"Justin, can you distract them? If we alternate our attacks, there's a good chance we can take them down" said Oliver beside me, his voice full of focus and urgency. I just nodded.
A moment later, Oliver raised his bow, drawing the string with precise control. I was briefly tempted to ask if he'd ever used a bow before, but unfortunately, the massive rats didn't seem willing to give us time for that. One of them let out a surprisingly loud growl—definitely not what you expect from a rat—and started charging toward me, its heavy footsteps echoing on the floor.
I didn't hesitate. I immediately sprinted toward it. Not that I was trying to be reckless—I just decided to trust Oliver. The moment that thought crossed my mind, I felt something slice through the air above me, passing so close it nearly brushed my hair. Still, I kept my eyes locked on the massive rat in front of me, completely ignoring whatever had just flown by.
In the next instant, a powerful impact hit the rat square in the eye, stopping it dead in its tracks. It let out a desperate screech, the pain clearly unbearable. From the wound, bright red blood poured out, staining its dark fur, but I barely registered it. With my mind laser-focused, I activated [Precise Strike] again.
I took a quick glance at my knife, noticing how the metallic blade glowed with a reddish hue, reflecting the tense light in the room. In the blink of an eye, I jumped forward, landing squarely on top of the giant rat. It thrashed, trying desperately to shake me off, but it was already too late. With a swift, clean motion, I plunged my dagger into its skull.
The rat convulsed violently, slamming its huge body against the walls, but it was clear it would need more than brute strength to throw me off. I gripped the thick fur on the back of its neck and, with precision, activated [Precise Strike] once more.
My dagger gleamed again, the reddish glow intensifying, as if wrapped in raw combat energy. With another well-aimed thrust, the blade pierced its skull again. The creature writhed in agony, but only for a few seconds—until, finally, its massive body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
I didn't hesitate. I jumped back, landing swiftly a few steps away. The other rat lunged at me right after, moving at an alarming speed, its massive claws slashing through the air where I'd just been standing.
Missing its target, it quickly turned, its glowing red eyes locking onto mine with pure, furious rage. The low, menacing growl that escaped its throat made the very air feel heavier. Suddenly, it staggered forward, tripping slightly before shifting its gaze toward Oliver.
Sticking out of its back was an arrow, buried deep in its slick, dark flesh. I didn't waste the opportunity—adrenaline pumping, I charged straight at it. With one swift move, I grabbed my dagger and drove it hard into the rat's back. It let out a deep growl of pain and fury and immediately turned to face me, its sharp claws slicing the air in a furious attempt to strike.
The rat stumbled forward again, and I seized the chance. I dashed in. It tried once more to hit me with its massive claw, but I dodged to the side and, in one quick motion, stabbed my dagger into its arm.
Without pause, I leapt back and positioned myself in front of Oliver. The giant rat, now covered in wounds and scars, turned toward us in a fury, its eyes burning with rage.
It let out a low growl—but that was the last sound it ever made. Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound echoed through the room, and before I could even react, its head exploded in a grotesque burst. Something had pierced right through the rat's skull with terrifying speed, sending chunks of flesh and bone flying in every direction.
Stunned, I quickly turned to Oliver, who, like me, stood frozen, eyes wide in shock. A faint smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I stepped toward him, the tension breaking just a little.
I gave his shoulder a light tap, the soft thud breaking the silence between us. "Nice shot" I said casually, the laid-back tone matching my mood.
Still visibly dazed, Oliver gave a small, lopsided smile and nodded. The next second, we both sat down, back to back. Even though it didn't seem like much, that small action felt way more exhausting than I expected.
Two people still felt like too few to hunt effectively—especially since both my class and Oliver's were mainly support roles, not front-line fighters. Still, now that the fight was finally over, I could finally focus on the notifications that had popped up while I was busy fighting off those giant rats.
As the thought crossed my mind, three blue screens appeared in front of me, popping up all at once like they'd been waiting for a cue.
You killed [Giant Rat – lvl 3] – Bonus EXP earned for defeating a higher-level enemy. EXP shared with your party. 3 SP gained.
You killed [Giant Rat – lvl 3] – Bonus EXP earned for defeating a higher-level enemy. EXP shared with your party. 3 SP gained.
DING! Class [Assassin] has reached Level 2 – Status points allocated.
A subtle smile crossed my lips as I read the notifications. I didn't know exactly why, but there was something satisfying about getting stronger. As I watched Oliver shift slightly behind me, a thought popped into my head—he was probably smiling too, feeling the exact same thing I was.