The relentless heat bore down on the trio as they stood in the desert. Gordan and Lee felt the familiar sting of the sun, recalling their first trip here. The well stood in the midst, a reminder of the absurdities Lee and Gordan endured.

Eira, dazed and disoriented, could only manage a confused shout. "You have some SERIOUS explaining to do, you dirty merchant!"

It was a stark contrast to her usual composed self. Both Gordan and Lee whipped their heads toward her, taken aback.

"Now's not the time, Eira," Lee said, gripping the hilt of his sword, eyes scanning the dunes.

Just then, a notification appeared in their vision.

[A quest has arrived!]

[Quest: Slay the giant desert ape!]

[Reward: Class Crystal (Battle Class)]

Eira blinked, staring at the pop-up in disbelief. She was far from prepared. Gordan and Lee, however, were already focused.

The ape had made its appearance, and it wasn't a pleasant one. The hulking mass was travelling at a breakneck pace barreling toward them. "DUCK!" Gordan screamed. The beast launched itself into the air, crashing down onto a nearby dune with a bone-rattling thud.

The force scattered the group. Eira hit the ground hard, dazed, while Gordan and Lee scrambled to get their bearings.

The desert ape planted its massive feet into the sand then stood tall. The roar that followed reverberated across the dessert. Towering over the dunes, its tawny fur gleamed under the sun.

If it weren't for the moment's urgency, one would have noticed its cracked, tough skin hinting at previous battles long ago. But it was the beast's eyes, burning with unbridled fury, that truly unnerved the trio.

Its massive hands pounded against its chest, each thump sending shockwaves through the sand. Gordan and Lee could feel the vibrations beneath their feet. Even Eira, still on the ground, stared up in horror.

If my luck gets any worse, I’m going to get us all killed, Gordan thought, heart pounding. I need to do something!

“LEE!” Gordan shouted, desperation seeping into his voice. “Do something, anything!”

Without hesitation, Lee charged, blade at his side, eyes locked on the ape’s midsection. His sword sliced through the air, making solid contact with the beast’s exposed skin.

For a split second, it seemed like a success. The ape looked down at Lee with an unsettling calmness, its eyes narrowing as if studying the swordsman.

“What the...?” Lee muttered, unnerved by the lack of response. The ape's lips curled into a sinister grin. Without warning, its massive arm swung down, aiming to crush Lee. At that moment, Gordan moved.

While Lee kept the ape distracted, Gordan darted behind it. His trusty machete plunged deep into the beast’s back. The ape roared in pain, thrashing wildly. Gordan pulled back just in time to avoid a death blow across his head. The adrenaline surging through him, Not bad, he thought, casting a glance toward Eira.

Eira, struggling to her feet, saw Gordan’s attack. For a brief moment, something flickered in her eyes—admiration, or perhaps curiosity. But this was no time for flirting.

The beast gave up on Gordan, he headed for a closer target. Before Eira could act, the ape’s massive fist connected with her side, sending her flying. Blood sprinkled the sand leading up to her soaring body. She hit the sand with a disgusting thud, gasping for breath, clearly in danger.

“NO!” Gordan’s voice cracked, fear gripping him. His concern for Eira fueled his movements, pushing him to act faster than he’d ever thought possible. Perhaps it was his newly found advancements in Physique that was to thank. He charged again, aiming to finish what he started.

Lee seized the opportunity as the ape reeled from Gordan's strike. With a swift, powerful slash, he cut deep into the creature’s exposed flesh. The beast bellowed in agony, its movements becoming sluggish. For a brief moment, it seemed like they had the upper hand.

But it was far from over.

Gordan and Lee flanked the beast. The enraged ape roared once again; its fury renewed. It thrashed wildly, sweeping its massive arm across the sand. Lee, too close to dodge in time, was caught in the beast's vicious backhand.

The force sent him flying yards away, crashing into the ground with a sickening thud. His sword slipped from his grasp as he skidded to a stop, piercing into the hot sand. Gordan's heart sank as he saw Lee's body crumpled, mangled and motionless.

"LEE!" Gordan shouted, panic gripping him. Blood seeped through Lee’s clothes, staining the ground beneath him. For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

The ape, sensing weakness, turned its focus on Lee, ready to finish him off. Its huge fist lifted, poised to smash down and crush Lee where he lay. Gordan's mind raced, his body frozen in fear.

Eira staggered to her feet, fuming yet composed. Her eyes glowed with power, streaks of light swirling around her. "Enough of this," she whispered, raising her hand. But even as she readied her magic, the ape's fist began to descend.

Gordan, sprinted toward Lee, ignoring the searing pain in his legs and chest. He dove, grabbing Lee by the shoulders and pulling him away. As the ape's fist crashed into the sand with a deafening boom, the wave of sand buried Lee and Gordan together.

Gordan could feel Lee's labored breathing, he could see his determined glare. "That was close..." Lee muttered. His friend clearly in a bad shape, he gritted his teeth, knowing all too well he couldn't bear to lose him.

With a mighty gesture, Eira summoned a massive spell. A brilliant light enveloped her as an arc of purple energy shot forward. The streaking sphere hit the ape square in the chest. The purple energy coursed through the crater it had created. Arks of purple energy still fizzled in the bloody wound for moments later.

The beast let out one final, pitiful roar before collapsing into the sand, defeated.

The silence that followed was deafening. Eira, breathing heavily, stared down at the ape’s lifeless body. Her expression was a mixture of anger and confusion.

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“What the hell was a giant ape doing here?” she snapped, glaring at Gordan, still stuck in the sand.

Before he could answer, another light enveloped them.

[Quest Completion Detected!]

Gordan blinked, his mind still racing. I didn’t even have time to go to the graveyard... he thought absentmindedly.

This was all my fault. I need to pay a lot more attention now. We all could have died...

The group was right back where they met. No injuries, no fatigue, however, the mood of the previous conflict still lingered.

Eira was still fuming, her emotions a whirlwind of frustration. Gordan, sensing her anger, quickly stepped forward, offering a calm smile. "I can explain," he said, his voice soothing. "It’s all part of the process. Albeit a very dangerous process..."

He managed an awkward smile even now.

If Gordan was good at anything it was bluffing. There was a chance that he was the best in the world at this point. Some would consider it a natural talent; others would say his parents were to blame. Either way, Gordan's demeanor was helpful for him at this moment.

Lee, stepping up beside them, gave Eira a reassuring nod, showing off his blade. "Look, Eira, we handled it. And you were incredible with that finishing move."

"And YOU! You almost DIED. Do you understand? Death, done. You never get a second chance." Eira huffed. She crossed her arms while furrowing her brow. She'd settled on staring at the ground to calm her thoughts.

Perhaps it was the secretly welcomed thrill, or perhaps it was maternal instinct. Either way, her feelings waned. Eira’s rage simmered down, though she was still visibly upset. “Fine,” she huffed. “But next time, I’m not waiting until the last second to save you.”

Eira turned her back to them. This was the first time she saw Lee's sword in action. To her, it looked anything but ordinary.

Lee and Gordan looked at each other and smiled, both with the same pregnant thought.

"next time?

The group sat in relative silence for a while, catching their breath and recovering their focus. Gordan’s mind wandered as he checked his stat screen, mentally noting the newly acquired skills.

[Accounting lvl 26]

[Impart lvl 1]

[Skill up lvl 1]

[Insight lvl 1]

[...]

He muttered to himself, seeing the skill he chose to 'Skill Up'.

Accounting? Really? Is this really worth our lives?

Flashes of a different future flooded Gordan's mind. One where Lee and him were old and happy. One where his parents had no worry, and the people around him were safe.

Stay strong Gordan, there is a reason you're doing this. He thought to himself

Finally, the cooldown was over. A very quick set of gestures followed the completion. This time, Gordan was a tad more thoughtful. He chose the easy option, while making certain to pick accounting. Immediately, the bright light brought them away.

[A Quest has Arrived!]

[Quest: Build the foundation for a house in the desert!]

[Reward: A jug of dirty water!]

All three of them groaned.

“Are you kidding me?” Eira snapped, glaring at Gordan. “Is this your doing?”

Gordan rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “We could always check out the sword graveyard first?”

They shared disappointed glances but ultimately agreed. Walking toward the graveyard, Lee started talking about the swordmaster test. His stories piqued Eira’s interest, though there was a hint of fear in her eyes.

“They might be crazy,” Lee added, his tone darkening, “and they might not take kindly to someone like you.”

"Like me?" Eira added.

"Yeah, the living I mean. Nothing about you personally of course". Lee responded

Eira's confidence faltered, but Gordan quickly chimed in, “It didn’t happen to Lee, so it should be okay.”

It wasn’t much, but it was enough to reassure her.

They arrived at the graveyard, where Eira immediately began inspecting the various swords. While she browsed, Gordan and Lee sat down, watching her struggle to pull a blade from the stone.

Lee couldn’t help but make a joke. “It’s like watching a woman shop.”

Gordan chuckled, but Lee was somewhat right, they waited for hours.

When Eira had started circling a katana-like sword she liked, an emergency quest activated. The trio groaned in unison.

An undead swordmaster appeared, and chaos ensued. Luckily, none of them were willing to deal with nonsense right now. Lee’s swordmaster materialized from his blade, immediately engaging the undead. He spoke with authority "Restrain him." Gordan, Lee, and Eira worked together to restrain the swordmaster as their ally fought.

When it was over, Eira claimed her new blade by pulling it from the sand and inspecting it.

“Great,” she muttered. “Now we have to go lay a foundation.” staring daggers at a certain someone who thought up this mess. Gordan managed yet another awkward smile.

With a collective sigh, they made their way back, the weight of their tasks pressing down on them.

As they worked, Gordan sheepishly reminded Eira that, despite everything, she did get the sword.

She glared at him but couldn’t hide a small smile. "Fine, but you're still a pain. A cute pain, but nonetheless. Still a pain."

Gordan smiled and rubbed his chin in thought. He proposed an offer—"You could be my bodyguard. If you're looking for more opportunities like this that is."

Gordan felt Lee staring at the back of his head. Lee frowned, feeling slighted, but Gordan quickly explained. "Lee gets the Class Crystal from the ape quest, and Eira joins us for support on our next few adventures. It’s a win-win."

Eira could only burst out laughing. "For all your faults, it seems you still know how to make me say yes. Fine, but I get to decide when and where to quit."

With everyone in agreement, they set to work on the foundation. A grueling day or two passed. All the rations that Gordan received from his last mission were all but used up. Despite their smell, their flavor was at least bearable. After what felt like an eternity, they completed laying the foundation.

A bright light signaled the reward.

Lee activated it immediately, and his face lit up as he read his new abilities. He turned to Gordan and Eira, showing off his new skills with pride. One could almost see Lee's nose growing longer.

- Convert: Passive skill, when the Jack of All Trades class uses impart, the process is lossless.

- Replace: When the Jack of All Trades is in danger, you may swap places via teleportation.

Gordan had flashbacks to Lee's injured body. At this point, he wasn't sure this was the right call. It was written on his face, all the worry finally hit. "Lee you don't ha—"

“I’ll never let you down, that's what I promised right?” Lee said solemnly, the weight of his words hanging in the air.

The two shared a knowing smile, and a brief moment of silence.

Eira, satisfied but exhausted, departed, leaving Gordan and Lee behind. As they rested sitting on a nearby bench for shop customers, Gordan revealed a strange dream he’d had recently, and the related quest.

Lee listened, intrigued and confused, but when Gordan showed him the latest quest, even he was shocked.

“No matter what it is,” Lee said, “I’ll help.”

Gordan nodded, both grateful and concerned for what was to come.