A ship traveled across the o at high speeds. A young man stood on its bow. With bck armor and a handsome face, he looked towards the horizon, his hands behind his back.

  A rge bck hat sat on top of his head. It was the reward he got from the st quest. Final Fend liked it a lot, although it urely etic.

  The rest of the party sat on some barrels around the steering wheel, Captain Huber at work.

  Suddenly Final Fend frowned, gng to the side. He seemed to feel something ier. Taking a step forward he supported himself on the railing, taking a closer look.

  “Ah!”

  With a shout he reeled back. The image of an enormous shadow was branded in his mind.

  The party members were startled by Final Fend’s as, fog their eyes on him.

  Balm snickered to herself when Silver Bde joked with her brother:

  “Oh? Doing cool?”

  “Sis!”, excimed Final Fend annoyedly. “There is something ier!”

  “Oh really…? That’s called fish.”

  “You…!”

  The party couldn’t help but ugh seeing Final Fend grit his teeth. But they stopped when Captain Huber spoke in a solemn voice:

  “It’s those damn monsters again! Noill see if yic circle worked! Brace yourselves!”

  The atmosphere suddenly turehe sailors could be seen grabbing onto the ship tightly. The party didn’t know what to do, mimig the sailors.

  For a moment the ship fell silent. The water rhythmically hitting against its hull added to the temosphere.

  Suddenly!

  A loud spsh could be heard. Waves rose high, rog the ship. A majestic back full of blue scales, its length rivaling even the most impressive warships, rose from the o.

  Time seemed to stand still as this breathtaking se fell into everyone’s eyes. But a momehe creature disappeared into the deep. The o returo silence as if everything was just an illusion.

  Huber waited a few seds before breathing deeply in relief.

  “Good job, adventurers. The monster didn’t notice us thanks to your work.”

  Silver Bde was surprised by the genuine praise. But this was all the captain was willing to say, returning to the steering wheel and direg the ship away from this area.

  Soon an isnd came into view. On the ope was difficult to tell, but now that the isnd enrged quickly in their vision, the party noticed that the ship’s speed was clearly illogical.

  It only took them a mio cre swaths of water. Naturally no one pined. Who wao spend multiple game days travelling the o?

  Thanks to the game’s help, the ship soon stopped in the viity of Red’or Isnd. The party sed the piece of nd before them. It was rather small, with broad sandy coasts and a primitive jungle, which was surprisingly rather thin.

  In the ter of the isnd stood a single rge hill with a strange, pointed form.

  Bloody Edge frowned watg the silent isnd:

  “Something is wrong.”

  “Yes. I’m getting a strange vibe.”, agreed Silver Bde.

  Watchful Eye sed the isnd and its surroundings.

  “Could it be that there is not a single living thing here?”

  The others shuddered hearing his words. But at this moment a sailor waved at them:

  “The dinghy is ready! I bring you on nd!”

  “Whatever it is, we will find out. Let’s go guys.”

  Silver Bde took the lead, stepping into the small dinghy. When all party members ehe small boat was extremely crowded.

  But no one feared that they might capsize. This was still a game after all.

  The sailor also didn’t say anything, doing his job and ferrying the party across the st bit of o.

  Getting off the boat, the party felt the soft sand uheir feet. The sun shone brightly, spending a fortable heat. Final Fend took a deep breath of the air.

  “Feels like vacation. It’s not that scary anymore.”

  “You are right. I feel like throwing a towel onto the sand and taking a nap.”, agreed Braag.

  But suddenly, a noise came from behind the party. Water spshed, followed by a strange dragging sound.

  The party members fliurning around quickly, their mouths opening in disbelief.

  “What… is this?!”, whispered Balm.

  The watched as several bck bodies pushed out of the water. They were about the height of a human’s calf, with thick bck carapad six sturdy legs. Dark blue fins id on the sides of their bodies.

  Their strangely round heads bit into a fish at least ten times their size, w together to draw it on nd.

  A slightly bigger one of the creatures seemingly felt something. It let go of the prey, abruptly turning its body, staring at the pyers. Its round bck eyes emitted an intense hunger.

  Silver Bde reacted immediately, urging her party while using [I].

  “Careful! Get ready for a fight!”

  [Maritim Ferocious Ant VanguardRae

  Level: 20

  HP: 3700/3700]

  The party members immediately drew their ons. Bloody Edge went into stealth. Silver Bde and Final Fend built the frontline. Fortune began to cast.

  Meanwhile the sailor whht them on nd behaved as if he didn’t notiything, standing by his boat, waiting until the party wao return to the ship.

  The ae let out a strange snicker. Instantly all the other ants let go of their prey, staring at the party. Two frail looking ants stayed in the back while the others rushed towards the party.

  Suddenly the rattling of a could be heard. A sharp but short sword shot through the air, attached to a sturdy which was held in a dark glove.

  Silver Bde g her brother. Although he had already told her about his css, this was the first time she saw it in a.

  Final Fend was a Fmebde, a css popur among Avaiarner, which is what the humans living in the norther desert are called. Their ems from the mighty archmage Avia, who led a part of the human aors towards the north a long time ago.

  Fmebdes were a css fog on trolling the battlefield. They could relutly take on the role of a tank and were also feared for their fire damage.

  Final Fend was quite happy with his css, eager to prove his prowess to the rest of the party.

  Thus, his first attack immediately aimed at the elite. His bde smmed into the thick bck carapace, causing the ant to stagger.

  [-157!]

  The elite was quickly overtaken. Three bsects arrived before the party. Silver Bde didn’t wait to be outdone by her brother. She activated her skill [Luring Barrier].

  A bright, blueish barrier suddenly densed before the party. It was a few meters in diameter, shielding everyone behind it.

  The barrier emitted a strange magic, attrag the oppos’ attention. The three ants turheir heads towards Silver Bde, smming their bodies into the barrier.

  “Now guys, attack! Get rid of the small ones first!”

  Boom!

  [-288!]

  [-95!]

  [-95!]

  A small explosioed in front of Silver Bde, damaging all three ants. Braag smiled proudly, notig Balm gng at the bomb uncher in his hand, which looked somewhat like a smaller version of a ship on.

  But there was no time to be pt. Bloody Edge suddenly appeared behind the ants attag Silver Bde, his daggers fshing with a blinding light.

  [-698!]

  [-496!]

  Braag’s face froze looking at the enormous damage dealt by Bloody Edge. However, the tter didn’t know h felt. He was still dissatisfied as his attack didn’t crit.

  “Careful!”

  A loud yell suddenly shook Bloody Edge. His instinct screamed at him. Without lookihrew his body to the side.

  Bloody Edge groaned as a densed ball of water exploded against his leg. But the pain was quickly repced by disbelief seeing the damage he received.

  [-1001!]

  More than a third of his HP were gone in an instant.

  “Typical gss on.”, murmured Final Fend to himself.

  Silver Bde was the only one who heard her brother. But as the party leader she didn’t ent, instead shouting orders.

  “Careful! Thed ants have magic attacks!

  Bloody Edge, py around me! Balm, regeion!”

  “Yes!”

  “On it!”

  [+528!]Bloody Edge alr

  Bloody Edge already felt much better when the first regeion tick came in.

  Silver Bde looked at it in surprise, w if her rea was too hasty. But she quickly shook off her doubts, fog on the fight.

  Her barrier was about to e to an end. Cracks formed on its surface. Suddenly it exploded in a fierce shockwave, washing over the ants.

  [-101!]x3

  Some damage was dealt depe on her magical deferibute. But the main use of the skill was to focus all aggro on her.

  Five pairs of eyes focused on Silver Bde. Only the elite was still fag Final Fend.

  The three melee ants moved quickly. Opening their eerily big mouths they bit at Silver Bde.

  The tank hastily brought her shield in the way, her arm trembling from the impact.

  [Stance -16]x3