Team Synergy

[Date: 2/3]

[Time: 2:30 PM]

[Location: Azure Woodlands]

The afternoon sun began to cast its gentle glow upon the woodlands, the sunlight filtering through the dense canopy, casting dappled patterns on the moss-covered ground. The sounds of nature filled the air, creating a symphony of tranquility. The melodious trills of songbirds echoed through the trees, their harmonies intertwining with the soothing whispers of the wind. Occasionally, the soft babbling of a hidden brook could be heard, adding to the serene ambiance.

"This place is beautiful…" Pandora said, her tone soft and curious.

"It's alright… The air is too thick with moss and wildflowers. It's activating my stupid allergies!" Hime complained, sniffling and rubbing her nose.

We continued down a path, the sounds of leaves crunching beneath our feet alerting small critters and making them scurry away. Soon, we reached a Quest Area, locked behind a digital wall.

[Quest Area: Deep Blue Grove.]

[Req. Rank: Pawn]

[Req. Level: 5]

I placed my hand on the digital wall and watched as it glowed a light blue before shattering into fragments of light. Hime and Pandora watched in awe, their eyes shimmering at the sight of a new area being unlocked.

[Access Granted.]

[Fast Travel Unlocked.]

I looked back at the two and chuckled. "Let's go in."

They both nodded and followed me inside the Deep Blue Grove.

{Suru: Hey, listen! It's time I explained something new to you, Kieran! It's called Side Stories!}

'Side stories?' I asked Suru mentally, as we navigated through the cool blue leaves.

{Suru: Yes! Some quest areas contain Side Stories that grant lots of rewards when completed. Some stories have time limits, while others can be completed whenever you want! Rewards may vary from helpful items, weapons, new Skill Scrolls, or even new allies!}

'Oh yeah, now we're talking. Since you're bringing this up, I'm guessing Deep Blue Grove has a side storyline?' I replied mentally.

{Suru: Sure does, and you're now entering it.}

{Deep Blue Grove Story: Puppeteer of the Trees}

{Quest: Defeat the boss.}

I nodded, scanning my surroundings before looking back at Hime and Pandora. "Are you two ready?"

Hime flipped her hair with a confident smirk. "Of course I am, Achilles. For you to ask such a question."

Pandora nodded, her face a mix of nervousness and determination. "Y-Yes! I'll follow your lead."

"Alright, let's go," I said.

We ventured deeper into the groves, searching for the boss of this specific quest. As we traversed the forest, a loud screech echoed through the air, forcing us to cover our ears. I looked around and spotted mandrakes sprouting around us.

I uncovered my ears, placed my hands on the ground, and performed a Flare, firing fireballs from my feet at the mandrakes, defeating them one by one.

~DING~

[You are now Level 11!]

HP: 400/400 -> 430/430

MP: 350/350 -> 390/390

Attack: 95 -> 110

Stamina: 84

Dexterity: 95

Senses: 80 -> 97

Luck: 69

As the screeching ceased with the defeat of the mandrakes, Hime and Pandora uncovered their ears, sighing with relief. They looked at me with a mix of awe and gratitude, their eyes sparkling with amazement.

"What were those things?" Hime asked, holding her bow in front of her like a true lady.

"Those were Mandrakes. A type of Alraune, the worst kind. When uprooted, they let out a death-inducing scream… but luckily their scream only works on those lower level than it, or at most three levels above it," I explained.

"Ugh… such vile creatures. A nuisance!" Hime sighed, looking around. "But it doesn't look like there are any others around here."

"Let's keep moving, unless you want to turn back?" I teased, chuckling softly as I walked forward.

Hime's face turned a deep red. "Hey! You don't get to walk away after teasing me!" she barked, following closely behind me.

Pandora watched our interaction, tilting her head slightly. She followed us, keeping a watchful eye on her surroundings.

As we continued forward, Hime noticed a large spider lowering in front of us and screamed. She immediately summoned a lightning arrow and fired it at the spider, the arrow going straight through its body and causing it to fall to the ground.

[Critical Hit!]

[Mossy Spider's HP: 210/210 -> 100/210]

"It's not dead?!" Hime squeaked, then ran toward the spider, rapidly stomping on it with cries of disgust and fear.

I watched the spider slowly disappear into magic particles, then turned my gaze to Hime. "Uh… nice one."

Hime whined softly and hurried back toward me. "I hate spiders… they're icky, wicked, and scary!"

I let out a soft chuckle and noticed Hime and Pandora had leveled up from that Mossy Spider. "Well… you dealt with it. But I honestly believe we could've left it alone. It wasn't even aggro and was minding its own business."

"Mmph…" Hime whined softly, clutching her bow tightly. "But… they're scary. That one even had a face on its front side…"

Suddenly, a group of bandits emerged from the bushes, giving us no warning. Pandora immediately went into action, blocking a slash directed toward Hime. Hime looked surprised, then glanced around, seeing all the bandits surrounding her.

"Great, now we have to deal with a group of bandits?!" Hime asked, readying her bow.

|Name: Grove Bandit

|Level: 10

|HP: 490/490

|MP: 200/200

I got into my stance, taking note of the number of bandits around us. 'They aren't System Wielders… so they are just normal humans roaming these areas. I guess the system calculates their level by their attributes…'

"Boys! Target the princess!" the leader of the bandits shouted.

I looked at the leader and scanned him.

|Name: Wild Bandit Basil

|Level: 13

|HP: 600/600

|MP: 350/350

'He isn't the boss of this quest, but he is rather strong. We need to be careful around him,' I thought, taking note of Basil.

"Don't let Hime get hurt!" I commanded, then rushed forward toward a group of bandits.

"Understood!" Pandora nodded, hurrying toward another group of bandits.

A group of bandits charged at me, swinging their axes wildly, but I evaded each strike with my Hypersensitivity and launched fire-infused strikes toward them. Each strike landed, taking them down one by one. They didn't stand a chance against me, the force and super effectiveness of my power defeating them in one hit.

~DING~

[You are now Level 12!]

HP: 430/430 -> 490/490

MP: 390/390 -> 420/420

Attack: 110

Stamina: 84 -> 95

Dexterity: 95

Senses: 97

Luck: 69 -> Critical Growth! 92

Pandora evaded each slash from the bandits with elegance and grace, her movements swift and calculated. She knocked one bandit into the air with a back kick, then ducked under another slash, causing a bandit to take out his own ally. She swept the next bandit off his feet and kicked him upward, then a lightning arrow went straight through his body, defeating him. Pandora turned toward Hime and smiled.

Hime smirked at Pandora, then began to rapidly fire arrows around her, taking down multiple bandits in one blow by targeting their weak spots. "Achilles!"

I responded to her call as she tossed her bow into the air. I used a tree to gain elevation and caught her bow. "Esoteric Lightning Technique: Fulgur Fusillade!"

I fired a lightning arrow, then the arrow split into waves of lightning arrows, striking multiple bandits at once, defeating each one. I landed on the ground and handed Hime her bow. Hime smiled at me and took her bow, turning her gaze to Basil.

Basil laughed as he walked forward. "Who the hell do you kids think you are? Marching around my groves like you own the place!"

Basil's deep green-blue aura surged around his body and the blade of his axe shined brightly. Hime and Pandora readied their weapons, bracing themselves for battle against the leader. I stepped forward, my iridescent energy flowing around my body.

"Let's take him down, ladies!" I said, a confident smirk stretching across my lips.

"Right!" Hime and Pandora replied, their energies flowing around their bodies.

Basil lowered his stance then dashed toward us, swinging his axe at us. All three of us moved out of the way, evading his initial strike. Hime fired multiple arrows at Basil, but he deflected each one then blocked a slash from Pandora.

I ran toward him from behind and launched a fiery kick toward him, but a vine wrapped around my leg, flinging me toward a tree. I recovered and placed my feet against the tree then launched myself toward him once again.

"You kids don't know what you're doing! Brave Skill: Gaia's Execution!" Basil roared, slamming his axe into the ground, large thorns protruding from the ground.

I grunted as I noticed a thorn headed straight toward me. Just as I was about to get hit, Pandora threw a talisman toward me, setting a protective barrier around me to block the thorn.

I landed on the ground and smiled at Pandora. "Thanks!"

Pandora nodded toward me and smiled before focusing on the battle at hand again. "He's too reactive! We can't get in close to land a meaningful blow upon him!"

"Then we use trickery," I said as I stood up and formed a hand gesture. "Esoteric Shadow Technique: Shadow Puppets!"

[MP: 420/420 -> 390/420]

I formed multiple hand gestures, creating birds, rabbits, and other small critters from shadow energy. Hime and Pandora watched in awe as the small animals began to rush around wildly, obstructing Basil's view.

'Since these constructs aren't too big...they don't cost much of anything to make. His Senses are immaculate since they most likely came from his years in the Grove,' I thought, watching as Basil tried to swat the critters away.

"Go now!" I called out, holding my position.

Hime and Pandora nodded, rushing forward and engaging in battle once again. They blended in with the shadow creatures I continuously constructed and began to land blows upon Basil.

[Basil's HP: 600/600 -> 500/600]

Basil growled as he felt the impact of their attacks. "You're more troublesome than I thought," he snarled, swinging his axe wildly to clear the shadow creatures. His deep green-blue aura flared brighter, creating a powerful gust of wind that blew the shadow puppets away.

Hime and Pandora were knocked back by the force, but they quickly regained their footing. Hime's eyes narrowed in determination as she drew another arrow, this one crackling with electric energy.

"Achilles, we need to disrupt his concentration! If we can throw him off balance, we'll have a chance!" she shouted, readying her bow.

"Got it! Pandora, keep him distracted!" I called out, focusing my energy. "I'll create an opening for Hime."

Pandora nodded, her eyes fierce with determination. She charged at Basil, her movements swift and fluid. Basil swung his axe at her, but she dodged with incredible agility, her kimono flowing like water around her. She landed a series of quick strikes, forcing Basil to focus on her.

Meanwhile, I summoned my energy, feeling the power surge through me. "Esoteric Fire Technique: Blazing Mirage!" I shouted, creating multiple fiery clones of myself that surrounded Basil.

Basil's eyes widened in surprise as the clones attacked from all directions, their fiery strikes overwhelming his defenses. He swung his axe wildly, trying to fend them off, but the clones were too fast.

"Now, Hime!" I shouted, holding Basil's attention.

Hime took a deep breath, focusing all her energy into her arrow. "Esoteric Lightning Technique: Thunderbolt Piercer!" she cried, releasing the arrow.

The arrow streaked through the air, leaving a trail of lightning in its wake. Basil turned just in time to see it coming, but he was too late. The arrow struck him square in the chest, electricity coursing through his body.

[Basil's HP: 500/600 -> 250/600]

Basil roared in pain, his aura flickering as he struggled to maintain his strength. "You'll pay for that!" he snarled, his eyes blazing with fury. He raised his axe, preparing for a devastating attack.

Pandora moved swiftly, throwing another talisman that created a barrier around us. "Stay behind me!" she shouted, bracing herself.

Basil brought his axe down with all his might, the impact shattering the barrier but giving us the moment we needed to regroup. I felt a surge of gratitude for Pandora's quick thinking.

"Let's finish this together!" I said, feeling the bond between us strengthen. "Hime, Pandora, combine your powers with mine!"

Hime nodded, drawing another arrow, while Pandora channeled her energy into her talismans. I gathered my own energy, feeling the heat of my power intensify.

"Esoteric Technique: Tri-Elemental Strike!" we shouted in unison, unleashing our combined attack.

Hime's lightning-infused arrow, Pandora's enchanted talismans, and my fiery strike converged into a single, powerful blast that struck Basil with overwhelming force.

[Basil's HP: 250/600 -> 0/600]

Basil let out a final roar as the attack consumed him, his body disintegrating into particles of light. The grove fell silent, the oppressive energy dissipating as the battle came to an end.

"We did it…" Pandora said softly, her voice filled with relief.

Hime let out a victorious cheer, her eyes sparkling with triumph. "That's what you get for messing with us!"

I smiled at my friends, feeling a deep sense of camaraderie. "Great job, both of you. We make a pretty good team."

~DING~

[Level Up!]

[You are now Level 13!]

HP: 490/490 -> 530/530

MP: 420/420 -> 460/460

Attack: 110 -> 120

Stamina: 95 -> 105

Dexterity: 95 -> 105

Senses: 97 -> 110

Luck: 92 -> 100

[WARNING: Boss Enemy has appeared!]

"Oh come on, we just finished fighting that dumb bandit!" Hime groaned, scanning the surroundings for the boss.

Suddenly, a soft giggle echoed through the Grove, and a figure emerged from the trees. Long, flowing white hair adorned with purple flowers, green skin with intricate black markings, and a lower half resembling a large carnivorous plant with red and green petals. She seemed to sit within this floral throne.

"There she is!" Pandora pointed, noticing the Alraune approaching from the distance.

|Name: Alraune Aoba

|Level: 15

|HP: 6,000/6,000

|MP: 1,000/1,000

{Suru: This boss has three health bars! This is the Puppeteer of the Trees!}

{Suru: A bit of advice for you, Lightning Elemental Attacks will NOT work on her. You need to use Fire Elemental Attacks to deal big damage!}

I nodded, forming a hand gesture, but vines wrapped around my wrists, stopping my Skill Activation. I grunted as Aoba pulled me toward her, a soft giggle escaping her lips. She dragged me into her flower and began to feed me her nectar. I grunted as the nectar slid down my throat, the effects causing me to slowly lose the will to fight.

"Such…a beautiful human man..~ Haah..~ I can't wait to have so much fun with you..~" Aoba said, her tone seductive and soothing.

"Hey! I demand you release him right now!" Hime yelled, aiming a lightning arrow at Aoba.

Pandora readied her talismans and glared at Aoba. "We know about you…you seductive man-eaters! You won't be eating Kieran today or any day!"

Aoba let out a sultry chuckle, wrapping her arms around my body, gently biting her lip as she stared at Hime and Pandora. "This man…stays with me. Now begone!"

Aoba launched her vines at Hime and Pandora, but they swiftly dodged the attack and ran toward her. Hime launched multiple lightning arrows at her, but the arrows had no effect on Aoba. Pandora threw multiple talismans at Aoba, but a swipe from her vines blocked each talisman and canceled their effects.

Hime grunted softly as she dodged another swipe from Aoba's vines, then threw her bow at her, the bow hitting Aoba's head and staggering her for a brief moment. The bow returned to Hime, and she fired a large normal arrow at Aoba, the arrow piercing through her body. Aoba screeched in pain, letting me go and allowing me to escape her flower.

[Critical Hit!]

[Aoba's HP: 6,000/6,000 -> 5,193/6,000]

I leaped backward and grunted softly as I slowly came back to my senses. I felt my heart racing and a throbbing sensation below my waist. "She was inducing me with Lust…to drain my energy. She was trying to mate with me."

"Disgusting," Hime scoffed, then looked at me. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah…I'm fine," I said, then formed a hand gesture once again. "Esoteric Technique: Element Transition!"

Hime grunted softly as the lightning that once crackled inside her body transitioned into a burning sensation. Her lightning energy was replaced with fiery energy, her purple eye changing to red to show her transition into the fire element.

Pandora noticed her talismans glow a red color, and she felt a fiery cloak surround her body to protect her from Aoba's attacks. "Whoa…this is amazing…"

I smirked and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as smoke escaped from my mouth. I got into my stance. "Let's take her down!"

With newfound determination, we charged at Aoba, ready to use our fire abilities to defeat her once and for all.

Aoba glared at us, holding out her arms and summoning multiple mandrakes around her. She let out a Siren Call, the mandrakes following suit with a unified screech.

I acted quickly, taking a deep breath. 'Esoteric Sound Technique: Sonic Roar!' I chanted mentally, letting out a loud bellow to disrupt their unified Siren Call.

The soundwaves collided and nullified each other, stopping the Siren Call and the Mandrakes' scream. Aoba took a moment to rest, and that was our opening to strike.

"Strike now!" I commanded, dashing forward.

Hime and Pandora followed, their fiery energies flaring around their bodies. We targeted the mandrakes first, preventing them from recharging their Death Scream. One mandrake escaped into the grove, but we focused on Aoba.

Aoba launched multiple roots at us, but we dodged them, closing in on her. Hime fired multiple fire arrows, each one hitting its mark and dealing massive damage. Pandora deployed talismans around the area and snapped her fingers, fiery chains emerging from each talisman to hold Aoba down and inflict continuous damage.

[Aoba's HP: 5,193/6,000 -> 3,210/6,000]

Aoba screamed, breaking free from the chains and emerging from her flower, landing on the ground. She called out, her flower transforming into a Monstrous Venus Flytrap.

|Name: Puppeteer Aoba

|Level: 15

|HP: 3,290/6,000

{Suru: You've entered Phase Two! Good luck!}

I watched Aoba and her monster, beads of sweat rolling down my face. I lowered my stance, cloaking myself in fire, and launched myself toward her at blazing speeds. "Cover me!"

Hime nodded, launching multiple arrows behind me. I clashed with Aoba, our fists meeting in a flurry of blocks and evades. Aoba moved with grace, her attacks swift and precise. My Hypersensitivity worked overtime, allowing me to evade each strike.

I dodged a giant vine from her monster, moving out of the way of the arrows homing in on the monster. Each arrow landed with fiery explosions, staggering the monster.

Pandora bellowed as she rushed forward, dragging her sword along the ground to create sparks. Her blade encased in flames, she slashed in a circle. "Skill: Inferno Ride!"

Pandora's battle cry echoed as she slashed upward, knocking Aoba into the air. Aoba grunted in pain, attempting a counter-strike with her vines. She missed, giving me the opening I needed.

"Esoteric Fire Technique: Atomic Burst!" I bellowed, holding my hand up at Aoba and unleashing a powerful blast of fire energy.

Aoba crashed into a tree, her body slowly turning into particles of light, but a small soul floated in the air. The soul rushed toward me, entering my body with sparkles emerging from my chest.

[You can now use Esoteric Plant Technique: Aoba's Call!]

[Quest Complete: Puppeteer of the Trees]

[Rewards: 10,000 EXP, Bronze Skill Scroll, Star Rating +6000, Credi +15,000, Alraune Leaf x3]

Hime and Pandora noticed their level gains from the boss fight and smiled at each other. I walked toward them, checking on their well-being.

"Now, we can rest up back in the city," I said jokingly, a small chuckle escaping my lips.

"Finally. Who knew actually doing work for yourself would be so tiring," Hime sighed, holding her arms.

Pandora giggled softly and nodded. "It was very tiring, but we did it. We make a pretty good team."

As we turned to leave the grove, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. With my leadership, we successfully cleared a Quest in record time. I knew that with Hime and Pandora by my side, we could face any challenge that came our way.

Name: Hime von Auger

Level: 4 -> 9

Rank: Bishop

Star Rating: One Star

HP: 350/350 -> 954/954

MP: 400/400 -> 1,005/1,005

Attack: 92 -> 205

Stamina: 100 -> 300

Dexterity: 101 -> 295

Senses: 122 -> 345

Luck: 150 -> 350

Name: Pandora Diomedes

Level: 9 -> 13

Rank: Knight

Star Rating: One Star

HP: 420/420 -> 725/725

MP: 500/500 -> 1,290/1,290

Attack: 101 -> 194

Stamina: 99 -> 135

Dexterity: 100 -> 183

Senses: 201 -> 269

Luck: 300 -> 392