The sun dipped lower, casting long, warm shadows across the lush delta landscape. Kael, his boots sinking slightly into the soft, damp earth, felt a strange peacefulness settling over him. It was in the symphony of the realm — the rustling leaves, the croaking frogs, the gentle murmur of the stream – and the realization that for the first time, he wasn’t alone.

Yareeth, her scales catching the waning sunlight, had fallen into a rhythm of her own—her eyes, alert, her hands moving with a practiced grace. It felt good, watching her. Sharing this moment. The weight of her losses, of his own failures, receding for a moment, replaced by a sense of camaraderie, of trust, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through his chest. He dismissed his screens, trusting hers. Trusting their team.

It was more than just gathering, he thought as she added another handful of crimson petals to the backpack. “These will help with the poison resistance. The scent, it reminds me of… fire nettle,” she mused. “We used to weave it into our clothes, as a protection. Against the…” she paused, a flicker of sadness in her voice as the memory surfaced, the loss.

But she quickly recovered. “It seems this realm has its own… gifts.” She straightened up, her eyes sparkling with a new kind of excitement. “So… where to next?”

He led the way towards the rise he’d spotted earlier. The scent in the air, he’d been right—boar, musk, a mix of predator and that unsettling metallic tang, pulling at his connection to the void shard. But there was a confidence in his stride now.

“How about… we try a different approach?” He saw her quizzical expression. “This time, let me lead. You… you be the eyes.”

She nodded, but there was a hesitation in her movement, a reminder of the village. Her world.

“You're better at this than I am. Trust me.” And, for once, it wasn’t a lie. Her skill in the Market, those sharp eyes that spotted flaws.

“Stay close. Be ready to move, if you need to.” He wanted to add, “I’ll keep you safe, I promise”, but the words wouldn’t emerge.

She moved beside him, a quiet reassurance in her presence. Her scales. The subtle changes he’d already witnessed. The System was making them stronger.

“Together.”

They paused, just a few paces from the clearing. The creature, a hulking shadow against the setting sun. It saw them then, the confrontation inevitable.

"Stay back and support," He gave the order, but it felt different. They were a team. And she understood. Her tail twitched, the club-hammer a comforting presence.

They exchanged a quick glance. And in that moment, as the realm's silence fell upon them, there was an understanding, a shared bond forged in the fires of their past, a bond strengthened by the challenges they now faced together.

Delta Pincer Level 4 [Realm Boss]

The Delta Pincer charged. It was a blur of chitinous armor and snapping claws, the force of its attack shaking the ground, the smell of salt and something… acrid, filling the air.

Kael dodged, his heart pounding in his chest. It was bigger than any creature he'd fought before, except for the Blightmaw, and his body remembered that encounter, that desperate struggle, that fear.

He could see Yareeth, her form a blur of motion in the fading light, a shadow that kept pace with him as he moved.

He saw the system window in his peripheral vision, but it felt almost irrelevant now, an afterthought to the creature’s clicking, echoing, pincers.

This wasn't about points. It wasn’t about levels.

It was about survival.

He knew he couldn't outrun this creature. Not in the open. Not on this uneven ground.

He had to fight.

He swung his hammer, aiming for its legs, for the joints where the chitinous shell seemed thinner, vulnerable. He remembered those earlier fights, the Scrags and the Gravelgnaw. Even the Blightmaw. Their weak spots. This time, he’d learned.

His club-hammer struck the creature's side, a solid blow.

He could feel the force of the impact travel through his arm, jarring his shoulder, but there was a satisfaction.

Blunt Weapons +1

His strength, the System's enhancements, and the Shard’s power. He was getting better.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The creature screeched, a sound like metal scraping against metal, and its pincers lashed out, narrowly missing his head. They snapped shut inches from his ear, and he could hear the air being squeezed from them, a sound that sent shivers down his spine. This creature— a hybrid of crab and insect, its movements erratic, unpredictable. It lunged again, and a claw struck his tunic, tearing through the thick leather, barely missing skin. The world tilted. Darkness was pressing in on him, but he gritted his teeth and fought back the fear.

He knew it wouldn’t be easy. It would be different.

He danced around the Delta Pincer, watching its movements. Yareeth was right— there was a certain predictable rhythm to them, even in the creature’s frenzy. The creature struck again. He dodged, but his foot slipped in a patch of slick mud, and he stumbled. For a heart-stopping moment, he thought he was down, but his hands, his reflexes — honed to perfection in a dozen near-death experiences — reacted.

He’d forgotten how much stronger he’d become, the improvements to his dexterity, agility. He caught himself, his momentum carrying him into a roll, narrowly avoiding the creature's next attack. It was his only option. He couldn’t face it head-on, couldn’t risk those claws again. But as the creature swiped at him, its anger growing with each failed attempt to land a fatal blow, the air thickened with the scent of salt, something he’d first noticed in the barren realms, a sensation he recognized, the Shard resonating, whispering warnings in his ears. This wasn’t just instinct now. This was knowledge.

The world around him seemed to slow down, the creature’s movements a blur. But he saw them, anticipated them. He landed another blow, aiming for the creature's leg, but its exoskeleton, tougher, deflected his strike. The force of the impact sent pain shooting up his arm.

“Damn.”

He wasn’t doing enough damage. He had to change tactics. To adapt. As he danced away, avoiding another attack, he caught sight of her— Yareeth, at the edge of the clearing, her hand raised, her body poised, a warrior’s stance she hadn’t possessed when he’d first pulled her from her realm.

He felt a surge of… Pride, that was it. It was what he’d wanted, what she’d shown him that night in the market, what he’d thought he could help her achieve. This wasn’t her home. But she was becoming something else. Someone.

“Distract it!" The words, hoarse, emerged from his lips, an understanding he hadn’t known they shared. She didn’t answer, she didn’t even need to. She was already moving, her tail swishing as she circled. He watched her for a moment, a strange, unexpected longing tugging at his chest. This feeling, of wanting to protect, but… of knowing she didn’t need it?

The next creature’s movement, the sound, and the realization that she would not just fight— she’d thrive here. He could almost see her stats increasing, her level rising. It wasn’t a threat, to his world, but a relief. Yareeth’s hand moved with precision, the stone she held arcing through the air. It struck the Delta Pincer’s shell with a sharp, metallic clack.

Precision +1

The creature’s massive head swiveled, its attention diverted. The Delta Pincer, its focus momentarily broken, let out a frustrated hiss, its massive head swiveled toward the new threat. Kael saw his opportunity.

“Nice throw!” he shouted, his voice carrying a mix of admiration and relief. The creature hissed, its focus entirely on Yareeth now. She danced back, light on her feet, her movements quick and sure, another stone already in her hand. He could almost hear her teasing voice in his mind, an echo of their previous argument: 'You think I’m not strong? Watch me.'

This was it. His moment.

"Now!"

Energy surged through his muscles, the adrenaline burning through his exhaustion. He lunged, putting everything he had behind his swing. The club-hammer smashed into the creature’s side, the impact reverberating up his arms. He felt the chitin crack beneath the blow, the ground shaking beneath his feet. He ignored the pain in his hands, the tremor in his limbs. His gaze was fixed, focus narrowed to the crack in its armor, a point of light in the shadows of this fight.

One more blow.

**Shattering Impact**

It was his turn to unleash the power that thrummed within him, the weight of her hope pushing him beyond his limitations.

This was their fight.

The creature screeched, a high-pitched wail of agony that echoed through the clearing. The impact sent its body flying backwards, its limbs thrashing wildly. With a final, shuddering crunch as its exoskeleton splintered, it collapsed, inert and lifeless. The mud, beneath the beast, shimmered as its viscous green blood drained into the muddy earth.

A tide of relief washed over them, but it wasn’t just about survival, about completing another realm. They stood in the clearing, side by side, as if mirroring the fallen creature. It was something… different, this shared exhaustion, this triumphant weariness. Yareeth’s gaze met his. He could see it in her eyes, the understanding. They had done this, together.

Delta Pincer Killed

Shattering Impact +1

Muscle Power +1

Agility +1

Precision +1

He scanned his updated status screen, the numbers, an affirmation of his progress. But the System felt insignificant now, its pronouncement echoing the emptiness of past battles, the dull ache of loss he carried in his chest. It wasn't about levels or skills anymore. He understood, finally, why Yareeth hadn’t wanted those smaller kills.

It wasn’t just about winning. It was about fighting alongside someone who trusted you, someone you’d sworn to protect. It was about earning those victories, about sharing the burden. He had never truly experienced this.

But Yareeth’s words, as she stood beside him, broke the silence.

“We make a good team. I distracted it just like you asked me to. Did you see?” A new kind of pride in her tone. Not arrogance. Accomplishment. His heart tightened as he saw the excitement shining in her eyes. It felt… good to see her so… alive.

Kael grinned, his muscles aching, the adrenaline receding into a warm weariness, the sun’s last rays casting long, soft shadows across the muddy ground. "Yeah, you did great." He could have added, "I’m proud of you," but the words, too dangerous, stayed locked within his chest, unvoiced emotions.

He looked down at the dead creature, the scent of it, the metallic tang, reminding him of the bargain, the necessity that had brought them here. The system's rewards were theirs to claim.

He cleared his throat. It was time to get to work.

"Let's go see what this thing was guarding."