In the unbearable adrenaline rush, I was tempted to pursue and continue the attack, but I saw my three comrades there, ready with their own action.

"[Overlimit], [Sorcery's Torch]," I whispered.

Overlimit would boost elemental damage but at the cost of my casting time, and in this situation I couldn't afford to waste even 1%. Sorcery's Torch served as a countermeasure for that weakness but it still wasn't enough—not enough if I was alone.

That's why playing in a party was truly a different experience, especially with skilled players in their respective roles. Still in my stance, pulling the bowstring taut and aiming it forward, I had received a barrage of magic buffs from Subtle. Under my HP bar, numerous buff icons were displayed, all prepared to maximize my potential and risk everything for this attack.

The agility of the Angler had been proven—he could withstand the attacks of my three highly skilled comrades. But the fact did not negate the existence of its absolute weakness; a point that we were earnestly targeting.

In the intense fight, Nomad parried the Angler's strikes with his sword but the force was too strong to be withstood by his body alone. Losing his balance, he prepared for the worst-case scenario when his body was vulnerable without defense.

Then it was Appa's halberd that intercepted the Angler's strong blow this time. "Ugh," he grunted. From the start, Appa was never a tank type. His status excelled in offense, and it was evident that enduring multiple powerful attacks carried its own burden. But thanks to that, a wide opportunity presented itself, where Ritta clenched her fist, fully prepared.

"You guys are truly amazing," I murmured.

Never did I expect that Nomad had also prepared a deceptive attack from behind Appa. His one-handed sword glowed with a clear yellow hue as if it was about to strike down his own comrade. However, Appa was acutely aware of the situation; his moves were a feint waiting to be revealed at that precise moment.

As if knew what the Angler was about to do, Appa moved to the side to allow himself to be hit by the Angler's staff that pushed him back. As the Angler diverted its attention to Ritta, who was only seconds away from landing her blow, a super-fast slash from Nomad struck the enemy's head.

"Uryaaaa!" he exclaimed in satisfaction.

The Angler was sent flying and bounced twice on the floor. It did not immediately get up; only trying and struggling to do so before falling back down.

I stayed in position without moving even an inch, as this was the perfect spot to unleash my skill. "[Magic Culverin]," I proclaimed.

Like firing a cannon, I was pushed back by the intense roar of the laser beam. Unlike other magic skills, this one did not have an aim-assist feature nor the ability to curve, only capable of flying straight to hit its target.

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The longer the skill charged more additional damage would be accumulated, but that wasn't what I meant. A high-level burn, even against boss-level enemies, which could hinder their movements and cause damage over time during the duration—will give us more openings rather than just normal damage.

Half of the Angler's upper body was engulfed by the laser beam, unable to offer any useful resistance. His HP immediately plummeted even further, showing no signs of stopping there.

"I thought Blue would use the fire element again."

"Laser... does that fall under the light element?"

"He keeps using these unfamiliar skills in my eyes."

It's a shame that I don't have a list of skills that are most suitable for fast-paced situations like this battle. Instead, the diversity of my magic skills becomes a glaring weakness, hindering my freedom in a real fight. I never imagined that I would regret choosing the skills that I once proudly showcased.

"[Overlimit], [Sorcery's Torch]," I said, brushing off the various comments from my comrades. "We don't have time for that, right?" I intended to join in their banter, but instead, I felt something strange happening to my body.

Did my skill finish casting right away? I wondered to myself.

Four blazing arrows instantly lined up on both of my shoulders, with one more ready on the bow. It shouldn't be like this; it usually takes a few seconds to fully prepare before releasing them, that's how it's always been.

“[Firebolt]!” Rather than being consumed by my own doubts, I confidently unleashed the five blazing arrows without hesitation, as if it had been my plan from the beginning.

The Angler that was still recovering from the knockdown and Magic Culverin’s side effect was hit by the absolute fire of arrows.

My companions' faces shone with enthusiastic admiration. However, our attention was diverted when Ritta looked my way and asked, "What's happening to you, senior?" Her face was visibly confused.

"What do you mean?" I want to ask back, but Nomad spoke up on behalf of everyone else.

"Is your eye seeing something else?" Appa added.

"Well, yeah. Senior's aura is multiplied from what I've seen before, and that eye." Ritta pointed out the anomaly straight to the point, where everyone began to take note- my right eye showing a change that couldn't go unnoticed by anyone who saw it.

"It's shone gold," they exclaimed almost in unison.

They probably already noticed something was off with my eyes from the first time we met, but they didn't question it at the time because it wasn't something particularly noteworthy. Players could customize their avatars with various features, including their eyes. However, I also didn't tell them that this was not customization, but a gift from my past failures.

That being said, I also just realized that there's one buff icon that I've never seen before. As if sensing what I'm noticing, my comrades chose their approach—to find out what the icon is.

Aether's Flux

Greatly ignores FCT during the duration.

"Is this for real?"

"What does 'greatly' mean exactly?"

"Haha, typical senior."

I understand their sentiments, and I've also chosen my own approach—to think about what's happening for later. "Whatever this is, we've wasted precious seconds," I said, assuming my stance.