* * * Gunnar's POV

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Deep within the forest, quite far from the city.

The heavy footsteps of a monster were growing closer rapidly, a sign of impending danger approaching us.

Draven looked at me and warned, "Gunnar, behind you!" Draven shouted to me.

It didn't take long before the monster appeared, raging and blindly slamming its head into me, sending me flying far from my position.

In the blink of an eye, I tried to get up from my fall.

"Heal me, Elara!" I commanded Elara.

Elara, who was a sorceress, quickly responded to my command. From a distance, she directed both of her hands towards me while uttering an incantation. "Algos apólyson, iôta phére!"

My body instantly felt lighter and healed.

The monster attempted to attack Elara, and I managed to intercept its attack with my zweihander sword, successfully pushing it back.

Now was the time to attack the monster. I stepped forward and launched an attack.

I swung my sword with all my might. Unfortunately, the attack I delivered didn't fully penetrate and got stuck in the outer layer of the monster's shield.

I tried to pull the stuck sword, but because the monster kept moving, I had to leave it as it was.

A few seconds later, I thought of changing our strategy.

"Draven, Elara, get ready!" I said firmly.

"Elara, protect me!" I ordered.

Elara nodded and chanted a protective spell. "Paráschete prostasía!"

A golden protective magic shield emanated from her hands and enveloped my body. The shield spell provided strong protection.

The monster kept its distance before eventually launching another attack on me.

I moved in close and grabbed the monster's right leg, then held it firmly with both hands so it couldn't move as it pleased.

"Draven, attack!" I shouted to Draven, who was our party's main attacker.

Draven swiftly moved from the side of the monster with his slim sword.

The sound of his sword cut through the wind, creating a cutting whistling sound. Draven managed to distract the monster, and before it realized it, his sword strikes had already pierced straight into the inner layer of the monster.

Draven's attacks were accurate and relentless, causing cracks to appear in the thick protective layer of the monster, creating an opening for the next attack.

The monster writhed in pain, trying to withstand Draven's attacks. Its loud cries made our ears ache.

Draven suddenly stopped attacking and covered his ears.

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"Draven, don't stop your attacks, keep going!" I urged him.

Draven's relentless attacks further opened the monster's defenses.

At the same time, I said to Elara, "Elara, attack with your magic!" I pressed on.

Elara focused her magical energy, directing her arms towards some large boulders. The boulders trembled and rose, transforming into sharp spear-like points.

The large boulders were then launched one by one, accompanied by Draven's agile movements to avoid being hit.

I was worried about the attack Elara was about to unleash. She could hit me. "Elara, be careful; I don't want to be killed by you!"

Elara then gave a proud smile on her graceful face. Her voice sounded soft but somewhat menacing as she said, "Who do you think you're talking to?"

It was reasonable for her to say that.

Sorcerers were figures always feared, masters of magic were something rare and seldom seen in life. Her presence on the party was a stroke of luck, as most people never had the chance to meet a sorceress.

As the captain, I knew how rare her abilities as a sorceress were. In a population of ten thousand, maybe only one person was born with magical power. They had a connection with magical forces that most people did not possess. With her magical strength, they could control the elements of nature and cast spells.

The boulders Elara summoned were even larger than before, piercing towards the monster as her final attack.

Draven then followed the movement of the boulders that Elara had launched. In an instant, the monster was surrounded by attacks from two directions: Draven's sword strikes and Elara's magical onslaught.

The monster struggled, trying desperately to withstand the attacks we were unleashing. Parts of its body suffered severe injuries from the magical strikes hitting its insides.

A few moments passed, and the monster could no longer fight back. Realizing this, I released my grip and let go of its massive leg.

The monster lay lifelessly on the ground, as if it had lost the life force that had been driving it. Its heavy breathing gradually slowed until it stopped altogether.

A mixture of relief and tension filled me as I observed the monster we had just faced.

"Finally, this monster was tough. What kind of monster is it?" The question slipped from my lips naturally.

In the pauses between heavy breaths, I stretched my tense body. My hands reached for the sword that had been stuck earlier, returning it to its scabbard.

Elara, looking for her comfortable spot to lean against, found a moment's relief from her exhaustion caused by using too much magical energy.

Then Elara answered, giving her assessment. "Draconar, a type of reptile. Their bodies can reach three to ten times the size of a human. The monster we just faced wasn't even the largest of its kind."

Draven remained on guard, standing vigilantly around us. His eyes never strayed from the surroundings, alert to new possibilities.

Hunger gnawed at my thoughts, but I couldn't help but ask, even though I knew this question might sound strange, "Can this monster be eaten?"

Elara gave a direct and firm answer, "Yes, as long as you're willing to face the consequences."

"What a shame, it was hard enough to kill it, but it can't be eaten at all," I sighed.

Elara continued, offering a suggestion. "Draven, skin the monster. Its hide and shield have value; we can sell them. At least, we can make something out of it."

Draven did as Elara suggested.

After Draven finished his task of skinning the monster, time continued to pass, and the sunlight dimmed.

"It won't be long before it's dark; we should camp here," I said calmly. They both nodded in agreement.

"Do your hunting, Draven. You're the most skilled with the bow among us," I directed him.

"Elara, prepare the tent and camping supplies," I continued, giving instructions while handing her my backpack filled with camping gear.

Then, I added, "I'll gather enough firewood for our campfire tonight."

After they received their respective tasks, Draven disappeared into the trees. Elara made sure our resting place was comfortable. Meanwhile, I explored the surroundings to gather firewood for our campfire, ensuring we had enough to last the night.

Until finally, this forest became completely dark.

I returned to the camp, then arranged the firewood neatly so that the fire could blaze. Elara then set fire to the firewood with her fire magic. In an instant, the fire ignited, casting light around the camp.

Not long after, Draven returned to the camp with a few rabbits he had successfully caught. He handed the rabbits to me. Draven looked sleepy and then lay down.

I began to skin the rabbits while making sure that Draven could rest peacefully.

I cleaned the entrails before handing them to Elara. "Please, take these," I said.

Elara accepted the cleaned rabbit meat and its skin from my hand. She began to cut the meat into small pieces for easier cooking, then placed all the ingredients into the pot.

Time passed, and there wasn't much conversation between us. Only the gentle sounds of the campfire crackling and the night breeze accompanied our silence.