A New Comrade and a Late Night Snack

A/N: BONUS CHAPTER! My P@treon has finally reached a good number of chapters (at least 10 available at any time, often more depending on regular releases). A big thank you to Eragon Gravelyn & Phoenix Guevara for joining! You guys are the best! As always, new chapters will be released first on P@treon, and even free members can read the latest chapter a few hours early. Please check it out if you're interested. Of course, the WN releases will stay consistent, and I won't leave you guys hanging. I promise! 

Link - www.pat reon.com/FRWriter (no space after "pat")

I'm so grateful to have people out there who want to support me, it truly motivates me to keep writing. In just 1 month I managed to reach over 80 chapters already and I will speed up even more, you'll see! For those not interested in P@treon, click on this paragraph for a small SPOILER about the current fourth major arc. If you want to avoid spoilers don't click on it! If you recognize it, you'll know; for everyone else, stay patient! Also, the fire on the sword will be explained by Chapter 76.

Chapter Start:

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Alex releases his Sealions Icewing Embrace lvl 2 and hands the still-bleeding witch a few generic medical supplies from his special inventory. She takes them, applies a bandage, and drinks something from her own inventory, her arm visibly healing right before their eyes.

"I've never seen such a strong innate ability," she says in a regretful tone.

"I know," Alex and Rishi respond simultaneously, exchanging amused glances.

"Obviously, you're talking about mine, right?" Rishi says, grinning. "How else would we have detected you? Your ambush was impressive. Using the system message to set up a surprise attack, that was smart! But I sensed an aura nearby, and all that effort went to waste."

Alex, not in the mood to argue, replies, "Guess so. I take it she's on our team now, at least for the rest of this mission?"

Rishi smiles, turning to their newest recruit. "Yes, she's with us now. By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Tereza," she replies.

Alex's eyes light up. "Tereza? Perfekt, also Deutsch!" ("Perfect, so you're German!")

"Ich komme aus Tschechien, du Idiot." ("I'm from the Czech Republic, you idiot.")

"... Then why does she understand and speak German?" Alex wonders, baffled.

The group drops the banter as Tereza quickly introduces herself. She's level 3, one level above Rishi and Alex, with access to two spells from the world of Harry Potter and more to come as she levels up her special skill. She also has Dagger Proficiency in addition to the four basic skills: Basic Mana Control, Basic Concentration, Basic Close Combat Prowess, and Basic Footwork.

"Liar. That's one skill too many," Alex accuses, prompting her to reveal her sole innate skill:

Innate Skill: Very Skillful

Type: Boon

Level: MAX

Effect: +1 Additional Skill slot +1 additional Skill slot at lvl 20.

Overall Rating: A+

Alex raises an eyebrow. "Well, that's straightforward. Is there a simple 'Skillful' version too, where you just get one extra skill without the second slot at level 20?" he wonders aloud.

Rishi, addressing Alex, quickly summarizes the terms of Tereza's contract: Tereza is forbidden from revealing any information about Alex and Rishi or taking actions against them in any form. She also has to obey Rishi's orders, with specific limits in place, he can't command anything sexual, order her harm, or delegate tasks that would cause certain death or permanent disfigurement. After ten missions, she can buy herself out of the contract by paying Rishi 500,000 FC, retaining some conditions while others might be renegotiated depending on Rishi's stance.

"Wow, a whole 500,000 FC buyout? You don't mess around, do you?" Alex says, impressed by Rishi's knack for profit.

Tereza interrupts, her tone steely. "Hand back my dagger."

Alex scoffs. "Why would I do that? Are you serious?"

Rishi smiles diplomatically. "I get it, Alex, but Tereza's best equipped with daggers, so maybe it's practical to return it to her?"

Alex sighs, muttering under his breath, and hands her the [Barbed Dagger] instead of the [Poison Enchanted Dagger].

Tereza: "..."

Rishi: "..."

Alex: "..."

Tereza's glare is withering, intense enough to give Alex a chill.

"Alright, fine," he groans, handing over the [Poison Enchanted Dagger]. "You know, a sense of humor wouldn't hurt. You might want to invest in one," he quips, exchanging the daggers and regaining the [Barbed Dagger].

Tereza eyes the weapon in Alex's hand, undeterred. "I'll take that one too. The bleed effect is useful, and I'm aiming to dual-wield."

Alex: "..."

Rishi: "..."

Tereza: "..."

Rishi finally bursts into laughter. "This is the most shameless exchange I've witnessed," he chuckles. "Alex, give her the dagger, for now. Don't worry, if she doesn't return it, I'll personally pay you 5,000 FC. Remember, I can't lie to you. This dagger's well-suited for her tactics; she can get in close, apply both poison and bleed, then disengage. The poor soul won't even have a chance to retaliate before the effects take them down."

Alex sighs, giving in. "Fine, as long as I'm getting paid... here, take it." He hands her the [Barbed Dagger], reasoning that he doesn't even have the skills to use it effectively anyway. If it strengthens the team, he sees no reason to refuse, though he can't shake the feeling he's been taken advantage of. "How does she try to kill me and end up with my dagger as a reward? And how does Rishi switch from pyromaniac lunatic to logic-driven genius in the blink of an eye…?" Alex muses, questions piling up.

The newly formed group leaves the mall, and Rishi announces, "Alex, I think we should adjust our approach. With our new ally, who can now scout ahead, and with her deadlier-than-ever setup thanks to your dagger, we should go on the offensive against our enemies. That brother-sister duo lost most of their followers, and our only other real threat is that giant, STR-focused guy. What's strength if we can just shoot him from a distance? Do you agree to take a more active role?"

Alex nods. "Sounds reasonable enough, I guess."

Turning to Tereza, Rishi asks, "Need any firearms?"

She shakes her head. "I picked up a few earlier."

Alex checks the leaderboard as they settle back into the "borrowed" car and head north on the island. "So here's the current ranking," he says, reading aloud:

[Current ranking:

1. Player 13 - 13

2. Player 3 - 11

3. Player 1 - 9]

"How many kills do you have?" he asks Tereza.

"Six," she replies curtly.

Rishi chimes in, "So if we take down Player 1, we could all end up in the Top 3. Sounds like a solid goal. We might as well aim for the grand prize."

As they start driving north, Alex takes the initiative. "Makes sense to wait for the 3 AM location reveal to get a sense of where they are. The only way we're in trouble is if they manage to trap us in a 10-on-3 fight or something like that. But if we can handle any small group first, then we're set. That giant doesn't exactly look like a team player if I remember correctly."

Rishi grins. "Agreed, my friend." Even Tereza in the back mutters, "True, I guess."

She then asks Alex, "Can you use that Ice transformation again?"

Alex smirks. "Not just once. I can actually use it twice, as long as I recover my Mana in between. Give me about half an hour."

Alex Kerber: Lvl 2 

HP: 158/158, MP: 91/138

Alex notices Tereza's genuine admiration as she says, "I don't see how a melee fighter could even touch you with that active."

He explains, "That ability is strong and versatile, but it's not invincible. It's vulnerable to fire, and spells still damage me, even with it active, just at a reduced level. Against physical attackers, especially melee types, you're right, they'd have a tough time breaking through."

"So, where should I drive? We said we wouldn't engage until we get a chance to check player locations at 3 AM," Alex adds, half-jokingly, "I could use a snack. I only prepped plenty of protein bars for this mission."

Rishi grins, "Well, there's a Trader Joe's up ahead. We could grab a bite, and as long as we're not actively hiding, we should be fine. Plus, it's not like we're camping out for the night."

Suddenly, Tereza's stomach lets out a loud growl. Her eyes widen, clearly embarrassed.

Rishi chuckles, "Looks like our new comrade agrees with the plan." She blushes, grateful that her face isn't clearly visible in the darkened car.

They pull up to the Trader Joe's, noting that while some shelves have been ransacked, most of the food remains untouched. Food seems to be low on the looters' priority list. The group heads in and fills their arms with snacks, water, and whatever else catches their eye, Alex savoring the absurdity of taking time for a grocery run amid their mission.

Then, their quiet moment is interrupted. Headlights sweep over the windows as a large group of cars arrives in the parking lot. Engines shut off, and they hear voices outside.

"Hide!" Alex hisses.

They quickly duck behind shelves as a dozen men emerge from the cars, loudly bragging and laughing as they approach the store. One of them shouts, "Looks like we've cornered some rats! I bet a hundred bucks I get the first kill tonight!"

The group gathers, swiftly devising a plan to engage the intruders. Rishi glances at his watch, "Ten minutes until 3 AM. We need to handle these idiots quickly so we're ready for the real threat."

Tereza smiles, clutching her wand. "This one's on me," she says confidently. Then, she waves her wand, muttering an incantation as she casts a Disillusionment Charm, vanishing seamlessly into the shadows around them.

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A/N: Always thankful for Power Stones, Comments and Reviews. Thank you for reading!

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Link - www.pat reon.com/FRWriter (No space after pat)

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