The forest of Elyndra stretched endlessly in every direction, bathed in golden sunlight filtered through towering trees. Wes Walker walked beneath their canopy, hands in his coat pockets, feeling the soft soil beneath his boots and the fresh breeze brushing against his face.
He closed his eyes momentarily, inhaling deeply.
"So this is Elyndra... Not bad," he muttered to himself. "Smells like freedom. New life, new rules. I'm not just gonna survive here... I'm gonna thrive."
He grinned. "Second chance means I get to write my own legend."
Just then, rustling from the nearby brush caught his attention. He stopped, hand drifting toward his side on instinct.
From the bushes emerged a group of twelve jelly-like creatures, wobbling and gurgling.
"Slimes?" Wes raised an eyebrow. "Figures. Every fantasy world's got 'em."
He tilted his head. "Twelve though... That's a bit much for a warm-up."
"Appraisal," he said.
A glowing screen popped into view:
Monster: Basic Slime x12
Level: 2–4
Type: Magical Beast
HP: 120–180
Skills: Absorb, Split (Low Chance), Bounce, Basic Magic Resistance
Weakness: Fire, Lightning, Blunt Force
"Alright," Wes nodded. "Let's see what these babies can do."
He opened both hands. "Come to me—Nyxara, Lyserie."
In twin flashes of light, the spirit revolvers materialized in his grip. Their power surged through his arms like warm lightning.
He twirled both guns with a smirk. "Time to dance."
The slimes gurgled aggressively and bounced toward him all at once.
One lunged.
Wes sidestepped and rolled forward in a smooth motion, firing mid-roll. BOOM! A fire bullet struck the slime head-on, evaporating it in a plume of flame.
Two more came from the sides. Wes flipped backward, landed on one hand, and twisted mid-air, firing lightning bullets in both directions. CRACK!CRACK! Two more slimes exploded in bursts of electricity.
Another slime leapt toward his chest.
"Nice try," Wes said, ducking into a slide beneath it, then flipping to his feet with a backward somersault.
He aimed behind him without turning. "Sound bullet."
A soft pop! echoed, and the airborne slime vibrated violently before bursting into goo.
The remaining slimes regrouped and circled him. One shot a sticky strand of slime from its core.
Wes leapt onto a nearby tree trunk, ran along the vertical surface for a few steps, pushed off, and twisted mid-air. "Ice bullet!"
The shot hit the ground and froze three slimes solid.
"Boom." He fired a follow-up fire bullet. The ice cracked, the heat detonated—and the slimes shattered into glimmering shards.
Three more slimes lunged. Wes vaulted over them, landing in a tight crouch before springing into a series of acrobatic spins.
He fired while spinning—one bullet after another—light, dark, earth, void.
Each round found its target, each impact violent and devastating. The light bullet stunned, the dark bullet corroded, the earth bullet knocked a slime back, and the void bullet simply erased one from existence.
The last slime hesitated, trembling.
Wes casually walked up and tapped his revolver to its head. "Poison bullet."
The shot hissed—and the slime melted into greenish goo.
He blew the smoke from both barrels. "That was fun."
DING! DING! DING!
LEVEL UP!
Wes Walker – Level 2 → 4
He blinked as new stats flickered across the screen. "Huh... okay, this system's way more responsive than I thought." He smirked. "I'm gonna enjoy this."
Feeling the rush of victory, he holstered his revolvers and continued walking. The forest stretched ahead, peaceful—until a sudden rumble and distant explosions echoed through the trees.
Wes stopped, ears perked. "That... didn't sound natural."
He narrowed his eyes, then nodded to himself. "Guess I should check it out."
With a burst of speed, Wes ran toward the disturbance, leaping up onto a tree trunk and vaulting himself into the canopy. Branch to branch, he moved with acrobatic ease.
"Parkour perks are paying off," he muttered, vaulting and flipping from one branch to another.
Minutes later, the sounds of battle grew louder—steel clashing, magic exploding, monsters roaring.
"Eagle Eye," he whispered.
His vision sharpened immediately. From high above, he could see a clearing two miles out. Ten armored knights were engaged in combat with what looked like twenty... lizardmen? Reptilian humanoids with thick scales, crude weapons, and feral snarls.
But one among them stood out.
Enemy: Zalgar the Ironhide – Lizardman Commander
Level: 16
Rank: Elite Warlord
HP: 3,200
Skills: Ironhide Defense, War Cry, Earthquake Stomp, Tactical Pack Command
Status: Buffed by Aura of Leadership
Wes frowned. "He's twelve levels above me... tough bastard."
He scanned the knights—and then froze. One figure caught his eye like a blade to the heart.
A woman—striking and fierce.
She had long platinum-blonde hair streaked with gold, tied back to stay battle-ready. Her eyes burned crimson with focused intensity. Her form, athletic and powerful, was clad in an enchanted royal battle dress of crimson and white, trimmed with gold. A cloak bearing a regal crest flapped behind her.
In her hands, she wielded a gleaming longsword with practiced confidence.
Wes stared, stunned. "Whoa... who is she?"
Then another knight nearby shouted, "What are we going to do, Princess Elira?!"
Wes blinked. "Princess?"
Princess Elira Valtessia didn't hesitate. "We fight. We do not cower before monsters! We are the knights of the Valtessia Kingdom!"
Her voice was bold and fiery—nothing like the stuck-up royals Wes imagined. She had the heart of a warrior.
Wes grinned. "A fighting princess, huh? Feisty... I like her already."
She raised her sword. "Are you with me, my knights?!"
"Yes, Princess Elira Valtessia!" they cried.
"Good! CHARGE!"
The knights surged forward, clashing against the lizardmen. Roars filled the clearing as the monsters responded, blades and claws meeting steel and resolve.
From his perch in the treetops, Wes crouched low, watching the chaos unfold.
"Let's see how this plays out..."
From his perch high in the trees, Wes Walker watched intently as the battlefield below exploded into chaos. The knights of Valtessia fought with tenacity, but none stood out quite like her—Princess Elira Valtessia.
Wielding a gleaming longsword, she moved like a wildfire wrapped in grace. Every step was precise. Every strike a blur. Sparks flew as she cut through two lizardmen, then spun on her heel to parry a third.
"Damn..." Wes murmured. "She's not just a figurehead. She's the real deal."
"Appraisal."
A glowing blue screen appeared.
Name: Elira Valtessia
Age: 19
Race: Human
Class: Elemental Blade Knight
Affinity: Fire / Light
Level: 14
Title: Royal Blade of Valtessia, Crimson Light
Skills: Flame Edge, Radiant Slash, Lightstep, Heat Ward, Sword of Vows
Unique Skill: Dawnbreaker Ignition – Temporarily fuses fire and light into her blade, massively increasing speed and damage
Status: Focused / Light fatigue
"She's my age?" Wes blinked. "And already that powerful... I can't lie—I'm impressed."
Below, Elira swept low, slicing a lizardman clean through the leg. She deflected a crude axe and countered with a blazing overhead slash, cutting through the monster's defenses with radiant heat.
Across the field, the massive lizardman commander snarled.
Zalgar chuckled darkly to himself in broken Common. "Hmph... little fire girl strong. I like strong prey. She worth... much coin. Royal ransom. Hah!"
Wes narrowed his eyes. "He wants to sell her off? That's why he's not killing her outright."
He folded his arms, intrigued. "There's gotta be more to it. But she's not making that easy for him."
Below, Elira cleaved through two more lizardmen. Her eyes locked onto Zalgar.
"You! Ugly overgrown lizard!" she shouted, pointing her blade at him. "Come fight me yourself, coward!"
Zalgar let out a deep, throaty laugh. "Hah! Brave girl. But I test you first."
He nodded at four of his warriors. They grunted, then broke formation, dashing toward the princess.
Elira growled. "Hmph. Scared to face me yourself?"
She raised her blade, flames licking along its edge. "Fine. Let's get this over with."
The four lizardmen surrounded her, attacking with coordinated strikes. One slashed at her legs, another came from behind, while two lunged in from the front. Elira spun, her blade arcing in a tight circle that deflected all four attacks in one fluid motion.
"Radiant Slash!"
A blinding arc of light flared out, forcing the monsters back. She dashed forward, driving her blade into the chest of one before flipping backward as another lunged at her.
The fight intensified. She ducked a swipe, used Lightstep to blur into motion, reappeared behind one and delivered a flaming horizontal strike across its back. She parried two attacks at once, then twisted low and swept a leg, tripping one lizardman before delivering a precise thrust to its throat.
Another one launched a tail strike—she blocked with her sword, but the impact slid her across the ground.
"Persistent bastards..." she muttered, sweat on her brow.
The remaining two pressed the advantage, striking together. She grit her teeth, activating her ultimate.
"Dawnbreaker Ignition!"
Her sword ignited in radiant fire. With a flurry of slashes, she unleashed a barrage of empowered strikes—each swing searing the air. Sparks and blood flew as the lizardmen were overwhelmed.
After a final blinding strike, the last one fell. Elira stood panting, sword blazing in hand.
"Princess!" one of her knights called out. "Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine," she snapped, catching her breath. "Stay focused! Keep fighting!"
"Yes, Princess Elira!" the knights chorused and dove back into the fray.
Wes whistled low. "She's damn good... That kind of control—she's trained hard. Probably since childhood."
Suddenly, Zalgar's laugh boomed across the battlefield. "Your sword... shines pretty. Let's see how long it lasts."
Without warning, he charged forward with terrifying speed for his size.
"Whoa!" Wes said. "He's fast for a brute."
Elira raised her blade—but Zalgar rammed into her with a full shoulder tackle. She skidded back across the dirt, digging her sword into the ground to stop herself.
She stood up, glaring, only for Zalgar's tail to whip toward her. She dodged just in time, rolling to the side.
"Fight me proper, then!" she shouted, charging.
The clash was explosive. Her radiant blade met his jagged glaive, each hit sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Zalgar roared and activated War Cry, boosting his strength. His blows became heavier, faster. Elira gritted her teeth, her arms shaking with each parry.
She countered with Heat Ward, coating herself in a thin barrier of fire to absorb damage. She deflected a glaive sweep, ducked under a tail strike, and unleashed Flame Edge, burning across Zalgar's ribs.
Zalgar howled in rage and slammed his foot into the earth—Earth Slam—sending a wave of stone at her. She leapt, spinning in mid-air, and came down with a glowing vertical strike.
"Radiant Cascade!" she cried.
Light exploded on impact, knocking Zalgar back.
But he recovered fast, laughing through cracked teeth. "You strong. But I break strong things."
He lunged again. Glaive and sword clashed in a brutal dance. Sparks flew. Scales cracked. Armor tore.
Wes leaned forward on his branch, enthralled. "Holy hell... she's holding her own. Against that monster? That's no fluke. That's years of battle forged into instinct."
Their weapons locked.
"Why are you doing this?" Elira asked, gritting her teeth. "Why attack the royal family?"
Zalgar grinned. "Because humans weak. You bring coin. And I prove—lizard strong. Stronger than royal blood."
Elira narrowed her eyes. "I am no coin purse to be traded."
She pushed him back with a fiery burst and raised her blade. "I'm your executioner."
They both roared, dashing forward. Fire clashed with steel, fury with pride.
Wes smirked, eyes glinting. "Now this is a fight worth watching. Let's see who breaks first."
The clash between Princess Elira and the lizardman commander, Zalgar, raged on. The two were locked in a brutal contest of blade and brute strength, neither giving the other an inch. Sparks flew, fire clashed with iron, and the battlefield trembled with the force of their blows.
All around them, the knights of Valtessia were slowly pushing the lizardmen back, victory within reach—but their exhaustion showed. Blades swung slower, defenses weakened, and breathing turned labored.
Wes Walker remained perched above the chaos in the trees, eyes narrowed as he observed the situation.
"They're winning... but just barely," he muttered. "If this drags on, they'll drop. Should I jump in... or let it play out?"
Below, Zalgar and Elira were both panting, weapons dripping with blood, clothes torn and scorched.
"You... slowing down, princess..." Zalgar growled, grinning.
"You're not exactly graceful yourself, lizard," Elira snapped back.
"You fall soon. I stand tall," Zalgar mocked.
"In your dreams," she hissed. "I'll end this myself!"
With a shout, they charged again, blades and glaive slamming into each other, the impact throwing dust into the air.
But then Zalgar flicked his gaze toward six of his lizardmen still standing at the edge of the battlefield. He gave a subtle nod.
The six warriors snarled and leapt into motion, dashing toward Elira from both sides.
Elira noticed too late. "A trap?" she thought. "They're boxing me in!"
She gritted her teeth as they leapt toward her, weapons raised. "Cowards..."
With a roar of defiance, she shoved Zalgar back and spun into a blur of fire.
"SOLAR ARC!"
Her blade flared with light and flames as she slashed in a blazing circle. All six lizardmen struck the ground around her in unison—silent, unmoving.
She turned, breathing heavily, when—
"EARTHQUAKE STOMP!" Zalgar bellowed.
The ground convulsed under her boots. "Damn it—can't keep my footing!" she thought, staggering.
Zalgar surged forward, his massive shoulder crashing into her midsection. She flew through the air and slammed into a tree with bone-jarring force.
"GAAAH—!" She coughed, blood spraying from her mouth as her lungs emptied from the impact.
"PRINCESS!" her knights cried, desperate to rush to her aid.
But the remaining lizardmen blocked their path, forcing them into desperate duels. They could only watch.
Wes tensed, his eyes narrowing. "That bastard... He's more strategic than I gave him credit for."
Elira groaned, trying to stand—but her leg gave out beneath her. She fell to her knees.
Zalgar laughed as he slowly approached. "Heh... royal blood on dirt. So weak. So fragile."
She looked up, fury in her crimson eyes. "Then finish it... Kill me. I won't be taken."
Zalgar grinned wide, licking his lips. "No kill. Sell. Royal princess—high coin. Better than gold. Make you nice little slave."
Her knights shouted in defiance, locked in fierce battle.
Wes watched it all. Then—he sighed, brushing his coat back.
"Guess I have to intervene, huh?"
Below, Elira clawed at the ground, trying to stand.
"I'm sorry... Father. Brother. I couldn't win..." she thought, trembling.
Zalgar loomed over her now, one hand extended to seize her.
She closed her eyes, bracing.
"WIND BULLET!"
BOOM!
A concussive blast of air slammed into Zalgar's chest, sending him skidding across the battlefield like a ragdoll. He crashed into a tree, cracking the bark and dropping to one knee.
Gasps echoed across the field.
Elira opened her eyes. "What... was that?"
Zalgar snarled, rising with a growl. "WHO?! WHO DARE?!"
He looked around wildly. "COWARD! COME OUT!"
Knights and lizardmen alike froze, looking in every direction.
Then—they heard it.
Whistling.
A low, slow melody echoing through the dark woods.
"Do you hear that?" one knight asked, eyes wide.
"What's that sound?" another muttered.
Elira blinked, scanning. "Whistling? Who—?"
Zalgar stomped the ground, furious. "SHOW YOURSELF!"
The whistling grew louder.
From the shadows of the dark woods, rustling emerged.
Everyone turned.
A figure stepped out.
Black raven hair. Amber brown eyes. Twin revolvers at his sides. And a smirk on his face.
The whistling didn't stop until he stood before the princess, placing himself between her and Zalgar.
Zalgar snarled. "Who... are you?"
The young man stopped whistling and tilted his head.
"Me?" he said casually. "I'm just a traveling Magic Gunslinger. Name's Wes."
To be continued...