t hesitate. Despite the disagreement in our group, they were left behind as everyone was determined to clear the second floor and we moved as one into the dense jungle terrain surrounding the battlefield.

“Gökbörü, with me!” I called. The pup darted to my side, his sapphire eyes gleaming with readiness. “Lead us around them. Take us to their flank, but keep quiet.”

The jungle was dense, its twisted branches and thick underbrush forming natural barriers that made movement treacherous. Yet this was to our advantage. The enemy’s massive shield would be nearly useless here, and their momentum would falter in the tighter spaces.

“They’re advancing slowly,” Aurora whispered. “That wall's giving them confidence, but they’re losing sight of us.”

“Perfect,” I muttered. “Aurora, keep tabs on the mage. She’s the real threat.”

Aurora nodded a faint grin on her lips. “Already on it. Her mana flow is erratic—looks like she’s setting up a wide-range spell. We’ll need to interrupt her soon.”

I clicked my tongue.

“Probably a fire spell aiming to flush us out of the forest. I've seen it before.”

Gökbörü growled low, signaling the enemy’s position as we looped around. Through the gaps in the dense jungle, I caught glimpses of the tank’s absurd wall moving sluggishly forward, bulldozing through trees and terrain alike. The mage hovered behind, her orbs of mana swirling in a complex rhythm. The ganker darted from shadow to shadow, clearly searching for us.

“They’re spread out,” Aurora murmured. “The ganker’s too far ahead. If we move now, we can isolate them.”

“Agreed,” I replied, the plan forming in my mind. “Artemeni, take the lead. Go for the ganker but don’t get baited. Aurora, disrupt the mage’s rhythm. Blanche, prepare a freezing field to immobilize the tank. Gökbörü, you and I will clean up any stragglers.”

The air grew tense as we closed the distance. Every step was measured, every breath controlled. When we were within striking range, I gave the signal.

“Now!”

Artemeni exploded from the underbrush, her spear flashing like a thunderbolt. The ganker barely had time to react, their dual blades rising in a desperate block. The clash sent a shockwave through the jungle, but Artemeni’s sheer force overwhelmed them, driving them back.

The mage reacted instantly, her orbs spinning faster as she raised her staff. But Aurora was already on her. Several magic missiles aimed for her body but the orbs moved to block them. I notched an arrow on the Shadowchaser’s Eclipsebow, its dark energy resonating with the Drake Soul’s elemental rotation. The tip glowed with fire as I loosed it at the mage. The arrow struck her shoulder, the elemental burst of fire staggering her further.

Gökbörü darted in, his jaws snapping at the mage’s staff. But at the same time, Gökbörü’s Combat Instincts flared, screaming out “Danger!”

“Gökbörü, no!”

I tried to notch another arrow but my hand shook, causing me to drop my arrow. I didn’t know whatever it was because of stress or exhaustion but the only thing I could do at that moment was watch as the orbs changed shape into drills and flew to his body. For a second the scenery in front of me changed into a destroyed city, reminiscent of my failure to protect my own world.

“Howl!”

But that didn’t happen. Lightning crackled and snowflakes fell upon us with a sharp howl and Gökbörü transformed into a horse-sized beast. The drills pierced his body but they were like needles to him now. He leaped towards the mage, tearing her throat with a single bite.

The sight of Gökbörü’s transformation was both awe-inspiring and chilling. His snow-white fur was now streaked with frost and arcs of lightning, his sapphire eyes blazing with primal ferocity. The aura emanating from him felt ancient and untamed—a true Heir of the Wolf King.

The mage's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, her orbs dissipating into harmless wisps of mana. But there was no time to savor the victory. The tank roared, the sound reverberating like an avalanche, as he abandoned his shield to charge toward us with surprising speed.

“Blanche! Freeze him now!” I commanded.

Blanche extended her hands, and a wave of icy mana surged forward. The ground beneath the tank erupted in jagged spikes of frost, locking his legs in place. He bellowed in frustration, his muscles bulging as he strained against the frozen prison.

“Focus fire on him!” I barked, my bow already raised. The Drake Soul's elemental rotation shifted to earth, the arrow glowing with the dull orange of molten stone. I loosed it, the projectile slamming into the tank’s shoulder with explosive force, staggering him further.

Artemeni disengaged from the ganker with a brutal shield bash, turning her attention to the immobilized tank. Her spear spun in her hands, and a whirlwind of precise strikes pierced through the tank’s thick armor.

The ganker, realizing their allies were faltering, attempted to retreat into the shadows. But Aurora anticipated the move. A rune flared to life under the ganker’s feet, releasing a blinding pulse of light illuminating the jungle like a midday sun.

“No running!” Aurora snarled, her glasses glinting ominously.

Gökbörü, still in his transformed state, pounced on the disoriented ganker with terrifying speed. His massive jaws clamped down on their arm, the sound of bones snapping echoing through the jungle. The ganker screamed, their dual blades falling uselessly to the ground as Gökbörü tossed them aside like a ragdoll.

“Artemeni, finish the tank!” I yelled.

She didn’t need to be told twice. With a battle cry that sent chills down my spine, she drove her spear through the tank’s chest, the force shattering the icy prison and skewering him to the ground. The tank let out a final, gurgling breath before going still.

The battlefield fell silent, save for the faint crackle of ice and the heavy breathing of my team. I lowered my bow, the Drake Soul’s energy still coursing through me but already beginning to wane.

“Is everyone okay?” I asked, my voice steady despite the pounding of my heart.

“Minor scratches,” Artemeni replied, wiping blood from her spear. “Nothing serious.”

“Same here,” Aurora added, though she adjusted her glasses with a slightly shaky hand. “That mage was more dangerous than I expected.”

Blanche nodded silently, her face pale but resolute. She’d expended a lot of mana during the fight, but she showed no signs of complaint.

Gökbörü padded over to me, his massive form shrinking back down to his usual puppy size. His fur was damp with blood, but his sapphire eyes sparkled with pride before he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

“Is he…”

Thalia asked.

“Asleep. That transformation must tired him greatly. Come on let’s destroy the base and finish this floor.”

(You have cleared the second floor of the War God’s Battle Area.)