Hazel, ever the first to act, scurried to the well and took a deep drink. Her eyes went wide.

  “Whoa! It gives a stat bonus! A huge one!”

  Rena, having taken a sip herself, looked at her character sheet in astonishment. “This buff is insane! ”

  [Fenris’s Blessed Water]: Grants the ability to see through the great ward. For 30 minutes: +10,000 Mana, +5,000 Intellect, +5,000 Spirit, +5,000 Defense, +50% Spell Effectiveness.

  Orion sidled up next to her. “Well, what a coincidence. I got the exact same one. We must be on the same wavelength.”

  Rena shot him a withering glare and turned away, ignoring him. “Lila, what about yours?”

  “+10,000 Health, +5,000 Strength, +5,000 Constitution, +5,000 Defense, and +50% Physical Damage,” Lila reported, her brow furrowed. She shared none of their excitement. A single question burned in her mind.

  “Why would we need a buff this powerful?” she asked quietly.

  The unspoken answer hung in the air: because they were about to face something terrible. A bonus this massive could only mean an equally terrifying boss fight was ahead.

  She looked up at Kael, who was already looking at her. They saw the same worry reflected in each other’s eyes; they had both reached the same grim conclusion.

  With a wave of his hand, the third chieftain’s staff vanished. He took a single step toward the sheer rock face of the mountain and disappeared into thin air. Bolstered by the blessed water, the group could now perceive the shimmering ward. They followed him through.

  The mountain path was shrouded in a thick, unnatural fog. The bandit patrols that usually roamed the slopes were nowhere to be seen. The five of them formed a protective circle around Fenris, cautiously scanning the mists for any sign of an ambush.

  But their journey up the winding path was smooth and completely uninterrupted. As they neared the gates of the mountain stronghold, a voice called out.

  “Halt! Who goes there?”

  A sentry on the wall had spotted them. When Kael looked up, the guard’s posture changed from defensive to ecstatic.

  “Fourth Chieftain! It’s the Fourth Chieftain!”

  The stronghold’s drawbridge was lowered, and more than a dozen NPCs—all elite-tier, with several champions among them—poured out. They approached the group and dropped to one knee.

  “Third Chieftain, Fourth Chieftain,” their leader said, his voice thick with relief. “You’ve finally returned!”

  Fenris nodded. “Are our brothers well?”

  “We are all unharmed, Chieftain,” the man replied. “But our food supplies are nearly gone. We can only hold out for another four or five days.”

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  “Have the monsters below made it past the ward?”

  “No. But their activity has increased. It’s only a matter of time before they break through.”

  Fenris’s expression darkened. He said nothing more, leading Kael and the others into the stronghold.

  The moment he stepped inside, Kael received a system notification.

  [System]: Congratulations! You have completed the quest [Escort Fenris to the Blackwind Brotherhood]. You have received one random Level 30 Ascendant item.

  [System]: Lucky Bonus triggered! You have received an additional Level 30 Ascendant item.

  Kael shook his head slightly. So that’s the limit. Even his absurd luck couldn't upgrade the reward’s quality from Ascendant to Mythic.

  Mythic-grade items and above had fixed drop locations and couldn't be generated randomly. Instead of a quality upgrade, the bonus just gave him a second item. Still, he knew his luck stat was what allowed him to get gear on the first kill that other players might grind for months to see.

  He inspected his rewards. The first was a level 30 Ascendant bow.

  Its base damage was impressive, comparable to his [Galeharrow], but its stats were split between physical and magical, and its unique skill, [Explosion Arrow], scaled with Intellect. It was a powerful hybrid weapon, but it didn't fit his pure agility build.

  The other item was an Ascendant leather chest piece. He didn’t even bother checking its stats; nothing could replace his [Solar Mantle of Apollo] until the Arrival of the Gods hits.

  Lila and the others also received one Ascendant item each, all of which were significant upgrades they equipped immediately.

  Once inside, Fenris bypassed the main hall, leading them directly to the Thunder Plaza. He surveyed the area, then gestured to the ground beside the newly repaired Thunderclap Drums.

  “Ullr. Shall we build the teleport nexus here?”

  Kael nodded. “This is a good spot.”

  With a flick of Fenris’s wrist, a large, rune-carved stone materialized on the ground. It was the familiar cornerstone of a nexus waypoint.

  Fenris turned to Kael, his face grim. “Ullr, because this stronghold has no foundational magic, it will take me half an hour to establish the nexus. The energy surge will be immense; it is almost certain to attract the Warchief’s minions. During that time, you must hold the gate. No matter what.”

  Kael’s jaw tightened. “I will hold it.”

  Fenris clapped a hand on Kael’s shoulder, then turned and began laying out rare materials around the cornerstone. As he started the ritual, a new quest alert appeared for everyone.

  [System]: New Quest - [Defend Fenris]. Protect the ritual for 30 minutes.

  [Failure Condition]: The Blackwind Brotherhood Stronghold is overrun.

  Kael’s mind instantly calculated the stakes. If they failed, Fenris would likely die permanently. The plan to upgrade Starlight Village would be indefinitely stalled. And his own standing as the Fourth Chieftain would be damaged. This was a linchpin quest, one that had to be completed by top-tier players to advance the server’s main story.

  Kael led the team to the stronghold’s watchtowers. He took his position overlooking the east gate, while the others covered the south and north. A moment later, a powerful wave of energy pulsed from the plaza behind them; Fenris had begun.

  They all turned their gaze to the foggy slopes below.

  Suddenly, a ripple distorted the air in the distance. A shared sense of dread washed over them.

  “What is that?” Hazel asked, pointing.

  From her watchtower, Lila squinted. A black dot was slowly making its way up the mountain. At the same time, Kael, Orion, and Rena saw similar shapes emerging from the mist before their own gates.

  As they drew closer, their forms became clear.

  At the east gate, a colossal tortoise.

  At the south gate, a rhinoceros plated in obsidian armor.

  At the north gate, a fox with three flowing tails of ethereal fire.

  Each creature was utterly alone, advancing with a slow, inexorable purpose.

  Hazel puffed out her chest in relief. “Haha, is that it? I was so worried! It’s only three monsters. This should be easy! Right, Lila?”

  She turned to the nearby watchtower, but Lila wasn’t listening. Her face was pale, her knuckles white where she gripped her blade.

  The three advancing figures were Level 38 World Bosses.

  And each one was as strong as the Behemoth.