The Fellgrins kept coming.

For three relentless hours, the group pressed on, their bodies aching, their minds dulled by exhaustion. Their once erratic and frantic attacks had settled into something more measured and coordinated. They weren't just reacting anymore—they were fighting as a unit.

Rachel cut down a Fellgrin in front of her, its blood spraying across the underbrush. She barely had time to flick her sword clean before turning to parry another strike aimed at her back. Paul stepped in beside her, his sabre flashing as he took down the creature before it could regroup.

"Still no end in sight," Paul muttered, stepping back as the immediate threat cleared.

"Tell me about it," Nathan grumbled, shaking Fellgrin's blood from his axe. "I swear we've fought a hundred of these things."

"Feels like it," Evelyn admitted, an arrow notched but undrawn as she scanned the trees. "At least they're not all coming at once anymore."

Charles, miraculously back on his feet, rolled his shoulder experimentally. "I'd be dead if not for Evelyn," he admitted. "But I'll tell you this—I'm never letting my guard down like that again."

Rachel nodded, tossing him a small piece of food from her pack. She had snagged extra rations at lunch, and now, she was glad she had. "Eat. We don't know when we'll get a break again."

Charles caught it, nodding his thanks before biting into it without hesitation. His recovery had been remarkable—Evelyn's healing skill had worked far better than expected. It had changed everything. If they could force the System to bend, there was no telling what else they could unlock.

For now, though, that had to wait.

They moved forward, cutting down Fellgrins as they went, pushing through exhaustion with sheer will. The creatures weren't getting any easier to kill, but the group had adapted, finding ways to cover for each other's weaknesses. Nathan's raw strength kept enemies from overwhelming them, while Charles and Paul held the front, deflecting blows and striking with precision.

Rachel, Diana, and Evelyn focused on control, keeping threats at bay, and ensuring no one was caught off guard. The twins moved like ghosts in the backline, their arrows striking with increasing accuracy.

Even as fatigue crept in, their efficiency grew.

Then, just as Rachel finished another Fellgrin, a familiar ping echoed in her mind, followed by a glowing notification.

Quest Update: Fellgrins in the Wild

Initial Objective Completed.

New Secondary Objective: The sheer number of Fellgrins is unnatural. Something is driving them into a frenzy, increasing their numbers beyond what should be possible. Uncover the source of this disturbance before the infestation spirals further out of control.

Reward Quality Updated

Rachel's breath came in heavy as she straightened, blinking against the sweat stinging her eyes. "Hold up," she called out, raising a hand to signal the others.

Nathan turned mid-step, frowning. "What?"

Rachel exhaled, gripping her sword. "We just got a quest update."

Rachel read the quest update aloud, her voice steady despite the exhaustion weighing on them. "So that means we should have gotten rewards for the first part, right? Where would it go, though?"

Charles glanced around at the group before shaking his head. "Dear, I don't think we're getting anything until we complete the whole quest."

Rachel gritted her teeth. Fucking System.

Evelyn, usually quiet and content to follow along, cleared her throat. "Hey, everyone. We still have another day before we need money. Should we go back, rest, and start the new part of this quest tomorrow morning? It's nearly nightfall." Her eyes flicked toward the lengthening shadows stretching between the trees.

Rachel scanned the group, watching as everyone slowly nodded in agreement. It made sense, even if she hated the idea of walking away. But exhaustion tugged at her limbs, and she knew pushing forward in the dark was a risk they weren't ready for. "You're probably right. Let's get back and rest up. We can try again with a full day ahead of us."

The walk back was quiet, tension lingering despite their decision to retreat. Twice, small packs of Fellgrins lunged from the underbrush, their glowing eyes betraying them in the growing darkness. The group handled them better than before—movements were more coordinated, strikes more precise—but the fights left them winded and scraped up.

By the time they reached the glowing boundary of Virial's domain, the weight of the day's battles pressed down on them. Virial stood waiting, her arms crossed, her gaze sharp as she watched them approach. For a moment, she looked utterly unreadable, her expression unreadable. Then, suddenly, a broad smile split her face.

"You made it to the second phase of the quest already? Great progress." Her sharp gaze flicked over each of them before settling on Evelyn. "Ooooh, and you have a new skill, huh? Healing, no less. Someone must have gotten really injured."

At her words, Evelyn instinctively shifted closer to Charles, pressing against his side in an unconscious gesture of reassurance. He wrapped an arm around her without hesitation.

Virial smirked, clearly pleased. "I'm glad you're taking advantage of the System here. Remember, you won't gain much experience in points while training here, but your new and old skills will level up much faster."

Before anyone could respond, she turned on her heel and strode away, leaving Rachel standing there, her mouth opening and closing silently.

After a beat, Charles exhaled and clapped his hands together. "Alright. Can we eat now?"

Paul groaned. "That's the best idea I've heard all day."

The mention of food reignited their hunger, a gnawing need buried under exhaustion. The scent of something rich and savory filled the air, drifting deeper within the Grove. Virial's domain didn't just offer them shelter; it also provided nourishment.

Rachel followed the scent, leading the group toward a section of the Grove where thick, twisting roots formed a natural clearing. A long wooden table stretched beneath the canopy, covered with steaming bowls. The selection was satisfying yet straightforward, thick slabs of roasted meat with a charred crust, stew brimming with chunks of vegetables and tender game pieces, and dense, dark bread baked with seeds and grains.

A large clay pitcher, filled with a cool, slightly sweet liquid with a hint of honey, sat at the center of the table. Nearby, a smaller bowl of coarse salt and another of what looked like crushed berries sat beside the bread.

Rachel tore a piece off a loaf and dipped it into the stew, the warmth spreading through her fingers as she took a bite. The flavors were earthy and rich, the broth thick and clinging to the bread. Around her, the others dug in with the same weary hunger, no one speaking for a moment as they focused on eating.

Evelyn, still quiet, nibbled at a strip of roasted meat, her expression distant. Despite his usual bravado, Nathan simply shoveled food into his mouth without comment. Even Paul, typically one to talk between bites, focused on his meal.

Rachel exhaled, letting the heat of the food settle into her bones. Oh god, this is good food!

Nathan leaned back, stretching his arms before grabbing another piece of roasted meat. "Sooo, we want to talk about the bombshell she just dropped on us? We level up slowly here in terms of experience, but we have the chance to learn new skills and level up old ones more easily? Did anyone else get that takeaway?"

Rachel nodded, absently tearing off a chunk of bread and dipping it into the stew. "Yeah. That's pretty much what I gathered, too. Wonder why we're just now hearing about this, though?"

Charles swallowed a bite of food before responding. "They're probably doling out information as we earn it," he said, though it came out more like a question. He glanced around the group, gauging their reactions. "I mean, you wouldn't tell a toddler how to do taxes until they were ready."

Everyone absorbed that for a moment, nodding along as it made sense.

Rachel exhaled, setting her spoon down. "Still, it's frustrating that we're being spoon-fed information piece by piece."

Paul wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before speaking. "I agree, but I think part comes from how information worked in our world. Back home, everything was available at a click, and most people still didn't take full advantage of it. You remember how things were." He sighed, shaking his head. "Here, knowledge has to be earned. If we do this quest perfectly, we have a better chance of getting more information or better rewards. It's a strict one-to-one exchange—do better, and you get better."

Rachel studied him for a few seconds, brow slightly raised. "That's… really insightful. And it makes a lot of sense."

Paul smirked, leaning back with a smug grin. "I told you, I make sense every once in a while."

Rachel rolled her eyes, winking at him before shoveling another bite into her mouth. "Let's not push it, mister."

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Diana, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "So, what should we be focusing on? It sounds like we should start making choices about who we will become. Physical weapons aren't for everyone, and now we know we can use magic."

The group fell into thoughtful silence, chewing their food while the weight of Diana's words settled over them. Choices. The System might be guiding them, but ultimately, their futures were still theirs to decide.

"I don't have any answers and can barely stay awake now that I am full. I am going to turn in. Let's get going at first light tomorrow. We can discuss it more while we walk. I have some ideas but want to sleep on it." Rachel stood up and stretched. Paul was a second behind her. Everyone wandered over to their cubicles as other groups wandered in and started eating their shares. It has been such a long day. I can not wait to fall asleep.

The next day, the group gathered in the same clearing where Charles had nearly lost his life. The ground still bore faint traces of the battle—disturbed dirt, dried blood, and the remains of the Fellgrins they had fought. Evelyn had difficulty not staring at the spot where Charles had fallen, her grip tightening on her bow as memories of the moment flashed through her mind.

Sensing her distress, Charles moved to stand beside her, subtly blocking her view of the site. Leaning in, he pressed a small kiss to her cheek, his voice low and reassuring. "It's over now. I'm still here."

She exhaled slowly, nodding. "I know," she murmured. "It's just… hard to shake."

Rachel clapped her hands together, drawing everyone's attention. "Alright, now that we're away from prying eyes and ears, let's figure something out. Who here is happy with their weapons and wants to stick with them?"

Paul rolled his shoulders, adjusting his grip on his sabre. "I'm fine with my sabre. Though I wouldn't mind a second weapon or maybe a small shield—nothing as massive as Charles'," he added with a smirk.

Charles gave his shield a slight shake. "I'm good with what I have, but wouldn't say no to more armor. That would've come in handy yesterday."

Evelyn hesitated, shifting on her feet before speaking. "I… don't like the bow," she admitted, glancing at the weapon in her hands. "I feel like I'm getting better at it, but after seeing magic and healing in action, I think I'd prefer a support role."

Nathan let out a chuckle, hefting his two-handed axe onto his shoulder. "I love this thing. Feels like it was made for me. Swinging it around like that… It's addicting."

Rachel sighed, shaking her head as she eyed his increasingly bulky frame. "Of course you'd say that."

Diana twirled one of her knives between her fingers, nodding. "I'm good with these. I know it pushes me into a rogue-style role, but I'm fine with that. I assume I can specialize in something more specific later, so I'll stick with it for now."

Rachel turned to the twins, who had remained quiet during the discussion. "That leaves you two. Don't feel bad about jumping in—I promise we don't bite."

The siblings exchanged a glance before George finally spoke. "We were raised shooting bows. We're naturally good at it and can keep going with it. But for me… magic is too tempting to ignore. I want to blend magic into my archery or go straight damage-focused mage."

Felicity nodded in agreement. "Same for me, but if I had to pick, I'd stick with archery. Shooting feels even better than it used to, like I was made for it."

Rachel rubbed her chin, thinking. "That makes sense. So we have two interested in magic and one maybe. While we scout for more clues, I want to talk to Evelyn and George about magic. Felicity, if you could take the rear, you should still be able to hear us. Nathan and Charles, you're up front. Evelyn and Diana, take the flanks. If we get attacked, Charles and Nathan take the lead."

Nathan grinned, gripping his axe with both hands before clapping Charles on the shoulder. "Let's get this going, buddy. I bet I kill more of them than you do today."

Charles smirked, adjusting his shield. "Whatever you say, big man."

With Rachel, Evelyn, and George walking in the middle of the pack, they spent their time discussing magic theory, at least as well as they could with the limited information they had.

Rachel glanced between them. "So we learned that we could manifest basic skills through great need. But there has to be a way to learn those skills without someone almost dying." She turned to Evelyn. "I think yours will be easier since you can always practice healing in camp, where it's relatively safe." Then, shifting her focus to George, she continued, "You, on the other hand, might need a more exciting training ground. But for now, I think we should all work on mana control—that seems to be the first step."

Evelyn nodded. "I've been practicing that mana circulation technique we used to heal Charles. This morning, I gained a skill called Mana Manipulation. It's uncommon and pretty basic, but it speeds up mana transfer." She shook her bow slightly in emphasis. "Which makes me think we might be able to transfer mana into other things, like arrows or weapons."

George's eyes lit up. "Walk me through exactly how you got that skill, please. That sounds perfect for starting."

Rachel and Evelyn took turns explaining the process in detail. George furrowed his brow in concentration as he tried to replicate the technique. It took him ten minutes to get his mana to circulate correctly and another twenty minutes of practice before he finally activated the skill.

The moment it clicked, he grinned broadly. "I got it!"

Evelyn glanced at him, exasperated. "It took me all night and part of this morning to get that."

Rachel hummed thoughtfully. "When you were doing it, were you trying to get a new skill, or were you just doing it to do it?"

Evelyn frowned for a moment before realization struck. "Ah. I was just doing it. No real urgency."

Rachel turned to George. "Were you trying for the skill or just playing around?" Already suspecting the answer.

"I was desperately trying to force it to happen," he admitted, still grinning.

Rachel nodded. "Intent seems to be a huge part of this. I think the formula is intent first, then aptitude, then luck. That last part is just a guess, though."

As they walked, Rachel continued circulating her mana, the familiar tingle running through her limbs. She had been at it as long as George, yet she still felt no closer to unlocking a skill. No matter. She just had to keep going.

She glanced over at him. "Evelyn is going to focus on healing. George, do you know what type of magic you're interested in? Or how you'd like to use it?"

George hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean... maybe lightning?" His tone was tentative, as if waiting for someone to shoot him down.

Before Rachel or Evelyn could react, Felicity let out a loud snort from her position at the rear. "Oh, come on, George. Of course, it's something electricity-based."

George shot her a glare, but she continued without missing a beat. "When we were kids, we had to babyproof the bloody house because of him. He got shocked real bad once, and you'd think that would've scared him off, right? Nope. He kept coming back for more, poking at the sockets, trying to figure out how they worked."

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"Oh, it gets worse," Felicity said, smirking. "Every single school science fair? Guess what his project was. Electricity. Electric motors, circuits, and grounding techniques, didn't matter. If it had wires and current, George was all over it. He even tried making a little generator once, nearly blew up the garage."

"It wasn't that bad," George muttered, crossing his arms.

"You tripped the entire neighborhood's power," Felicity shot back.

Rachel chuckled. "So… obsessed, then."

George sighed, but his lips twitched in amusement. "Yeah. Maybe a little."

Rachel nudged him with her elbow. "Well, if you're that into it, maybe there's a reason. If magic is influenced by will and intent, then I'd say lightning is your best bet."

George nodded, more confident now. "Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense."

Rachel let the thought settle as she kept working at her mana, still feeling no closer to her breakthrough. Oh well. Just had to keep going.

"George, how do you think you would go about learning something so specific. Do you have a lot of experience working with electricity?"

Rachel barely had time to register Felicity's long, drawn-out "Noooo" before George launched into a tirade.

"Well, I really understand how electricity works at a fundamental level," he began, his voice gaining speed with each word. "So, if magic follows logic in any way, I should be able to start with static electricity. That's the easiest to generate—low energy, low risk. It's basically just the buildup of charge, right? So, if I can figure out how to channel mana into my arrows like Evelyn suggested, I could try to shift that charge over into something else. Maybe a rock or a metal object, see if I can transfer stored energy into a conductive material."

He was pacing now, hands gesturing wildly as he spoke.

"Once I can do that, I'd need to work on amplification. Lightning isn't just electricity—it's a sudden discharge caused by a massive difference in charge between two points. So, I'd have to figure out how to increase that potential difference. If mana works like a form of energy conversion, I could create an artificial charge imbalance—positive on one side, negative on the other—until it forces a discharge. That would be actual lightning."

His voice picked up excitement as his theories spilled out uncontrollably.

"Then, of course, I'd need to work on control. I could aim it more precisely by generating a directed stream instead of a chaotic bolt. Maybe small conductive pathways in the air, like ionized channels, can be used to guide the strike. That's how lightning rods work in real life! The energy naturally follows the path of least resistance. So, if I could shape that path using mana, I wouldn't just be shooting lightning randomly—I'd be creating a targeted attack, like a railgun but made of pure energy!"

He inhaled sharply, as if suddenly hit with a new idea. "Or—maybe I could use it defensively! A sort of Lightning Armor, like in video games! If I could surround myself in a constant, low-level discharge, anything that gets too close would get zapped before it could touch me. I'd have to work out how to keep it from grounding out. Maybe a controlled magnetic field using mana can contain it? Then it wouldn't dissipate into the earth, and I could hold the charge around me like a personal shield."

He was utterly lost in his theories, eyes shining with an almost manic energy. "And if I can do that, I could theoretically create a feedback loop. Charge the air, use mana to stabilize the arc, then continuously cycle energy through the system without needing constant input, like a Tesla coil! If I could harness that, I wouldn't just be throwing lightning, I'd be conducting it and directing it like an extension of myself. Hell, I wonder if I could even create ball lightning. That's still a mystery in real-world science, but if mana could provide stability to the plasma—"

He finally trailed off, suddenly aware of the silence around him.

The entire group had stopped walking. Every single one of them was staring at him.

Rachel, Paul, Charles, Evelyn, Nathan, Diana—hell, even Felicity was watching him with an expression that hovered between amusement and concern.

It was then that George realized he had been rambling for several minutes, completely absorbed in his passion. No one back home ever let him talk about this stuff—not like this.

His face turned red, and he shifted uncomfortably. "Or… something like that," he mumbled, suddenly shy.

Rachel blinked. "Huh."

Felicity smirked, crossing her arms. "Told you."

Nathan broke the silence first. "George, you were pretty smart back home, huh?"

George nodded slightly but kept his mouth shut, clearly not wanting to put himself out there more than he already had.

Rachel nudged him gently on the arm, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, George. We might not be on your level, but we're all pretty nerdy here. We met playing online games and were at a retreat playing tabletop RPGs together when all this happened."

Charles chuckled. "Rachel, let's be honest—none of us are on that intelligence level." He turned back to George. "But I'm all for it, man. Never feel ashamed about talking to us about the stuff you love. Just… don't be offended if we can't keep up."

A few chuckles rippled through the group, and George let out a small breath, the tension in his shoulders easing. It took a little while for him to settle back into the rhythm of the walk, but the moment of embarrassment passed, and they resumed their scouting.

Rachel retook point, scanning the terrain as they moved. "Alright, we need to get serious about this. We've been out here for hours now. Besides a few fights, we haven't found much in the way of evidence. If something makes the Fellgrins multiply, we need to figure out what it is."

Walking just ahead, Nathan neared the treeline, his towering frame letting him see farther than the rest. He slowed, lifting a hand to signal the others, his voice dropping low. "I think we found what we're after. You can peek through this shrub here."

Rachel moved up beside him, the others lining up behind her. Pushing aside the thick foliage, she squinted through the dense underbrush.

What she saw on the other side made her stomach drop.

Rachel exhaled sharply and rubbed her face. What the hell were those?!

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