"Would it be alright if we asked for your help?" the young man asked, though his face was laced with hesitation, as if he wasn’t entirely sure I’d agree.

  "Umm… sure?" I responded, the uncertainty clear in my voice. I wasn’t about to commit to anything blindly—not without knowing exactly what kind of help they needed. More importantly, were we getting paid for it?

  I had a bad habit of struggling to say no when someone genuinely needed help. If this guy ended up begging, I had a sinking feeling I’d agree, even if the request was completely ridiculous.

  Thankfully, I had Victor.

  If whatever favor they were about to ask turned out to be something absurd, I could trust that Victor would shut it down for me.

  I wasn’t sure what Milio would say. He didn’t strike me as the type to go out of his way to help strangers, but when it came to his friends, I knew he’d have our backs when it mattered.

  Between the two, I was probably closer to Milio—but that didn’t mean I didn’t consider Victor a good friend as well. It was funny to think about. It had only been three days since we arrived in this world, yet I felt like I had changed so much already.

  And honestly? That thought made me happy.

  For the first time in a long while, it felt like my life was actually moving forward.

  “We took a job to clear out a goblin den in the inner part of the Dead Forest,” the young man explained, his tone uneasy. “The reward for completing it is exactly one gold. But… well, we bit off more than we could chew. We don’t have much time before the job gets reposted on the board, and we need help. With the five of us, it should be an easy task.”

  Victor didn’t hesitate. “Are we getting paid for this?” he asked bluntly.

  The man looked taken aback by how quickly Victor got to the point. I smirked slightly, finding it amusing that Victor wasn’t pulling any punches. Honestly, I was grateful—I've always found it awkward to bring up money directly.

  “We can offer you around 15 silver once the job is done,” the man offered, his expression hopeful.

  “No,” Victor replied, his tone flat and unwavering. “We want the full gold..”

  Damn. He was going for everything.

  The man and the girl exchanged glances, clearly hesitating. They kept stealing quick looks at me, almost as if expecting me to jump in and negotiate on their behalf. But I didn’t say a word.

  One gold was worth 50 silver. 15 silver alone was already more than we had ever earned from a job. I would have been happy with that, but I trusted Victor to handle this.

  “If you’re not happy with the deal, then you can find someone else,” Victor added, his expression unreadable.

  A tense silence followed. Finally, after a moment of deliberation, the man exhaled sharply. “How about 30 silver.”

  Victor looked at them with a raised eyebrow and shaked his head and then raised his lifted his index “ if you are not giving 1 gold we are out “

  “What kind of people are you?” the blonde-haired girl finally spoke, stepping out from behind the man. Her long hair swayed as she moved, irritation clear in her voice. “We’re offering you more than half of the reward, and you’re still demanding the full payment? What about us?”

  She wore a red and black robe, and from the way she had been staying silent until now, it was clear she had finally had enough of the back and forth.

  Victor met her gaze without flinching but didn’t respond. He remained firm, clearly unwilling to budge from his demand.

  The man beside her sighed heavily, stepping between them. “Fine,” he said reluctantly. “You can have the full gold.”

  Victor nodded. “Now you’ve got a deal. Lead the way.”

  Damn. Nice job, Victor.

  Honestly, I thought taking the full reward was a little excessive, but I wasn’t about to complain. The guy looked well-off anyway—I doubted it would take them long to make up the money.

  Plus, as I glanced at their gear, something else stood out. Both of them had badges pinned to their clothing, marked with the Roman numeral 3.

  They were third-class hunters.

  We didn’t waste a second. The two hunters immediately led us toward the Dead Forest, taking us much deeper than we had ventured before. Last time, we had only hunted a lone goblin near the outer ring of the forest. But this time, we were heading toward an actual goblin den, buried somewhere in the inner regions.

  If I was being honest, I wasn’t entirely sure we could handle a whole goblin den on our own.

  From what little information we had gathered, goblins operated like ants—building vast underground networks where they stored food, bred, and expanded their numbers. Their society was structured, with worker goblins constantly scavenging for resources.

  I had also heard rumors that if goblins were left unchecked, their numbers could rival—no, even exceed—the human population.

  As we ventured deeper into the Dead Forest, our pace slowed significantly. Unlike the outer ring, this area was far more dangerous—there were monsters here that could actually kill us. To avoid unnecessary encounters, we had to tread carefully, keeping our movements quiet and deliberate.

  "Nice job on the interrogation skills, Vic," Milio said casually.

  Without even turning his head, Victor responded, "Negotiation skills."

  "Same thing," Milio shrugged.

  "Did they say how far we have to go?" I asked.

  "They mentioned it would be about a twenty-minute walk once we reached the forest," Victor replied.

  I glanced around. We had only been walking for about ten minutes so far, which meant we still had some distance to cover.

  As we continued, a thought began to linger in my mind.

  Should I tell them my abilities?

  I trusted Victor and Milio much more now. We had been through enough together that I felt like I owed them my trust. If I revealed my abilities, it wouldn’t just be about honesty—it would help us coordinate better in combat.

  I already knew about Victor’s ability—Amplify—so wouldn’t it be beneficial for them to know mine as well?

  With ten minutes left before we reached the den, I figured this might be the best chance to bring it up.

  I decided it was time to tell them about my abilities.

  I explained how my godly patron was Nyvara, a C-rank deity who controlled Bitter Chill. I told them about how, for now, my ability felt somewhat useless—I couldn't create ice from thin air, only manipulate it. But with my new ability, Frozen Vitals, I had started figuring out ways to actually implement it in combat.

  Victor nodded, taking in the information before speaking. "Thanks for telling us. Your ability, Frozen Vitals, is actually good. You could serve as our vanguard."

  Vanguard? Wasn’t that more of a tank role, someone who absorbed damage? I wasn’t sure if I could fill that position, but I could at least try.

  Victor then elaborated on his ability, Amplify. As powerful as it was, it came with strict limitations. He could only activate it three times per day, and after that, he’d be completely drained—too exhausted to fight.

  Another odd quirk? He had to shout the word "Amplify" for it to take effect. There was no silent activation—it simply wouldn’t work otherwise.

  And even when activated, the boost only lasted ten seconds.

  Ten seconds of overwhelming power—but after that, he was just as vulnerable as anyone else.

  He further clarified that Amplify worked as a 10x multiplier to his stats, but it took a huge toll on his body. That was why he used it sparingly. He also warned me to be careful with how I used my abilities.

  "Every ability has a limit," he explained. "Using them takes a toll. If you overuse it, you'll burn yourself out. It’s not just me—it’s the same for everyone."

  That made sense. I hadn’t felt fatigue yet, but that was probably because I had only just used my ability in small amounts.

  We then turned to Milio.

  The moment he realized our attention was on him, he averted his gaze. "My ability is useless. There’s no point in telling you."

  Victor and I exchanged glances before I spoke up. "Maybe you think it’s useless now, but if we know what it is, we can work with you to figure out how to use it better."

  "My god seems to be... an E-rank," Milio admitted, keeping his gaze on us. "My ability is shapeshifting. I can take on the appearance of someone—monster or human, I think."

  At first, the E-rank god part caught my attention, but I quickly dismissed it. The ability itself seemed incredibly useful. Being able to change appearance? That was invaluable.

  While Victor and I had more combat-oriented abilities, Milio’s skill set was completely different. It leaned more toward stealth and deception—almost like a spy or an infiltrator. That kind of ability was rare and could be extremely helpful in the right situations.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Victor tilted his head slightly. "I don't understand. That ability sounds really useful. Why did you think it wasn’t?"

  Milio sighed, his expression tense. "Because I have to kill the person first. I can’t just shapeshift into anyone. I have to take their life before I can take their form."

  That revelation made us pause.

  So he couldn’t just copy someone freely—he had to kill them first.

  Milio continued, "I think if I had killed that goblin earlier, I could have shapeshifted into it."

  Even with that restriction, I still didn’t think his ability was useless. In fact, it sounded even more powerful than before. If he could transform into a monster, did that mean he gained its stats too?

  If that was the case…

  Milio wasn’t just a shapeshifter—he had the potential to become one of the strongest among us.

  AHHHHHH!

  A blood-curdling scream shattered the silence, freezing all of us in our tracks. My body tensed instinctively as I tried to locate the source of the sound.

  I turned toward the two third-class hunters leading us—only to find the young man sprawled on the ground, his face drained of color, staring wide-eyed at something ahead. The girl beside him stood stiff as a statue, visibly shaken.

  I followed their gaze.

  Standing before them was a massive, jet-black beast, towering at ten feet tall. It resembled an ostrich, but its sheer size and predatory presence made it far more menacing. Its long, powerful legs ended in razor-sharp talons, capable of tearing through flesh with ease. The most unnatural feature, however, was its hooked beak, slightly parted to reveal rows of jagged teeth—a horrifying anomaly for any bird.

  How did we not hear something this big?

  Then, I saw it.

  Behind the bird lay a single, large egg nestled safely on the ground. The moment my eyes landed on it, everything clicked.

  It was protecting its young.

  The monstrous bird let out a low, guttural screech, spreading its massive wings wide in a defensive display. It shook its feathers, making itself appear even larger, its sharp gaze locked onto the two third-class hunters.

  Damn it.

  I could already tell—we weren’t equipped to take this thing down.

  Sweat trickled down my forehead. My hands clenched around my daggers as a pit formed in my stomach. We weren’t here for a fight like this. And especially not for free.

  If we slowly backed away, maybe—just maybe—the creature would let us leave in peace.

  But the problem wasn’t us.

  The two third-class hunters stood frozen, eyes fixed on the monster before them. The young man, still sitting on the ground, shakily reached for his sword, his breathing erratic.

  Victor, Milio, and I had already started stepping back, moving as quietly as possible. If we ran now, we could avoid this battle entirely.

  "What… what do we do, Vic?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. My eyes remained locked on the massive bird, refusing to look away. I wasn’t going to take any chances—not with something this dangerous in front of us.

  The bird took another slow step forward, completely ignoring us as its sharp gaze fixated on the two frozen third-class hunters.

  Victor swallowed hard. "Not… sure… it's up to you." His breathing was steady, but I could see it—the slight tremble in his fingers, the sweat beading at his temple. "I can probably… no, maybe… kill it. But I need it distracted. If I can get its attention off me, I might be able to deal a solid blow using my ability."

  His words weren't filled with certainty—and that terrified me.

  Milio, standing slightly behind us, let out a sharp breath. "Guys… I really don’t think I can help here." His voice was uncharacteristically serious. "Like I said, my ability is useless in a fight. We should just back away while we still can."

  I wanted to agree with him. Every instinct in me screamed to run.

  But then, my gaze flickered toward the two third-class hunters—the ones who weren't moving.

  The bird wasn’t going after us. It was focused on them.

  "Okay, I'll keep it distracted. It's about time I act as a vanguard," I declared, forcing confidence into my voice.

  I froze for a brief moment, swallowing hard. My throat was dry. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, deafening, drowning out everything else. But there was no time to hesitate.

  The moment I stepped forward, the bird—now just inches away from the third-class hunter—prepared to strike.

  "Over here, you oversized pigeon!" I yelled, my voice slicing through the tense air.

  The creature halted abruptly, its massive head snapping in my direction. Its piercing eyes flickered between me, Victor, and Milio, assessing the new threat.

  As its focus shifted, I saw the girl hoisting the boy onto his feet. Both of them were stumbling backward, trying to retreat.

  Good. They were getting out of here.

  For a brief moment, I considered doing the same. Maybe, just maybe, if I slowly backed away, we could all leave without a fight.

  But the second I took a step back—

  It charged.

  My breath hitched.

  Damn it.

  The sheer force behind its sprint was terrifying—its clawed feet tore into the ground, kicking up dirt as its massive frame sliced through the air like an unstoppable force.

  I don’t want to die.

  I don’t want to die.

  I don’t want to die.

  I don’t want to die.

  The thought pounded in my head, a relentless drumbeat of panic.

  My legs locked up. My muscles tensed, frozen in place. I couldn’t move.

  Paralyzed. Trapped by my own fear.

  I didn’t know why it had fixated on me—why I was the one it chose to attack. But there was no time to question it.

  I needed to move now.

  But I couldn’t.

  Then—a memory surfaced.

  A memory of my sister.

  Back when we were younger, before my mother took her away, we used to huddle together at night. We never had blankets to keep us warm, so we relied on each other. During those nights, she would tell me stories—tales of cowards who became heroes.

  One night, I remember asking her, "How can a scaredy-cat be brave?"

  She laughed softly, pulling me closer.

  "Courage isn’t about not being afraid," she had told me. "It’s about standing up, even when you are."

  Back then, I didn’t understand what she meant.

  But I do now.

  I clenched my teeth.

  If I didn’t move, if I hesitated here, Victor and Milio might get caught in this mess too.

  I rushed forward, my eyes locked onto the massive bird.

  I could feel the tremors in the ground with every step it took, each one shaking my resolve—but I couldn't stop now.

  Then, it lunged.

  Fast. Too fast.

  I barely had time to react before its razor-sharp beak lunged toward me—too fast to dodge.

  Damn it!

  In that split second, an idea struck me. If I couldn’t avoid it, I could use something as bait.

  I threw up my left arm, and in an instant, Bitter Ice surged through it, freezing it solid.

  If it wanted to grab something—let it be that.

  The gamble worked.

  The ostrich-like creature clamped its beak down on my frozen arm and, with incredible force, swung me into the air.

  Everything blurred.

  I spun wildly, catching glimpses of sky, trees, and ground all blending together. I had no control. I didn’t know where I was going, nor how hard I was about to land.

  Instinctively, I hardened my body—bracing for impact.

  CRASH.

  I slammed into the ground, rolling violently before my back collided with a tree. Pain shot through me, but my ability had done its job—I wasn’t broken.

  Gritting my teeth, I forced myself up. But before I could even process what just happened—

  The bird was already there.

  It had tracked me mid-air. The second I landed, it was right on top of me.

  Before I could react, its powerful beak grabbed me again—and hurled me across the battlefield.

  SLAM.

  Another tree. Another impact.

  I groaned, rolling onto my side. My body ached, but I could still move.

  At this point, I was a literal sandbag. Tossed around like a ragdoll, but thankfully, I could take it.

  Still, this wasn’t a fight I could win alone.

  I hoped—no, I needed—Victor to come up with a plan to kill it.

  The bird was still chasing me, relentless and unyielding. I pushed myself up, hoping to launch some kind of counterattack—but I couldn't.

  A desperate plan formed in my mind—maybe I could outlast it, let it throw me around, exhaust itself. If I could endure long enough, the fight might turn in my favor.

  But there was a problem.

  I didn’t know the limits of my ability. I had no idea how long I could keep freezing my body before I burned out.

  That plan was out the window.

  The ostrich grabbed me again.

  But this time—it didn’t throw me.

  Instead, it lifted me just high enough that I could see its massive beak opening beneath me.

  It was trying to eat me.

  Shit.

  I’m going to die.

  I’m going to die.

  Panic surged through me. If I got swallowed, I wouldn't even get a chance to fight back—the acid in its stomach would kill me before I could even react.

  Then—

  THWIP!

  An arrow pierced straight through the ostrich’s neck.

  The creature jerked violently.

  I didn’t waste that opening.

  In a swift motion, I ripped my daggers free and plunged them into its thick hide—again and again. As I landed, my body slammed against the creature’s back, and before I could process it, I was riding the ostrich.

  Each stab sent warm blood splattering against my hands, but I didn’t stop.

  The ostrich screeched in agony, spinning wildly in an attempt to shake me off.

  My vision blurred from the rapid movements, dizziness creeping in—but I gritted my teeth and kept stabbing.

  If I stopped now, I would be dead.

  Just then, a powerful voice rang through the battlefield—“Amplify!”

  In an instant, a surge of energy rippled through the air.

  The massive bird let out a piercing, agonized screech, thrashing wildly as its body convulsed. Blood sprayed across the ground as deep gashes tore open across its body. It staggered, its movements growing weaker with each second, its cries of fury morphing into something more desperate… and then—

  Silence.

  With one final shudder, the monstrous bird collapsed. Its massive frame hit the ground with a deafening THUD, sending a shockwave of dust into the air. Its lifeless body twitched once… then never moved again.

  It was dead.

  I stood there, chest rising and falling, gasping for breath. My entire body ached, my limbs felt sluggish, and my vision swam from exhaustion. Each breath felt heavier than the last.

  Staggering forward, I stepped away from the corpse, my legs barely carrying me. My head was still spinning when my eyes landed on Victor.

  He stood just a few feet away, his curved sword dripping with blood, his breathing calm but deliberate. The traces of red aura were still fading from his body, his presence still carrying the weight of the overwhelming power he had just unleashed.

  The once-majestic black feathers of the creature were now matted with crimson, its body a motionless heap on the forest floor.

  I swayed on my feet before quickly sinking to the ground, feeling too dizzy to remain standing any longer. My muscles burned, my heartbeat pounded in my ears, and the sheer relief of it all being over hit me like a crashing wave.

  Footsteps came rushing toward us.

  The two third-class hunters, now safe from danger, hurried over. Their expressions were a mix of awe, shock, and something close to disbelief.

  “Who… who are you guys?” the young man panted, his wide eyes locked onto the carcass of the fallen beast. “You just… you just killed a Reaver-Class threat! That’s something only a First-Class Hunter should be able to do!”

  Victor and I exchanged glances, both equally drained.

  You have leveled up . You have gained a new passive ability

  Then, without hesitation, Victor wiped the blood off his sword and muttered, “Can we sell its body parts?”