"Am I late?" Reylin asked himself after appearing before the storage.

  The bastards had already looted the whole storage, and a few wounded soldiers lay on the ground while hugging their wounded bodies.

  They wailed and cursed with their eyes closed.

  The sight of the empty storage would leave a deep dent on every soldier with pride, and that was precisely the case here.

  Reylin didn't give them any attention, however.

  His focus was on the footsteps.

  At first glance, no one would find any, and it was clear the bastards possessed powerful means to cover their tracks. However, Reylin's training and mana control revealed those slowly, and he tracked them down slowly.

  It was snail's pace, however.

  'I won't catch up to them, but I should find their base,' Reylin whispered inwardly.

  Since he had his own base already, the organization should keep their forces close as their assaults had been frequent. He followed them, keeping his eyes on the tracks and his surroundings, then Reylin stopped before the ship.

  Rivers were vast here, and two ships could cruise next to each other.

  That ship had its anchor deep underwater, and its appearance was far from the merchant ship.

  It was a ship with a noble design.

  Cannons around it didn't look out of the place due to the grand design, and it even matched the blue-golden ship. Due to his Black Rose's Shadow Class, Reylin also saw transparent circles around the ship.

  Those were transparent, but upon focusing deeper, Reylin saw a little more.

  "That's not something a mage like me can see through yet," Reylin said out loud, then turned around.

  He had confirmed his initial thoughts.

  The enemy was someone from the Blue Rose Kingdom, and that guy was like a double agent. He worked with the bastards and the authorities, using the monsters as the third party for his own goals.

  [Steel Melody has accepted your friend's request.]

  [Rey Flames Lin: Let's talk tomorrow afternoon.]

  He said this message to the female tank, then logged out within Yusuf's house-

  The next day, Reylin returned to the game after the school's activities.

  He appeared in Yusus' house, and he spotted his new friend online. Of course, adding to the friend list didn't make two friends, but he would be somewhat friendly with her.

  They met outside the Northern Rivers Bank.

  Reylin said out loud, "Since you seem to be familiar with me, I will be blunt. Work with me, and I will help you end the quest with the best results."

  "Sure," Steel Melody replied instantly.

  This threw Reylin off a little, but nothing transpired on his face, "Is it too irksome to work with the guards? They left you alone during that monster's evening."

  Steel Melody shook her head thrice, "It's the opposite. I am too irksome to work with. Do you know about the weapon skill tree?"

  Since Steel Melody was well aware of the pyromaniac, she knew that he was primarily working alone. No one could level up together with him due to his flames, and last month's leveling up was popular on social media.

  People knew he was a solo player, but Reylin had long since changed.

  He wanted some social activity with ordinary people.

  "Weapon Skill Tree? Care to enlighten me?" Reylin smiled, talking quite smoothly and calmly.

  His new friend nodded and explained, "Most players receive skills from the NPCs. For example, the sword thrust. This skill is a simple thrust, but the skill itself increases its damage. Now, with the sword skill tree, I can choose my own path for it.

  My Sword Thrust lowers the physical defense. It also deals damage based on my target's max HP. My objective is to keep the enemies close and hurt them first to make it easier for my teammates!"

  "I see…… It's worth investing into the weapon skill tree," Reylin replied.

  He possessed his black staff, and it wouldn't hurt to advance it through the weapon skill tree. So far, Reylin hadn't been interested in the normal players' ways because he broke the standard gameplay.

  He formed his own skills due to his crazy and unbridled love toward the flames.

  However, if his staff could do more than just throwing out the fireballs or the flamethrower, Reylin would pay more attention to it and have some fun with it, similar to Flame Artist.

  Reylin also saw through Steel Melody's problem.

  He asked with a faint smile, "Where are the teammates?"

  "That's the problem. I don't have a team," Steel Melody replied with a straight face. No emotion rippled in her eyes, and she stared at Reylin back.

  Her appearance was of the blue-haired knight. Her hair reached her waist, and it was one of three things that covered a little of it. Her shield and sword were the other two that blocked a slight view of her heavy armor.

  Her eyes were also blue, and she bore a serious aura. Of course, that wasn't a problem as Reylin learned about Steel Melody more.

  Her problem was that she was just too reckless, "My friends don't like playing with me. It's because I don't want to deal with monsters and NPCs around my level. I want to face tougher opponents and advance my skills in a hazardous environment! That's how I want to level up and fight!"

  "Splendid. I couldn't ask for a better companion," Reylin smiled widely, "You are crazy on your own, and so am I. There are two kinds of people; those that can deal with me and those who can not. If you want a tough opponent, I will give you one."

  "I thought you were a solo player," Steel Melody said, probing into Reylin.

  He didn't mind sharing his view, "I always have someone behind me. I am kinda used to that, and I grew up to like the accompaniment of people such as you."

  "I am not that crazy as you, though," Steel Melody said, then stepped forth, "But I am the tank! I am not behind, but on the front!"

  Reylin laughed, "King is not the king because of the crown. I don't mind following you."

  "I don't understand." Steel Melody replied bluntly.

  "You don't have to," Reylin said, then asked her a few questions.

  After Steel Melody replied based on her knowledge from staying here, Reylin got a broader view of the Northern Rivers Bank's situation.

  He said, "I see the pattern now. On the day the bastards attack, the guards' movement is a little different. Keep an eye on your quest and the guards, then inform me about the movement. Soon, you will deal with an interesting opponent."

  "I thought it would be today," Steel Melody sulked.

  "Sometimes, you have to wait for the best. How is your shield against magic, though?" After Reylin asked, Steel Melody understood that the formidable opponent would be a mage.

  Her experience against those was kinda lacking, and her eyes twinkled, "I suck against mages, and I don't have much experience, but isn't it better? I will soon learn how to deal with them!"

  "Masochist, hmm?"

  "I think so."

  "Pyromaniac."

  "Hehe."

  Both of them smiled widely.

  That was the understanding of the genuinely honest people.

  Reylin said, "I can send a few fireballs for you. If that would help your skills."

  "Good! Come at me, bro!" Steel Melody raised her shield and enhanced her armor with a few skills.

  She added, "Taunt!"

  [You have been taunted by the player, Steel Melody. You can not attack anyone else, and you are forced to answer her taunt.]

  Reylin's body felt an urge to punch her shield.

  The taunt was quite a tricky skill, but Reylin quickly found a solution.

  The fireball.

  BOOM!

  "Eh! You can use magic?!" Steel Melody said while the flames splashed on her shield!

  "I guess so," Reylin snickered and threw a few more, just as he had promised.

  That day, Steel Melody's shield skills rose, and her shield skill tree learned valuable upgrades for future events!

  She was nothing, but smiles, giggling so much it was pretty contagious.

  Reylin wasn't shy nor foreign to laughing, and he laughed alongside her, "Nothing feels good as some exercise with flames after logging in. Haha!"

  "Getting a new skill feels better!"

  "Oh, I know this feeling very well. I tend to get skills while fighting strong opponents." He replied and side-glanced at the blue-haired friend.

  Steel Melody's eyes narrowed, and she asked for more training.