Chapter 53 - Dragging Dead Weight

Everyone had recovered, enough, at least.

They couldn't afford to wait any longer. The journey had to continue. The challenges ahead were still overwhelming. Dozens of monsters scattered through the Rift. And beyond them, the looming question of how they were supposed to take down the boss monster at the heart of it all.

But at least, one small victory was theirs.

They'd already defeated a mini-boss, something most Tier 3 Rifts didn't even have. That alone gave them some breathing room. If the usual structure held, there should only be one true boss left now.

Tave adjusted the straps on his back and carefully lifted Fang. He secured the wolf against him, making sure the creature was settled comfortably. Fang stirred, letting out a soft, low woof, his breath slow but stable.

He was healing. Faster than expected, maybe.

Tave sighed, then turned toward the edge of camp, toward Orion, who was already on his feet. Tave walked up and gave a small tug on the chain connected to the man's restraints.

The gag had been removed, unfortunately.

"You fucking useless trash!" Orion spat instantly. "You think I'm some prisoner?! Let me go right now, or you'll be the next person I kill after that bastard!"

Tave exhaled slowly and turned to him with a shallow bow.

"Forgive me, Lord Orion… but as you yourself said, I'm just a worthless piece of trash following the orders of the current leader." 

He straightened, calm as ever. "And that leader, as you know, is Lady Oriana. So please… spare this trash. I either release you and die by your sword, or don't… and die by your sister's wrath. I truly have no choice."

"Shut the hell up and release me, now!"

But before Orion could keep ranting, Tave yanked the chain forward again, pulling the man along as the rest of the team began moving out.

Not that it stopped him.

The entire way, Orion kept cursing, grumbling, snapping, muttering fury under his breath like a fire that refused to die. His words aimed at Tave, at the team, at the sky itself.

If rage were fuel, Orion would never run out.

***

Tave led the way, giving clear directions on where they should head next, based on the scouting he and Fang had done before. It was already midday, technically, though the environment made it nearly impossible to tell. The air remained thick and stifling, the volcanic heat curling up into the sky in massive clouds. Even the sun seemed to vanish behind smoke and ash, blending day into a haze of molten twilight.

Then came the monsters.

A group of them, aggressive, territorial, and clearly disturbed by the party's presence. And they had to be dealt with using only six active fighters.

Because Oriana still hadn't fully recovered, and she'd volunteered to take the back watch this time. Keeping an eye on a certain chained problem currently sulking near the edge of the squad.

They'd stuck to fighting in small clusters, avoiding larger nests, moving carefully and silently wherever they could. No unnecessary risks, no stupid mistakes. Not now.

Not when two of their strongest were still out of commission.

Well… one of them was recovering.

The other?

Was yelling at monsters.

Literally.

Every time a beast appeared, Orion would shout threats and curses at them like some wild barbarian general who couldn't swing a sword. It was completely useless, and if anything, probably just made things worse.

Tave could barely stop himself from rolling his eyes every five minutes.

"What a stupid, stubborn Orion…" he muttered under his breath.

Honestly, he should've given that character a little more brain when he first created him.

"You fucking bastard, Oriana! How dare you do this to me?! I'm your brother! I'm the leader of this expedition!" Orion's voice roared again, right after the battle ended.

"Stop adding more problems to our team! Don't you realize how utterly useless you are in this state? What the hell can you even do like this? Try being just a little more reasonable, you dumbass!" Oriana snapped back without missing a beat.

"Shut up, Oriana!"

The whole team let out a collective sigh.

Of course. Not even five minutes after the monsters were dealt with, and here they were, Orion and Oriana back at it, arguing like it was their full-time job. The never-ending sibling firestorm.

And still… Despite it all, two full days passed, and somehow, they managed to push forward. The battles had been brutal, constant. But the team, with only six active fighters, had handled it with surprising efficiency.

They moved like a machine now. Hard-earned coordination, pure grit. Even Tave had to admit it: they'd done incredibly well, especially under these conditions.

They finally found a spot to rest again, somewhere tucked just far enough from the danger zones, and everyone all but collapsed. Exhausted. Bruised. But alive.

Lily, more than anyone, had carried the weight in those fights. The only support left, and it showed. Her expression was pale, her hands trembling just slightly as she continued healing wounds and stabilizing conditions.

Tave knelt down, easing Fang from his back and letting the wolf rest. His shoulders slumped, bones aching from fatigue, but then…

He felt it.

That pulse.

A deep, sudden thrum in his chest, like something was shifting. And just like that… his fatigue vanished.

Something was happening!

Tave sat down quickly, slipping into a meditative posture with practiced ease. He closed his eyes and focused. Pulling his breath inward, tuning into the elemental particles drifting through the air around him. The energy here was thick, dense… ripe for channeling.

Moments passed.

And then, a surge.

A burst of power erupted from within, rippling outward like a silent shockwave. Tave's eyes snapped open just as the familiar notification flickered before him:

[ You have advanced to Level 18. ]

Damn. Again!

Another level up! 

He glanced around, breath still steadying, and saw the faint smiles, nods of approval, even a few soft claps from the others. Tired as they were, they acknowledged it.

Tave flexed his palm, curling his fingers into a firm fist. He could feel it. The surge of power flooded his limbs. His stamina spiked instantly, coursing through his body like a second wind.

That was the blessing of advancing a level. A sudden recharge, not just of energy but of drive. In this moment, he felt like he could tear through the Rift, push deeper, fight harder, explore further. His body was screaming to be used, to keep moving.

Three more levels.

Just three.

And he'd break through into Gaia Guardian.

It was ridiculous, absurd even, to imagine reaching that point here, in the middle of this volatile expedition. But that was the truth of Rift expeditions. This was where people pushed themselves to their absolute limits, to heights they could never reach outside.

And if he could just maintain this momentum, if he awakened his Relic soon…

That could catapult him even faster. The potential was real.

Tave's chest rose with sharp, excited breaths, heart pounding from more than just the level-up.

And then, something brushed his right leg.

He turned quickly. It was Fang.

The wolf was stirring, shifting against the ground. Its eyes snapped open, bright and alert, and a moment later, it raised its head fully. Then pushed itself upright into a seated posture, shoulders tense like it was trying to stand.

Tave's breath caught.

"Fang…!"

He was awake.