Jack froze, his breath catching as a patch of black fur emerged from the cave’s shadowy mouth. The short-faced bear stepped out, its massive shoulders hunched and nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air. Its head turned sharply, and Jack felt the crushing weight of its piercing gaze.

  The ground seemed to tremble under the bear’s weight as it climbed, each step deliberate and menacing. A low growl rolled like thunder from its throat while thick, glistening drool dripped from its maw, trailing down in long, sticky threads.

  Jack felt like a mouse under a hawk’s shadow. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but he held his ground, forcing his legs to stay rooted. They trembled beneath him, his grip on the Molotov slick with sweat. He needed the bear closer—higher. Just a few more steps.

  His gaze darted toward the two fermentation bombs he had carefully planted. Their red glow pulsed faster now, signaling the countdown’s imminent end. A quick glance at the timer: two minutes left.

  The beast clawed its way toward him, its massive paws digging into the loose soil. Rocks and dirt tumbled down the slope with every movement, the unstable terrain groaning beneath its weight. But the bear’s claws found purchase on the jagged rock beneath, pulling it upward with unnerving ease—effortlessly navigating the very slope that had nearly killed Jack earlier.

  Jack’s breath hitched as the bear’s gaze locked onto him. It felt like a physical force pinning him in place. His legs screamed to run, to abandon the plan and flee down the slope. But he couldn’t—he wouldn’t. His teammates were counting on him, and this wasn’t just about survival anymore. It was about proving to himself that he could do this.

  His heart pounded as he reached for the torch. Its flame flickered wildly in the wind, the heat brushing his face. He lit the Molotov’s wick, the fire crackling as it caught. No room for error now.

  The bear snarled at the sight of the flame, hesitating for a moment. Its primal instincts seemed to sense the trap, but its fury won out. It roared and climbed higher, its rage building with every step.

  “Hold it, Jack. Just a little longer,” he whispered under his breath, steadying his shaking hands. When the beast was directly under the location where he’d planted the fermentation bombs, Jack made his move. With a swift motion, he hurled the Molotov. The glass shattered on impact, igniting a searing blaze that engulfed the bombs.

  BOOM! BOOM!

  The detonation hit like a thunderclap, a deafening shockwave that shook the mountainside. The fermentation bombs erupted with violent force, tearing into the slope and unleashing a tidal wave of loose earth and debris.

  The bear roared in alarm, its guttural cry echoing across the mountainside. It clawed desperately at the shifting ground, trying to find an anchor, but the landslide was merciless. The avalanche surged forward, swallowing everything in its path.

  The bear’s massive frame tumbled backward, its claws thrashing wildly as it was dragged helplessly down the slope. The same treacherous incline that had nearly claimed Jack’s life now proved unforgiving to the far heavier predator. Jack caught one last glimpse of its thrashing form before the debris swallowed it, sealing the cave’s entrance beneath a mound of rubble.

  Jack ducked, shielding his face as the blast’s shockwave rippled through the air. Smoke stung his eyes and filled his lungs, and the roar of the avalanche drowned out all other sounds.

  As the dust began to settle, Jack cautiously straightened, coughing against the gritty air. The mountainside was a chaotic wreck of shattered rocks and churned earth. The bear was nowhere in sight, and the entrance to its lair was completely blocked by fallen rocks and debris.

  For a moment, Jack just stood there, his legs trembling from the adrenaline. His breath came in short, ragged gasps as he stared at the destruction below, the enormity of what had just happened sinking in.

  Then, after a few moments, a sound cut through the quiet like a knife.

  ROAAAAR!

  “It survived?!” Jack gasped. How could something survive this catastrophe and still have such a mighty roar? “What if it’s coming back?”

  Just as Jack prepared to run for it, a system notification appeared.

  You’ve unlocked a new hidden package: The Short-Faced Bear.

  Jack paused. “Wait. It worked after all?” He hurriedly opened the details of the package, hoping to find some clues as to whether he should bolt or if he was in the clear.

  Hidden Package Description:

  Over these mountains, short-faced bears hibernate during the winter. They are fiercely territorial. After you dislodge this bear, it relocates and establishes a new home closer to the road—nearer to the fortress.

  The short-faced bear will occasionally attack incoming waves of enemies. Its presence adds additional pressure on the beast waves, diverting some of the burden from the fortress's defenses.

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  Jack read the notification twice, a smile creeping onto his face. What hunter, what herb?! He had recruited a massive level 35 bear! It would act as an occasional ally, striking at the incoming waves of enemies and alleviating some of the burden on the fortress’s defenses.

  He didn’t know if the bear would appear during every wave or how it would handle elites or bosses, but even sporadic assistance was valuable. The thought of such a powerful creature wreaking havoc on the waves made him feel like he’d truly contributed to the team’s efforts.

  Jack exhaled in relief. The plan had worked. He had unlocked the hidden package without getting himself killed. A few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have had the skills—or the courage—to pull something like this off. Facing a level 35 beast and living to tell the tale felt surreal.

  Messages from his team started trickling in.

  “Oh my goodness! OH MY GOODNESS! You’re the luckiest human alive! How is this fair? I’m out here dodging claws and tails, grinding for hours, and you just stumble into a level 35 bear package? Unreal. UNREAL! I need to lie down. I’m done,” Horace sent in a block of text so dramatic Jack could almost hear his voice cracking through the words.

  Jack smirked, fingers tapping quickly. “Horace, please remind me. What’s the score like now?”

  No reply.

  Jack chuckled. Horace wasn’t about to admit he was losing their little competition over hidden packages. The silence said it all.

  “Good job, Jack,” came a more composed message from Amari.

  Jack smiled. Amari’s acknowledgment, however brief, carried weight.

  Then Marie chimed in. “Even though Horace isn’t answering your message, Jack, I can confirm how much of a sore loser he is.”

  Attached to her message was a video. Jack opened it, snickering as Horace’s meltdown played out. In the clip, Horace was banging his head against the metal plates of the carriage, muttering, “I can’t believe it. That squishy know-it-all dealt with a short-faced bear. Lucky noob! Lucky noob!”

  Jack raised an eyebrow. Horace and Marie were already back at the carriage. He looked at the clock. It was nearly time for wave 11! Between getting ready for the expedition, getting out all the way here, and then dealing with the bear, close to two hours had elapsed. No wonder they were back at the fortress.

  “I guess I should get going.” He’d told his team that he’d be gone for two waves. He had to make the time count.

  Jack navigated the debris and fallen rock, carefully descending the slope. He gripped outcroppings of stone for balance, his gloves scraping against the jagged surface. Every so often, he paused, scanning for a safe route through the tangle of debris below. Huge slabs of rock lay scattered from the earlier collapse, some precariously balanced, others partially buried in snow and dirt.

  The climb required focus. His earlier success thrilled him, but the steep terrain demanded respect. At one point, he had to leap down a short drop, landing with a grunt as his legs absorbed the impact. Dust kicked up around him, the faint smell of disturbed earth filling his nostrils.

  Ahead, a narrow gap between two boulders caught his eye.

  Beware. Wave 11 comes!

  Jack felt strange knowing that as he explored the Breach map, Horace and Marie were fighting the wave off on their own. Even so, his steps felt lighter now. He had faced a level 35 beast, survived, and turned it into an asset for the team. He wondered whether the bear was already there, helping Horace and Marie. He also thought about the hunter Amari had recruited. Had he arrived yet?

  Finally, Jack reached the path leading to the next pin. The snowy peaks loomed ahead, jagged and imposing, their icy tips cutting into the sky. The thought of what secrets might be hidden there filled him with anticipation. What secrets did the snow hide? Ancient ruins? More allies to recruit?

  Wave 11 is cleared!

  +1 breach point.

  “That was fast!” It hadn’t even taken them ten minutes. He wondered if this wave was still made up of roaches or if Piri had decided to mix things up. Just as he was about to ask for footage, he saw Amari was inviting him to a group call.

  Three floating screens appeared before Jack, each displaying one of his teammates. Amari’s backdrop was stunning—a mountaintop bathed in white clouds, giving the impression he was calling them from Heaven itself. In stark contrast, Horace and Marie’s background was chaotic: a field littered with the corpses of furry orange beasts, smoldering flames rising lazily from the ground.

  “Hi, everyone!” Amari greeted, his tone calm and composed as always. “How was the battle?”

  “Romies. Nothing to worry about,” Horace answered, his mouth full as he popped what looked like dried fruit into his mouth. Jack guessed it was one of the rations they’d brought to the Breach.

  “Romies? What’s a romie?” Jack asked.

  “Its technical name is ischyromys. Giant prehistoric rodents,” Horace said. “They look like squirrels.”

  “Are they dangerous?” Jack asked.

  Before Horace could elaborate, Amari spoke over him. “Guys, I’m lagging behind on video editing, and I really need to finish this week’s video. I always post on Mondays. Would you mind if we take a break?”

  Marie chimed in, deadpan as usual. “I don’t mind.”

  “Fine by me! I could use the time to recover from Jack’s ridiculous bear luck,” said Horace.

  Jack chuckled at Horace’s antics but couldn’t help feeling curious about Amari’s video. Was he already going to release a video featuring him? Was he going to release the video of the compy raid? Or was he going to show how Jack had gotten his hidden class? What kind of angle would he put on it?

  “Jack? Is it OK with you?” Amari prompted.

  “I’m fine with it too. How long are we talking for the break?”

  Amari scratched his head. “Three hours, maybe more.”

  Jack grimaced. He was itching to see what lay ahead in the snowy peaks, but a break wasn’t the worst idea. He’d been playing for hours, and Rob’s situation still weighed on his mind.

  Jack hesitated for a moment before suggesting, “Maybe we should exchange phone numbers IRL.” It still felt strange to him—this idea of being part of something bigger than just himself. A few months ago, he never would have imagined asking a team for anything, let alone their personal contacts. But these weren’t just teammates; they were starting to feel like friends.

  Amari raised an eyebrow, a hint of approval in his expression. “Where do you live?”

  “Sector 1.”

  “Oh, nice! Same timezone. Here.” Amari shared his number, and Jack quickly saved it. His helmet was synced with his phone, so he’d be able to get notifications even offline.

  “I’ll add you to our group chat,” Amari added. “That way, we can stay in touch outside the game. Deal?”

  “Deal!” Jack replied.

  “Alright, guys. See you later,” Amari said, signing off.

  Jack’s screen flickered off, leaving him alone on the path. He turned back to the snowy peaks, taking in their cold, distant majesty one last time before letting out a sigh. The adventure would have to wait, but the mysteries up there weren’t going anywhere. Logging off, he followed his teammates out of the game and into the real world.