SPELLCRAFT: Reincarnation Of A Magic Scholar

As the group finalized their plans, Legris introduced his companions more formally.

"This is Lira," he said, nodding toward the tall woman with the scar. "She's our frontline defender, best at blocking attacks and holding the line."

Lira gave Neron a curt nod, her sharp eyes assessing him with the gaze of a seasoned warrior.

"And this is Aldric," Legris continued, gesturing to the archer. Aldric was a lean man with sharp features, his bow slung casually over his shoulder.

He gave Neron a half-smile. "I'm the one who'll be keeping the monsters at bay from a distance. Good to have you on board."

Neron returned their nods, keeping his expression neutral. He appreciated their skills, but he wasn't here to make friends. This was a job, nothing more.

Legris seemed to pick up on Neron's cold demeanor but didn't let it deter him. "Don't worry," he said with a grin, "I vouched for you. They trust my judgment."

Neron simply shrugged. "Let's just get this over with."

Legris chuckled, sensing Neron's desire to keep things professional. "Fair enough. We'll meet at the gates at dawn. Get some rest tonight. We'll need our wits about us."

The next morning, the group gathered at the city gates as planned. The air was crisp, the sun barely peeking over the horizon as they set off toward the village. The journey was mostly quiet, each of them focused on the task ahead.

By midday, they reached the outskirts of the village. It was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of daily life absent as the villagers had taken shelter, fearing another attack from the monsters.

"Thank you for coming!"

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A couple of them shouted from the safety of their homes as they spotted the Adventurers that had come to help them.

The group waved back at them as they quickly moved into the forest where Legris led them toward the creatures' den.

As they neared the lair, Neron noted the signs of destruction—the broken branches, the deep claw marks on the trees.

These weren't ordinary monsters; they were vicious, territorial beasts that had made this place their own.

"What do you reckon the beasts to be?" Legris asked Neron as they studied the scene.

"Couldn't guess if my life depended on it. It could be a number of things so I'm reluctant to say. We should just keep an open mind, I think."

"Sounds fair enough."

"Alright," Legris said, his voice low as they stopped just outside the clearing. "We'll move in slowly and take up our positions. Neron, you'll be up front with Lira. Aldric and I will cover from the back."

Neron nodded, drawing his sword. He could feel the weight of the blade in his hand, the familiar sense of focus settling over him.

This was where he thrived and felt alive—in the heat of battle, where every move counted.

They moved into position, silently surrounding the den. The beasts were inside, unaware of their presence—for now.

FWEEP!

Legris gave a shrill whistle with his lips which was the signal for them to launch their ambush.

~VWUSHHHHHHH!!!~

Neron charged forward, his sword flashing as he dived into the dark den.

Despite the low lighting, he could see quite well and he struck the first beast that lunged at him.

~SLICEEEE~

It was a massive, wolf-like creature with razor-sharp fangs, but Neron met it head-on, his blade cutting through its hide with precision.

If fell heavily to the ground with a loud thud as its tongue lolled out signifying that it had met his end.

Lira was beside him, her shield raised to block another creature's attack.

It was unlike the dungeons that they previously fought in that it wasn't spacious making it a tight squeeze to fight in.

They had to be careful because of the possibility of knocking themselves out on the walls of the den.

Though it wasn't high, the den was quite long getting more narrow the further it went in so they stayed by the entrance awaiting the various monsters that came at them.

~FWOOSHHHHHH!!!~

Aldric's arrows flew past them, finding their marks in the beasts' vulnerable spots.

Under the assault that rained down on them, the monsters quickly learned their lesson and attacked cautiously.

The fight was intense but in the long run, their coordination paid off.

The number of the monsters dwindled down giving them time to rest in between.

Lira's shield held firm, deflecting the monsters' attacks long enough for Neron to counterstrike.

Legris and Aldric picked off the ones that tried to flank them, their combined power keeping the situation under control.

It wasn't long before the last of the creatures fell, its body collapsing in a heap at Neron's feet.

He stood there for a moment, catching his breath, his sword still in hand.

The clearing was silent now, the only sound was the distant rustling of leaves.

"Well done," Legris said, clapping Neron on the back. "That was smooth—no casualties, no close calls. Just how I like it."

Lira nodded in agreement, though her expression remained serious. "You handled yourself well, Neron. We make a pretty good team, don't you think?"

Neron sheathed his sword, his face still set in its usual calm, detached expression. "It was a good plan," he replied simply. "But like I said, this was a one-time thing."

Legris laughed, clearly unfazed by Neron's cool demeanor. "No worries. But if you ever change your mind about working solo, you know where to find us."

Neron just gave a small nod, his mind already shifting to the next challenge—the dungeon.

Legris had a habit of showing up at opportune times so he was sure he would find him if it ever came to that.

This mission had been a success, but the real test awaited him. He'd gotten what he needed—a solid payday and a reminder of what it took to survive in this line of work.

"Let's go receive our payment, don't you think? I need to be on my way already," He said to the rest of them.

"As do the rest of us too. Lead the way," Lira said, making way for him.

They filed out of the den to the praises of the villagers who took Neron for the team leader.

"Damnit…" He muttered as he began to protest.