In the thunderous darkness of a cloudy day, a huge red bull trotted furiously across the pasture. As it drew near, Ragnar transformed into an iron bear to face it head-on.

  "Stay calm," he said to his hunter friend.

  "But we still need leather for our clothes," replied Skiff, pulling an arrow from his quiver. "Can we handle this monster?"

  "Honestly? I don't know."

  Ragnar narrowed his eyes. The enhanced druid vision allowed him to clearly see the creature's three pairs of horns. Each had a different shape: the top curved upward, the middle pointed forward, and the bottom resembled hooks.

  A window appeared next to the creature, detailing its information. It was called Megalotaur, a level 14 giant bull-shaped global boss with over 7,000 health points.

  "It’s pretty strong," warned Ragnar. "I don't think the two of us can handle it alone."

  "What do you mean? You're an iron druid now!"

  "I'm sorry to inform you, but I may be a legendary, talented and master strategist, yet I’m not immortal."

  With their hearts in their mouths, they waited for the Megalotaur to close in. The figure grew larger with every passing second. When it got close—too close—Ragnar charged, throwing all his iron-bear weight against the red bull. But the beast’s horns pierced his left flank, inflicting a bleeding wound and slamming him to the ground.

  The monster then reached Skiff, knocking him down with a horn strike to the chest.

  The only arrow fired lodged in its right front leg. Ragnar returned to human form, pointed his spear at the ground beneath the Megalotaur, and cast a spell. Three roots burst from the grass and coiled around the creature’s legs.

  The monster's eyes glowed; it bellowed in rage and shook itself in a frenzy, breaking the roots without effort. Then it slammed its front paw twice on the ground before charging at its target.

  With spear in hand, Ragnar waited for the bull to come within range to deliver a thrust to its skull. A sharp crack accompanied the impact of the blade; the blow was accurate, the damage was critical, and the beast was poisoned with the special effect of the Viper's Ruin.

  Ragnar moved away for safety, then realized that the damage inflicted did not take away 1% of its health points.

  He bit his lip and cursed to the winds while frustration boiled his blood. After calming down, he took a deep breath and announced the new tactic to be adopted. "Run!" he yelled at Skiff.

  The hunter put away his bow and ran in the opposite direction. The bull had its red, flaming eyes fixed on the druid.

  Ragnar cast his root spell again to hold the beast, then turned back into an iron bear, and bolted toward the city. The bull’s enraged bellow echoed in his ears, sending chills down his spine as the sound of its pounding hooves grew louder and closer.

  He didn't look back, just kept running. Soon he could hear the bull snorting in pursuit. Ragnar concentrated and left his animal form during the run, rolled once on the ground to regain his posture, and skidded to a halt.

  With a clear mind and spear in hand, Ragnar leapt toward the charging foe. Lightning surged through his body, and the electrified spear tip struck the Megalotaur square in the forehead. The blast of thunder illuminated the darkness.

  The damage caused was greater than before but still negligible for an opponent with so many hit points. The goal was to stun him, so he wasted no time and, for the third time, pinned him down with Summon Roots.

  The enraged Megalotaur struggled to break free from the spell. Ragnar turned his back on him, transformed into an iron bear, and ran towards Salem.

  ***

  Skiff waited for Ragnar on a stretch of road near the city, sitting while throwing pebbles at a tree trunk. When the figure of the approaching friend appeared in the distance, Skiff waved.

  Ragnar approached, sat down beside him and looked up at the sky. The darkness was slowly giving way to sunlight.

  "There's no way around it, we'll have to call those two."

  "Artic and the assassin?" Skiff asked.

  "Yes. Even the strength of an iron bear is not enough to hold off three pairs of horns.”

  "And with them, can we win?"

  "Maybe. We're lucky that Artic is a shield knight, which is great for absorbing strong attacks like those horn strikes, but even more important is being able to take that without being thrown to the ground."

  "After knocking you down, he came at me. Why didn't he keep attacking you?"

  "It's a tank check. To have a chance against him, we need a tanker with a certain amount of defense and constitution so he won't be thrown back by the horns, otherwise what happened to me will happen again, the tanker will fall to the ground and the Megalotaur will run towards the next target.

  "I see. I hope our knight friend passes this check."

  A laugh echoed from behind, and Ragnar turned around to see who was coming.

  "Speak of the devil..."

  Artic walked alongside Niki, both of whom were level 15, while Ragnar was level 14.

  "Hello, guys," Niki greeted them.

  Artic got straight to the point, "I heard you need some help."

  The druid let out a long sigh before replying, "Unfortunately, we've encountered a powerful global boss. It's a Megalotaur with 7,000 health points and above-average defense. It's also fast, but predictable. The big problem is its tank check; its horns knocked me to the ground."

  Skiff said to Artic, "Tank check is..."

  But he was interrupted by the knight, "I know what that test is." Artic turned to Ragnar. "I also know how hurt your pride must be for having to appeal to me for help, considering the situation of our bet. But rest assured, I wouldn't miss the chance to defeat a global boss for anything in the world. I'm in." Then he turned to Niki.

  “I’m not staying behind,” she shrugged.

  Ragnar added the newcomers to the party. He was about to head back to where they’d fought the Megalotaur when an idea struck him.

  "I need to go to town, could you guys wait about twenty minutes?"

  "You're kidding, right?" Artic said. "We just got here."

  Ragnar replied with a serious expression, "I promise it will be worth it, it's something that will help us in battle."

  The knight clicked his tongue before replying, "All right, twenty minutes, any longer than that and I'm leaving."

  Niki kicked sand at him. “Don’t be an idiot. If it’s something that helps us, we’ll wait.”

  "I'm coming with you," Skiff volunteered excitedly.

  "Better not, one person taking a risk in there is enough."

  "Take a risk? What are you talking about?" Niki asked.

  "It's a long story, but luckily for you, our friend Skiff is eager to share it with you."

  "M-me?" Skiff was confused.

  And Ragnar took off before anyone could protest.

  ***

  It was a risky adventure, but Ragnar got what he wanted. He sneaked through the streets of Salem until he reached the alchemy lab on Artisans' Street. There, he combined the purple herbs and orchid specters in a complex process involving seven distinct steps.

  The combination of ingredients resulted in the Cross-Eyed Cat Elixirs, a dangerous mixture that increased movement speed by 10% and critical damage by 5% for five minutes.

  But at the bottom of the item’s information window, a warning flashed: This is a complex recipe created by an amateur, so it may have side effects.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  Ragnar had considered making this elixir during his second visit to the laboratory, when he accompanied Skiff in learning the leatherworking profession. But on that occasion, he preferred to save the ingredients for the next batch of sunscreen. However, given the circumstances, any advantage against the Megalotaur would be more than welcome.

  Before leaving, he stopped in front of the laboratory manager to buy a pack of five bandages. They would be used to heal the bleeding inflicted by the Megalotaur's horns.

  As promised, Ragnar returned to the group before the twenty minutes were up. In total, he made six Cross-Eyed Cat Elixirs, then handed a bottle to each and stored his and the spare one in his inventory. He stood in front of them, put his hands on his hips, looked back and said, "It's time, my friends... and Artic."

  "Go to hell," muttered the knight.

  Ragnar smiled slightly before speaking, "Just kidding. I'm counting on you, buddy."

  "Count on me. I promise I won't disappoint you, buddy..." The reply was accompanied by a defiant look.

  ***

  The four stopped at the edge of the lake. Niki stretched, grunting the laziness out of her body. Artic paused to contemplate the landscape while Ragnar and Skiff searched for clues to the whereabouts of the great Megalotaur.

  "I found it," the druid announced excitedly. "Near those two trees. It’s protecting a small herd."

  The three hurried over to join him.

  "This isn't good," said Niki. "We need to get rid of these normal bulls, otherwise they'll bother us during the battle against the big one."

  "Let's use the water shock tactic," Skiff suggested, looking at Ragnar.

  "Exactly what I was thinking."

  The druid explained to the newcomers how the tactic of luring the bulls to the lake shore to be electrocuted worked. However, Niki expressed her concern, "Do we have enough damage to avoid a long battle?"

  "Are you familiar with the Blood Brothers strategy?" Ragnar asked.

  "Huh?" Niki was puzzled.

  "Blood Brothers is the name of a combination of skills from the assassin and hunter classes." He looked at the knight. "Do you know it?"

  Artic shook his head, seeming almost embarrassed to admit it. Ragnar resumed his explanation, "Skiff, Niki, your classes have some skills that inflict a bleeding status. I imagine you both know that this effect causes a moderate amount of damage over time."

  Both confirmed the assumption, and Ragnar continued, “However, the bleeding effect can stack up to ten times, becoming slightly stronger with each stack. The tenth one, however, will replace bleeding with hemorrhage. It’s a stronger version of bleeding, and those affected by it suffer damage based on their total health over a few seconds. But unlike bleeding, hemorrhaging cannot be removed, only weakened.”

  Niki wielded her daggers.

  "Okay, I think I get it," she said. "You're suggesting that me and your hunter friend synchronize our bleeding abilities to cause this hemorrhage effect."

  "Sharp as ever," Ragnar replied, then turned to Skiff. "Can I count on you?"

  The hunter wielded his bow before replying, "Yes, you can."

  When he looked at Artic, the latter stepped forward. "I'm ready."

  Ragnar walked slowly until he was ten paces away. He brandished his spear and turned to the group.

  "I forgot to mention to you two that I became an Iron Druid since we last met."

  He gripped the Viper's Ruin with both hands and felt the electricity from Storm’s Wrath flow through his body. He then pointed the spear upward, firing a Lightning Bolt into the sky, and at the same time activated his animal transformation.

  "What the hell is that?" Artic yelled at Niki because of the noise from the lightning bolt.

  "I don't know, but it's cool," she replied excitedly.

  When the two looked at the supposed Iron Druid, there was a huge black bear with red eyes and paws reinforced with layers of iron in his place.

  Ragnar's deep voice reverberated in their ears, "Since I'm faster than you in this form, I'll lure the bulls into the lake. Artic, stay alert and provoke the Megalotaur as soon as it comes within range. Make sure it faces the lake; under no circumstances should it face us.”

  "I know how to tank, relax..."

  “Great.”

  Ragnar fired at the bulls near where the Megalotaur was. This time, he didn't need to attack to get their attention, because when he was twenty meters away from them, the leader raised his head and let out a deep, drawn-out bellow.

  The bulls took off running. Ragnar turned around, activated Storm’s Wrath to increase his speed, and ran toward the lake.

  His paws sank into the grass with each step. His ears picked up the whistling of arrows and the sound of them piercing the cattle's hide.

  Ragnar plunged into the shallow water, returned to human form, spun on his axis, and wielded the Viper’s Ruin.

  Artic followed his orders perfectly. With shield raised, he stepped into the lake until the water reached his shins.

  Ragnar yelled, "Skiff. Rain of arrows."

  The hunter drew three arrows and shot them together into the air. They shattered at the top of their trajectory and descended at high speed, striking the Megalotaur and the five bulls that accompanied it.

  Ragnar swung his spear upward and yelled to the knight, "Back!"

  Artic’s face twisted in irritation, but he obeyed. The slowed bulls, weakened by the arrow rain, couldn’t keep up with the knight’s retreat.

  Moments later, lightning shot from the druid's spear, striking the Megalotaur's horn. The electrical discharge came into contact with the water, dispersing until it reached the nearest bulls.

  With beads of sweat running down his forehead, Artic witnessed a spark coming toward him, but it dissipated a meter away.

  The ordinary bulls were dead; only the leader remained.

  "Out of the water, now!" Ragnar ordered.

  Skiff and Niki turned their backs to retreat to the nearest pasture. The druid walked backwards as he cast his healing spell on Artic, who in turn quickened his pace until he set foot on the grass.

  The Megalotaur snorted and slammed its front hoof on the ground.

  "Now's the time," Ragnar said to Artic, then turned to Skiff and Niki. "Prepare your bleeding skills."

  Niki agreed with a thumbs-up, and advanced until she was a few steps away from the druid, ready to attack when the time came.

  The Megalotaur charged, lowering its horns halfway to the knight's abdomen, who brought his shield forward and bent his knees to absorb the impact.

  It was the moment of truth.

  But the Megalotaur was a freak of nature, standing three meters tall with three pairs of horns. The speed it reached was terrifying, and when its horns collided with the shield, the knight was thrown backward like a rag doll.

  "No..." Ragnar let slip.

  And the creature came toward him, but Niki was between them. The druid threw himself in front of the assassin, turning into an iron bear. The Megalotaur's horns pierced his ribs, and the shock of the impact pushed him to the right.

  The leader of the bulls continued to advance. Niki used the Shadow Steps skill to turn into a cloud of black, intangible smoke for a few seconds. The bull passed through her and headed toward Skiff, who stood still, not knowing what to do.

  Unlike Niki, Skiff did not have an ability that would allow him to escape this kind of situation. His hands trembled, his breathing became uneven. But the courage of the desperate made him act. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and nocked it to his bow.

  The Megalotaur was close, very close. The tip of that arrow was different from the ordinary ones; it had serrations on the sides to make its target bleed. Skiff released the string of the bow, and the arrow struck the bull's chest. It was a poor shot, but still capable of causing bleeding.

  He braced himself to be trampled like Artic had been. But as he thought of the knight, he appeared, closing the distance between them with his Crushing Leap skill, protecting Skiff with his shield, and challenging the Megalotaur in front of him.

  "Artic, forgive me," Ragnar shouted.

  The knight's heroic stance was undone upon hearing those words, Artic was confused by what the druid meant. But then came the answer. Roots sprouted from the ground around him and attached themselves to his body.

  Artic's shield fell to the ground. The Megalotaur, charging at high speed, collided with him, but instead of being thrown away like last time, the roots held him to the ground.

  "Damn druid," Artic muttered, gritting his teeth.

  "Skiff, Niki. It's your turn," Ragnar ordered.

  Since the bull couldn't knock down the knight held by roots, it stood still, confused. From where he was, Skiff fired his serrated arrows while Niki struck the bull with her daggers and skills.

  The bleeding marks were applied and converted into hemorrhage. The Megalotaur began to lose a considerable amount of life every second. Ragnar ran towards Artic to apply one of the bandages he had bought during his visit to the city.

  "I bet you thought I was going to let you bleed to death."

  "I confess I was, but I admit... that was a damn good plan."

  Ragnar left a bandage with Artic and retreated to a safe distance. They repeated the strategy once more, and even with all their efforts, the boss still had more than half his health left. They would need more damage to kill it before the group's mana and energy ran out.

  "Drink the elixir," Ragnar said to the group.

  "But it’s risky," Niki warned.

  "It's all or nothing," he replied.

  Each member drank the elixir. The last being the knight, as he was still trapped by the roots at that moment.

  With the additional effect of the elixir, the group concentrated their attacks on critical points such as the animal's head and belly.

  The additional damage seemed small in theory, but it was noticeable in the damage logs. However…, after the effect expired in five minutes, the group's vision began to blur.

  "I knew it," Niki cursed.

  "Fucking druid..." Artic added, almost falling to the ground.

  "Stay focused," said Ragnar. "We just need to repeat what we were doing until this unfortunate and totally unexpected side effect goes away."

  Luckily for the group, the effect began after the bull had gored the knight. Niki concentrated and stabbed the boss in the stomach, but some attacks missed the critical point because of their impaired vision.

  Skiff managed to remedy the effect by approaching and firing his arrows at point-blank range.

  Ragnar was in iron bear form, pouncing and biting the enemy. The side effect wore off after thirty seconds, but for him, that was a small price to pay for the elixir's effect. Without thinking twice, he drank another bottle, prompting protests from his friends.

  It took thirty minutes for the Megalotaur to fall dead on the ground. The experience gained allowed Ragnar and Skiff to advance to level 15. The group received ten pieces of leather each, enough for Skiff to make the clothes to fulfill the optional mission objective.

  "Yeah, we won!" Niki shouted at the top of her lungs, then approached Artic, raised her arm and said, "We did it. High five."

  Artic smiled and returned his friend's enthusiastic gesture.

  "Yes, we did it."

  Skiff dragged his feet until he stopped in front of Ragnar.

  "That was tough."

  “Very tough, but you fought well.”

  The hunter gave a half smile, then asked with a serious tone in his voice, "Do you think I play well?"

  "It's too early for me to answer that question," Ragnar replied.

  "I see..."

  Artic and Niki came over to them.

  "Thanks for calling us, it was really fun," she said.

  "The experience was good," Artic added.

  "Are you guys leaving already?" Ragnar wanted to know.

  "From the game? No..." Niki replied. "We're going to make a quick stop in town to restock our healing items. Then we'll level up somewhere else. After all, we need to reach level 20 before you do."

  "Understood," said Ragnar. "We also need to go to town, we can accompany you, if that’s ok."

  "Whatever," Artic replied.

  The Megalotaur’s body crumbled into dust. The handle of a weapon took shape as the dust was blown away by the wind.

  Niki ran and threw herself on the ground to contemplate the blade stuck in the lawn. She reached out and wrapped her fingers around the bone handle.

  The four stopped to examine the weapon.

  Niki pulled the dagger from the ground and contemplated it for a moment. Then she looked at the other three members of the group.

  "It's a dagger, so it's yours," Ragnar announced with a half-smile on his face.

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