Say the word!

Silas watched the group of women stagger as they caught their breath after fending off the swarm of Grade 1 bees. Their shoulders rose and fell with each heavy breath, eyes cast downward as they fought off exhaustion. Only when he saw they had steadied themselves did he step forward.

"You're all looking pretty worn out," he commented, a hint of amusement in his tone. "And this is only the beginning."

"Besides, I noticed something—you don't have a healer."

Ava, the group's leader, lifted her head, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her sleeve.

"That's part of the challenge they gave us," she replied with a weary edge to her voice. "The higher-ups want us to raid this realm without relying on a healer." She managed a bitter laugh, glancing at the others, who nodded in solidarity. "And as for our stamina...well, what do you expect from a bunch of Grade 1s?" Her gaze drifted to the ground, voice softening as the weight of her words sank in.