"T-Thank you... for saving us," the three male players expressed their gratitude in painful tone.
"Were you in a big party?" Kierra asked calmly as she stroked Lulu's fur, ignoring the gashes on their bodies.
At the same time, she took out some cactus flesh and handed it to each of them. Although it wouldn't heal their wounds, it would help them regain their stamina.
The two boys and the girl ate it after reading through the description.
"Y-Yes, we were in a party of seven. But we still weren't able to defeat those Elite Feral Wolves because of our lack of coordination. As a result, four of our party members died," the girl replied shakily, still traumatized by the horrifying experience firsthand.
They thought they were prepared for this, but the level of cruelty was simply beyond what they had anticipated.
"I see..." Kierra nodded, sympathy flickering in her eyes as she listened to their story.
Victor also nodded in understanding about what must have transpired between them.
A larger party didn't always mean a better chance of survival. Without proper coordination and leadership, a big group could fall apart just as easily—just like this team had.
Besides, the more members there were, the more experience points had to be shared.
So for now, joining a big party wasn't an ideal choice for him.
Fortunately, he had a skilled and capable teammate in Kierra. She was strong, quick-witted, and handled combat well. Though at times, she could be a handful to deal with.
Even so, she was someone he could rely on.
How long their partnership would last, however, was something only time could tell.
"You two look strong. Can we join you?" the girl asked desperately, clinging to hope as she looked at them. "I just want to get out of this nightmare alive."
Kierra instinctively tried to pull her hand away, but she hesitated when she saw the sheer desperation in the girl's eyes—the eyes of someone desperately holding onto dear life.
Just then, Victor stepped in between them.
"Sorry, we can't accept you," he said bluntly. "We have our own paths to walk on." His tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.
The girl's face fell, but before she could plead further, Victor pointed toward the direction they had come from.
"If you want to survive, head outside of this forest. Follow that path, and you might make it out before nightfall."
The two young men with her glared at Victor, one of them muttering under his breath,
"You're damn heartless, brother."
They had hoped to convince Kierra to let them join as a girl, but Victor had shut that possibility down.
Victor heard the comment loud and clear, but instead of getting angry, he chuckled.
"That's just how life is, dear brothers," he said with a smirk. Then, turning to Kierra, he added, "Let's go. We need to reach level 10 before tomorrow."
Without waiting for a response, he grabbed Kierra's hand and pulled her along.
Kierra closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself be led. Deep down, she didn't want to be so ruthless, but the Supreme Game wasn't a place for kindness or benevolence.
She knew the truth just as well as Victor—the three players would only slow them down. And in a life-or-death situation, weakness was a death sentence.
"Huh?"
Only after they had walked some distance did Kierra notice something unnatural—her hand was still in Raizel's grip.
She quickly and subtly pulled it away, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Victor gave her a strange look.
"You're not feeling guilty, are you?"
"No, I'm not," Kierra denied, keeping her gaze fixed ahead.
"Good," Victor replied, sounding almost relieved.
Then his gaze turned up at the sky, and saw that the sun was already at its peak, meaning it was noon.
"Let's find a place to rest and wash up. Then we can cook the meat. What do you say, Kierra?"
"Ah, yes, the meat," Kierra said, nodding. Then, almost as if trying to change the subject, she added, "But we should get some water before that."
'Yep, there's definitely something odd about her,' Victor mused inwardly.
From there, they followed the footprints of monsters and other animals, hoping to find a water source nearby—maybe a lake.
After some time of cautious walking, they finally found one.
A big lake stretched out before them in the central region of Lockwood Forest.
But the moment they saw it, they froze, their expressions turning tense as they quickly hid behind a large tree.
The outer banks of the lake were packed with monsters—green-skinned, humanoid creatures with muscular builds and brutish faces.
The water source was right ahead, but getting to it wouldn't be easy.
"Great..." Kierra huffed, exasperated. "Is there no safe place for players? Now we have to take down these ugly monsters too?"
"Aren't they goblins? But why are they so big?" Victor muttered, narrowing his eyes as he tried to get a better look. Unfortunately, they were too far away for him to check their stats.
Kierra crossed her arms, answering nonchalantly, "Because they're hobgoblins—the evolved form of normal goblins. They're stronger, smarter, and way more aggressive."
Her tone turned serious as she added, "We have to be very cautious. If they're gathered here, there's a good chance a den is nearby."
"I see... Let's take a closer look and see if we can take one down. I'm only 90 points away from leveling up," Victor suggested, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Kierra shot him a skeptical look. "Weren't you the one saying we needed to recover stamina and rest? Don't tell me you're a battle freak too," she said, crossing her arms.
Victor smirked. "Relax. We'll only take on a solo one. I'm not that reckless."
Despite his confidence, he wasn't about to take unnecessary risks. To recover his stamina, he bit into a piece of cactus flesh, feeling a slight wave of energy return to him.
Seeing his determination, Kierra sighed and followed along.
Crouching behind a thick bush, they edged closer to the lake, staying out of sight as a new set of information flashed before their eyes.
[ Hobgoblin - Level 8 ]
[ HP: 350 ]
[ Threat Level: Medium ]
Victor analyzed the details carefully. These weren't just regular goblins—they were bigger, stronger, and much more dangerous. Even a single one could be a significant threat.
"Still want to go through with this, Raizel?" Kierra asked, watching him closely, amusement flickering in her eyes.
Victor was tensed slightly, but nodded in affirmation.
Kierra let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. "Alright...Let's wait for a opportunity to attack."
The little monkeys shivered, feeling another wave of danger incoming. But they were adapting fast. They didn't shriek in fear like the first time.