Greencats were large, magic cats with claws and fangs barbed with poison. Although they were smaller in size compared to normal beasts like tigers, they more than made up for it with their agility and magic.

  After all, they were Bronze-Tier monsters.

  Between Quill's gaze and the Greencat’s, he failed to realize the other animal pouncing right at him. Time seemed to stop, and with a Quickscript, Quill mouthed the words, His words shook the air around, just as the symbol for the spell flashed in front of him.

  A marble sphere warped into existence around Quill, guarding him from the claws and fangs of the Greencat. When it broke through the barrier, following up with a growl and a bite, Quill rolled to his side, dodging the attack before casting another Quickscript.

  A marble ball materialized mid-air, still in the air before zipping towards the Greencat. It managed to dodge, the spell barely grazing its fur before it leapt back to its position.

  Quill cursed to himself. He had already learned Quickscripting for all of his current spells, but it was still not enough against the Bronze-Tier beast. That was a given since his Core was still at Iron, but he thought he could've done more given his current skillset. What else was missing to punch above his class?

  “I got it!” Rognor barrelled through the greenery, slamming his shields straight to the Greencat. But the Greencat was fast. It would take more than pure brute strength to stop it. Quill watched as the Greencat leapt away with the slam of Rognor's shield, retreating to the safety of the underbrush.

  “Don't rush.” Quill pushed himself off the ground. Stepping forward, he tapped his hand on Rognor's back. He could tell from Rognor's moves; the giant was inexperienced in actual monster combat, but given the circumstances they were in, Quill didn't have time to complain. He needed his strength, along with the others here, for a chance at fighting off the monster.

  Last he knew, Greencats were prized for the poison in their claws and fangs. He wasn't about to let the money slip from his grasp.

  “The Greencat won't back down so easily.” Quill kept his eyes on the beast, meeting its eyes as it slid through the bushes. “Rognor, you take the front as the tank and vanguard. We’ll support you from behind with everything we can muster. Can you do this for me?”

  Rognor gulped before he then slammed a fist to his shield with a repressed roar that seemed to radiate his timid nature. He was obviously scared, maybe anxious, seeing the shaking of his feet. “I’ll try.” He said.

  Quill nodded before he turned to the other two. “Gerald, summon your water elemental.” He urged him to hurry, gesturing for time on the double. “We're going to need more Constructs on the frontline to fight alongside Rognor.”

  Gerald pulled back. “For what? It's only one–”

  Just when he said it, the shrubs rustled around them. It was as Quill had predicted: Greencats were known to hunt in packs. There wasn't just one Greencat here in this chamber, but there was an entire family of them surrounding the group.

  Quill clicked his tongue. His senses weren't good enough to notice it, but all around them was a pack of magic beasts. It was already a losing battle, more so if they were going to fight without any coordination between them.

  There's a reason why mages from guilds run into Dungeons with groups, with each mage designated a role depending on their specialty and group dynamic.

  Quill started his casting on Marble Puppets, and with a nod, Gerald did the same. He didn't have the mana needed for the Puppets' Quickscript, so he resolved to write out the Scripts manually. The Greencats had taken their time to circle them, but it wouldn't be long until they would pounce again. Quill could only hope this group could stand against them when they did.

  “Anyone called for spring cleaning?” Gerald finished conjuring his elemental. Blobs of water appeared from thin air before coalescing into a giant humanoid shape, taking the form of a Blue Aspect Construct made of water. Quill finished his after, white rocks stacking on top of each other to form the two Puppets: Pen and Notebook.

  “Don't leave my side, Narrah.” Quill ordered the wood elf beside him, and she, in turn, readied her bow and arrow. They needed to stand behind the protection of Rognor and the familiars.

  “I have your back.” Narrah nodded, a grim look strewn over her face.

  The first of the Greencats slid from the cover of the bushes. It shrieked a threatening roar, calling the others around to push in and encircle them.

  One by one, the Greencats surfaced from the shrubs. They wrapped around Quill and the group, completely surrounding them in a ring of predators. They threaded over the grass and stone, stalking their formation in even steps, not allowing even a gap to open in between their net.

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  The goal was loud and clear. There was no chance of escape. If Quill and the others wanted to live, they would have to fight of the Greencats around them. Rognor stood at the front, ready with his two shields, accompanied by Quill's Puppets and Gerald's water elemental. The mages themselves huddled behind the tank of a giant.

  Quill sighed. He wasn't really feeling a fight with a pack of Bronze monsters. Rognor and the rest were obviously inexperienced and not trained for actual magic beast fights. The chances were low enough, and for a moment, the idea of scaring them off ran over his mind, only they were the ones backed into a corner.

  There was a way of winning this situation, but it was going to require Rognor and the rest to fully cooperate with Quill. They had no prior coordinated training beforehand, but it was better than nothing.

  All Quill could do was trust in their abilities, and they, in turn, had to trust in his orders.

  It started. One of the Greencats pounced straight for Rognor, but he was quick enough to counter with a block and push of his shield. The Greencat bit at pure metal before the giant then pushed it back with a shrug and roar… but the rest of the Greencats didn't just stand by and watch.

  Two of the magic beasts dashed and pounced, fangs and claws rearing straight for Pen and Notebook beside Rognor. The Constructs recoiled from the impact, but they were more than enough to counter with a block and thrust of their spears, preventing them from penetrating the backline.

  Gerald's water elemental stood its ground against the remaining two Greencats, but it was clear that his familiar wasn't as tanky as Rognor, who specialized in taking head-on confrontations.

  “Narrah! Gerald!” Quill called behind him. Within a moment, Narrah nodded before she drew an arrow, letting it loose on one of the Greencats pressing the water elemental. She was accurate with her shot, striking one eye on the animal.

  Gerald, in turn, cast his Water Rain before water balls struck the magic beast down, and although the Greencats had strong and lithe bodies, the spells of a Bronze-Tier mage were more than enough to draw blood.

  Quill cast Liquid Stone around him, taking a few dozen seconds to prepare it. It wasn't as fast as Quickscripting, but with his Dexterous Fingers, it was necessary to maintain his dwindling mana. He commanded the Liquid Stone to stir, wrapping around him like white mud before sending it flying to another Greencat pressuring Rognor, sending rains of spikes that rammed straight to the beast’s head.

  Liquid Stone wasn't as strong as he wanted it to be. It was unable to pierce through the Bronze body of the Greencats, but it was more than enough to stun them for a second, just until another took advantage of that time wasted.

  “Rognor!” Quill called, and Rognor immediately answered. He wielded both his shields high before ramming them down straight to the stunned Greencat, a crack of the skull echoing in the chamber.

  “Nice–” Quill was interrupted with a pounce of another Greencat. In the midst of battle, he failed to realize that Notebook had given out halfway already, allowing one of the Greencats a gap in their formation that led straight for him.

  Quill wrestled the Greencat to the ground, kicking at dirt in an attempt to gain a foothold. He tried and countered the weight pressing on him, but it was hard fighting back against a Bronze-Tier beast. If it wasn't for his increased Attributes, he would've been dead by now.

  “Fenith!” A voice echoed in the air. With a glance, Quill could see Narrah drawing an arrow to her bow. He understood immediately what she was aiming for, and he shifted his weight to grab onto the Greenclaw above him, stopping it from moving before a zipped past his ears.

  The arrow split and struck at the Greencat’s side. The magic beast roared before its strength left its body, Narrah's magic-imbued arrows easily piercing the vital points of the animal.

  To her credit, Narrah was very accurate with her shots.

  The Greencat’s fangs continued to push and threaten Quill's neck, and despite its weakened state, it was hard enough to keep it from gouging his throat out. In the end, the battle of attrition favored Quill, and the Greencat’s body finally gave out.

  The weight came in full force as the body dropped straight down to Quill, the smell of blood and matted fur surging his senses. He muttered a curse before he pushed away the dead body, leaving a trail of smeared blood on his tunic. That was a close one.

  “Are you okay?” Narrah dropped right next to him. “Anything broken? Can you stand?”

  “I’m fine–” Quill stopped and stared at the battle around him.

  It was a one-sided massacre on his side.

  Quill's second Marble Puppet and Gerald were working together to take down one of the Greencats, with the Puppet shielding Gerald before he, in turn, cast zipping Water Rain through the beast's body, killing it then and there.

  Rognor was in a locking of weapons against one other Greencat, claws against shield, but it was only a matter of time until the animal’s body too succumbed to the arrow wounds on its body. The last remaining Greencat that was to be alive was found dead in a shallow pool of water, but Gerald’s water elemental was nowhere to be found.

  It must've been destroyed in the heat of combat, but its contribution was nothing to scoff at.

  The fight had turned out better than Quill had anticipated. Rognor and the rest were entirely bodying the remaining numbers of the Greencats. Quill shook his head in understanding–he had underestimated his group’s capability from the start.

  The last of the Greenclaws gave in with a of Rognor’s shield. When the signal for the end of the fight finished, Quill then made his way to the others, the smell of blood now stirring in the air. “Good job.” He patted Rognor's arm before nodding to the rest.

  “I didn't expect you to keep your wits about you.” Gerald said, dropping to the ground with a . “I almost wet my pants… if I’m being honest.”

  “Thank you for the help...” Rognor said with a humble bow to Quill. Quill could never get used to a giant bowing his head. “I was able to stand my ground because of you and Narrah’s help.”

  “Quill helped me guide my arrows.” Narrah beamed.

  Quill couldn't help but show off a smile. He was still lacking as a White Aspect mage, but he had to remember that he wasn't exactly alone now like he used to be. His eyes drifted to the Greencat bodies sprawled all over the cavern floor, the promise of Cores washing his senses.

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