I'm back at my cave.

That went pretty well.

The fights in the VR world against Houston's generated monsters are getting harder and more complex by the day. It feels like they're learning from my habits. Some sort of machine learning algorithm?

I glance at the time. Just 20 minutes left until the agreed meeting with Lukas.

I give my status screen one last check.

Status Screen

Stage 1 - 5.961%

Wave control

Personal Output:

3.47 SU

Assisted Bonus (at 93% Merging Rate):

1.75 SU

Bonus from Helmet

: 35%

Total Output:

7.05 SU

Magnetization Efficiency:

98%

Overdrive

Full-State Output:

93%

Physical Combat

Swordsmanship:

1.14 SU

Footwork:

1.05 SU

Wave/Body Synchronization:

98%

Physical Condition (using 1% as 1.000 reference):

1.681

Notable Equipment

Sword:

Indestructible(?) Weight increases with stage progress. EM conductivity (1.0)

King Lobster Gauntlets:

Indestructible(?) Weight increases with stage progress. EM conductivity (2.0)

King Jellyfish Seven-Piece Cape

: Indestructible(?) Weight increases with stage progress(?) EM conductivity (2.0)

Although progress has slowed, there's a qualitative difference compared to before the previous boss fight. Not only have my technique and wave output improved, but I also have Houston's bonus waves.

Beyond the visible stats, my combat awareness and perception have grown significantly from all the spars with Ayu and the VR fights.

Looks good.

I send a wave to Ayu.

"Ready to head out?"

"Give me five minutes. I'll come to your position."

I send a thumbs-up.

I put on my mask and step out of the cave.

I can't deny there's a certain anticipation building for the fight. Only these boss creatures can push me to truly go all out. The thrill of a fight to the death… it's been a while.

I take a deep breath, savoring the breeze. The Isles are a beautiful place. I wonder if the boss of this region will be some kind of kraken or something similar.

That said, I've never explored the waters beyond the landmasses. What lies out there? An endless ocean? A barrier at the edge? Is it a planet? And what about the ocean depths?

I can't deny my curiosity, but now isn't the time. I should aim to defeat more bosses and master flying without relying on going beyond full-state before I venture into the unknown.

I wait patiently, and before long, Ayu arrives.

"Let's go," she says, a hint of excitement in her voice.

So, she's looking forward to it too.

I smile, and together, we head toward the location Lukas had marked.

Not long after, we arrive, and I'm surprised by the sight.

Over 20 climbers, all fully geared, are neatly organized in groups of three. Scanning them carefully, I notice that each has some sort of emblem engraved on their masks and shoulder pads. I count three distinct icons: an eagle, a dragon, and a tiger.

Interesting. Some sort of squad system?

They seem less surprised to see me than I expected. While there's still a trace of hesitation in their eyes when they meet mine, I can sense something else—something new. Is it… respect?

"Ready for the showdown?" Lukas approaches us, his mask off and a casual smile on his face.

"You made squads? They look cool!" Ayu says, her eyes lighting up. "Which squad am I in? Do I get one of those bands with the figurine? I want the tiger one!"

Lukas chuckles, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I missed the mark on that one. Didn't prepare anything for you two. But hmm… how about this? You can be the Ayu Special Strike Force. How does that sound?"

"Hmm, not sure about the name. But I don't have any ideas at the moment. So, who will be in my squad?"

"I guess you and Alonso would be fine," Lukas says, blinking at me with a mischievous grin, prompting me to cough, my composure faltering for a moment.

Ayu looks at me, her eyes shining. "So Alonso is under my direct command?"

I smile and shake my head.

"I will let you guys sort that out," Lukas laughs and then brings two pouches forward. "Here are the promised projectiles."

I grab the pouch, split the projectiles evenly with the handful I had left, and secure them with a vine around my waist.

"So, what's the plan?" I ask.

"First, we wait. Second, listen for the perturbations and track their origin to identify the region. Third, scout the boss. Fourth, fight the boss. Fifth, kill the boss," Lukas says, his tone casual.

"Sounds good," Ayu says with a nod.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

I glance at both of them and quickly understand how they became such good friends.

I sigh. Well, whatever.

I check the clock. Still three minutes to go.

My eyes scan the gathered climbers. I think their names were Arjun, Imani, and the last one was… Wang? Yeah. They seemed to be the captains of the squads, each made up of two fireteams of three.

My gaze focuses on Arjun. I remember Ayu mentioning something about him possibly having a special ability like us. A mutation. I guess I'll see during the fight.

My eyes sweep over the rest, and I spot one familiar face—the kid who lost his sword. He locks eyes with me.

I smile behind the mask.

He still has that fierce gaze, but the anger and hatred have shifted to something different. Is it… rivalry?

I chuckle softly.

As for the others, I don't know their names.

Ayu is still talking with Lukas while I zone out, letting my thoughts settle as I watch the time tick down.

Time drags, each second stretching into eternity, but finally, the moment arrives.

The silence breaks as the signal reaches us. I squint toward the source—10 o'clock from our position.

That direction… the Riftflow. No, that was the last one. This can only mean—

"The Molten Crest," Lukas says, his tone shifting slightly more serious. He turns to face the climbers, neatly lined up on the other side. "The time has come. You know your roles. Let's move."

The climbers nod in unison, their captains stepping forward to lead their squads as they start running toward the Swamp.

Lukas glances at Ayu and me. "You two can go ahead if you want, but if I could ask a favor… please don't engage the boss until we all reach the Molten Crest."

We exchange a look and nod.

"Thanks," Lukas says with a smile before pulling his mask on and dashing off after the others.

A moment later, I receive a wave from Ayu. "Let's go. I want to be the first to see it."

"I'm right behind you," I send back.

She turns to look at me, her eyes narrowing with a knowing glint. She says nothing and takes off running.

I stand there for a moment, smiling to myself, before breaking into a run to follow her.

We soon rush past the 'army' and step into the Riftflow, but as we continue toward the Molten Crest, another sound reaches us. An earthquake?

I instinctively move closer to Ayu, ready in case the ground starts giving way again. Worst-case scenario, I'm confident I can get us out if I act quickly and push Overdrive to dangerous levels while coordinating with her.

But no. The vibration isn't from landmasses falling or new rifts forming. It's coming from the coastal region. And these vibrations… they feel familiar. Wait… the crab tide?

No way.

Did the boss respawn? Or is this something else entirely?

I glance at Ayu. "We still have time before the others arrive. Want to check this out first?"

She nods. "Let's go."

We change direction, soon stepping out of the Riftflow near the now narrower southeastern border. We head straight for the cliff's edge overlooking the coast.

And there they are. Exactly like last time.

The crab army, swarming the shoreline, and the building-sized, black lobster leading them from the back.

Well… this was unexpected.

Ayu stares at them for a long moment before turning her gaze back to me, her eyes reflecting a hint of confusion. "The bosses come back?"

"Seems so," I reply, my eyes locking onto the massive creature that nearly ended my life. Back then, I was reckless… well, maybe I still am. But now, I can think of at least a dozen ways I could have made that fight easier. "There's a delay, though—around an hour between the appearance of the new boss and this old one. If I'm right, bosses might respawn 14 days after being killed. But we'll have to wait for the King Jellyfish to respawn to confirm it."

"Should we kill it? Can we gain something from it?" Ayu asks.

"We already took the orb from it, and it was limited to one per person."

"In that case, I'm not interested," Ayu says, glancing back at me. "We can let Lukas and his squads deal with it. So, let's check out the new boss?"

Fair enough. Especially if we beat the new boss first, this lobster won't even be a challenge for Ayu in a one-on-one fight.

"Alright, let's head back. We should still get there earlier than the rest and get a first peek at the boss," I say with a blink.

And with that, we dash off. We soon reach the divider between the Riftflow and the Molten Crest.

And yep… it's obvious the boss is here.

We both stop and stare ahead. The geography of the zone has completely changed. Magma pools are wider, and occasional volcanic eruptions dot the horizon. But what stands out the most is the Screechers.

They're no longer roaming aimlessly in scattered, small groups.

No, they're organized—waiting. Hundreds of them, all staring at us from a distance.

It looks like we'll have to break through.

But this level of coordination… is it coming directly from the boss?

I remember the first boss barely used its minions, only calling them in when it was cornered. The second boss used them strategically to encircle us in its final stage. And now this.

Are they getting smarter?

"Did you guys hear the earthquake? Where are you?" Lukas' voice comes through.

"Earthquake was from the crab tide. They've respawned. We just came from there. We're now standing in front of the Molten Crest. I'm sending you a mental image," I reply, transmitting the image to him.

A couple of seconds later, his response comes through. "Interesting. Bosses respawn, huh? It seems to match exactly two weeks after you killed it. That… that's actually quite good. Alright. We'll need at least another hour to get there. Feel free to scout, but don't engage the boss if possible until we arrive."

"Roger, boss," I reply with a grin.

"Let's check it out," Ayu says, dashing forward without waiting for my response.

I narrow my eyes, scanning the Screechers ahead. They shouldn't pose much of a threat, but the random volcanic eruptions? That… could be an issue.

I'll need to keep my senses tuned to the underground flows and be ready to react.

Pushing Overdrive, I run after Ayu.

As we move deeper into the territory, something feels off. The Screechers aren't attacking on sight. Instead, they remain in place, watching.

I unsheath my sword, pushing my senses further to scan all of them.

I wait. And wait…

Then they move.

Just 80 meters. Their aggro range has shrunk considerably, and they're moving in tight formations of three.

But their physical capabilities? Unchanged. They're still too slow.

Ignoring their screeching and shielding my mind, I leap over the first one, slipping between the other two before they can even react.

More appear, but I dodge them without effort. Yet, it's clear they're coordinating far better than before.

This will be quite the challenge for Lukas and his squads.

I catch up to Ayu, and together, we push forward, weaving through the masses of Screechers like they're little more than obstacles in the background.

Finally, after 20 minutes, we spot its silhouette in the distance.

My eyes widen, a quiet laugh slipping out as my lips curl into a growing smile.

The creature towers above the jagged terrain, its form blending seamlessly with the molten rivers flowing beneath it.

Its outline shimmers against the fiery glow of the lava pools, its body seemingly forged from obsidian and flame. Wings, vast and jagged, stretch outward, their edges glowing faintly like embers about to ignite.

Its head tilts slightly, revealing eyes that burn like twin suns, surveying its domain with a sovereignty that defies challenge.

I send Lukas a transmission. "We've got eyes on it."

A smile creeps onto my face as I look at the magnificent, terrifying being before us.

"Here be dragons."

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