The village square looked nothing like the place Arlen had known his whole life.
Blue screens flickered in the air like fireflies. People shouted over one another, some panicking, others frozen in shock. A few stood eerily still, staring at their notifications as if hypnotized.
Arlen and Mira pushed through the crowd, the shattered remains of the Emberfang still cooling behind them.
"Everyone needs to get inside!" Mira yelled. "Barricade your homes—"
A chime cut her off.
NOTICE:
Sheltering indoors does not guarantee survival.
Hostile entities may breach structures.
The villagers groaned in unison.
Arlen rubbed his temples. "This system has a terrible sense of timing."
Another tremor rippled through the ground. The sky crackled again, the fissure widening like a wound.
The countdown in Arlen's vision ticked relentlessly.
23:47:03
He swallowed. "We need a plan."
Mira turned to him. "You're the one with the Tactician thing. What does your… analysis say?"
Arlen focused, letting the passive skill activate. The world sharpened. Patterns emerged. Panic, chaos, scattered groups, no leadership. The village was a puzzle with pieces thrown everywhere.
He exhaled. "We need to regroup everyone in one defensible location. Somewhere central, with stone walls, not wood." Mira nodded. "The old granary."
"Exactly."
But before they could move, a new window appeared — this one larger, more ornate, edged in gold.
WORLD QUEST: DEFEND THE VILLAGE
Objective: Protect Thornwick from the first wave.
Duration: Until the timer reaches 22:00:00
Failure: Village Destruction
Rewards:
• +100 XP
• Increased Class Aptitude
• Unknown Bonus
Arlen's stomach dropped. "First wave?"
Mira pointed toward the treeline. "I think that's our answer."
Shapes moved between the trees — dozens of them. Some low to the ground, others towering. All glowing with molten cracks.
The Emberfang had not been alone.
Rallying the Village
Arlen climbed onto a broken cart and cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Everyone! Listen!"
A few heads turned. Not enough.
He tried again, louder. "If we stay scattered, we die. The System wants us to defend the village — and we can't do that alone!"
More villagers looked up. The fear in their eyes was raw, but they were listening.
Arlen continued, voice steadying. "We regroup at the granary. Stone walls, narrow entrances. We can bottleneck anything that comes through."
A window flashed in front of him.
Skill Progression:
Situational Analysis → Rank E
New Effect: Tactical Presence
• Your commands carry increased weight during crises.
The villagers straightened. Even Mira blinked in surprise.
"Well," she said, "that's convenient."
Arlen hopped down. "Let's move."
They herded people toward the granary — farmers, merchants, children clutching wooden spoons like weapons. A few villagers had already unlocked minor skills: a baker with "Flour Burst," a shepherd with "Herding Instinct," a tailor with "Thread Bind."
None of them were fighters.
But they were all the village had.
The First Wave
The creatures emerged from the treeline in full.
Not just Emberfangs — but stone-backed boars, vine‑wrapped humanoids with glowing eyes, and floating crystal shards that hummed with unstable energy.
Arlen's analysis pulsed.
Weak points. Movement patterns. Threat levels.
He shouted orders, pointing villagers into position.
"Mira, take the left flank! Keep the Emberfangs off the archers!"
"On it!"
"Baker! Use your Flour Burst on the crystal shards — blind them!"
"Right!"
"Tailor! Bind the boars' legs when they charge!"
"Already trying!"
The creatures surged forward.
The villagers braced.
The battle began.
Arlen's First Real Fight
An Emberfang lunged at Arlen. He dodged, barely, the heat scorching his cheek. His ladle felt laughably small.
But his analysis highlighted the weak point again — the glowing joint beneath the jaw.
Arlen struck.
Critical Hit!
+8 damage
The Emberfang staggered. Arlen followed with another strike, then another. The creature shattered.
A surge of energy rushed through him.
+20 XP
Level Up Available (Pending Class Assignment)
He didn't have time to celebrate. A vine‑creature lashed out, its tendrils whipping toward him. Arlen ducked, rolled, and slammed the ladle into its glowing core.
It burst into green sparks.
Mira fought like she'd been born for it — wheel‑shield raised, smashing Emberfangs aside with raw strength and instinct. Every strike triggered new notifications around her.
The villagers held the line.
For now.
The Turning Point
A deep rumble echoed from the forest.
The creatures paused.
Arlen's analysis flared with warning red.
Something massive stepped into view — a towering beast of stone and molten cracks, its eyes burning like twin suns.
A new window appeared.
BOSS MONSTER APPROACHING:
Molten Grove Guardian
Level: 10
Threat: Catastrophic Advice: Flee or Die.
Mira's face went pale. "Arlen… we can't fight that."
Arlen stared at the towering monster, heart pounding.
The countdown ticked on.
23:32:19
He tightened his grip on the ladle.
"No," he said quietly. "But we can stall it."