I checked North's bow.
It was a sleek, black longbow—just a Standard weapon, the kind everyone received after awakening. It was nothing special, just enough to fight with until she advanced further.
Weapons were divided into three tiers:
- Standard Weapons : Basic weapons with no Essence connection. Good enough for combat before reaching level 25 and selecting a class.
- Augmented Weapons – Used from level 25 to level 50. While they had no special abilities, they were forged using Essence and sometimes stored a limited ability.
- Awakened Weapons – These weapons link to the wielder's class upon their first class evolution at level 50. Fully fused with the user's Essence, they became personalized, unique to their wielder, gain special abilities and grow along side the user.
For now, North's bow was just an ordinary weapon. But later? It would evolve into something far more powerful.
I watched as the two of them kept taking down the Bisons one by one, focusing mostly on the Level 6s and 7s at first.
North stayed at a distance, constantly moving, collecting her arrows whenever she had the chance while following Steve's lead. She timed her shots well, making every arrow count.
Suddenly, she let out a triumphant shout.
"Hell yeah!"
Guessing what it meant, I glanced at the projector. Sure enough, she had reached Level 8.
The other unit members were fighting their own battles, but they kept their distance from us. I had no doubt they'd checked our levels and decided it was best not to get involved.
Before long, North and Steve started going after stronger Bisons. With her level up, North moved more easily—she must have added points to Constitution.
I kept watch, making sure no high-level Bison came after them. So far, none had. The stronger ones were all focused on the pillar, repeatedly ramming their heads against it.
Another hour passed, and between the two of them, nearly 30 Bisons had fallen. At this rate, they were both close to leveling up again.
But the pillar wasn't going to hold for more than half an hour at the rate the Bisons kept smashing it.
After a short break to catch their breath, they set their sights on their first Level 9.
It was among the group ramming against the pillar. Steve moved first, slashing across the tendon of its hind leg. The Bison roared in pain, stumbling before turning to face him.
Steve stood his ground, his sword lowered, waiting. The Bison snorted and charged straight at him.
Before it could reach, an arrow sliced through the air and embedded itself deep into its left eye. The beast shook its head violently, letting out a furious bellow.
Steve didn't waste the opening. He dashed to its side, gripping his sword with both hands, and slashed deep across its exposed flank. Blood poured from the wound as the Bison staggered.
Another arrow struck, this time burying itself into its right eye. The beast shuddered, its legs giving out as it collapsed, wheezing heavily.
Steve stepped forward and, with a swift motion, slit its throat, ending it for good.
Without hesitation, they pulled two more Level 9s from the herd, executing them with the same efficiency.
That's when Steve's voice rang out.
"Leveled up."
North's followed right after.
"Me too."
I glanced up at the projection, a small smile tugging at my lips.
Steve had reached Level 10. North was now Level 9.
Only two more Level 9s remained—along with the last Level 10 boss.
I shouted at them.
"Why don't you try killing the Level 9s alone?"
Both of them nodded.
Steve's expression stayed the same calm, focused but I caught the flicker of excitement in North's eyes.
She moved quickly, taking cover behind a tree. Her hands worked fast as she nocked an arrow, drawing her bowstring tight.
I watched as she took a deep breath, her brown eyes locked onto one of the Level 9s ramming its head against the pillar.
Then, with a sharp whoosh, her arrow shot through the air. I tracked its path as it embedded deep into the Bison's throat just before it could strike the pillar again.
The beast let out a guttural bellow, staggering back. Before it could recover, another arrow whistled through the air, piercing its right leg clean through.
The Bison reared up in pain, its balance faltering. The moment its head tilted back, a third arrow sliced through the air and buried itself deep into its eye.
The beast collapsed with a final, shuddering breath.
I clapped, impressed. Three arrows, that was all it took.
On the other side, Steve moved even faster this time. He sprinted toward his target, his speed almost blurring his form.
At the last second, he dropped low, skidding across the back of a Level 9 Bison. His sword flashed in a clean arc, severing the beast's left leg completely.
The Bison roared in agony, collapsing onto the ground with a heavy thud.
Steve didn't hesitate. He stepped forward and, with a single swift motion, slit its throat, ending the fight instantly.
Now, only one remained, the lone Level 10 Bison, still ramming its head against the pillar.
Despite all the chaos, the deaths of its kind, and the clear danger around it, the beast didn't even flinch. It just kept smashing its head against the cracked structure, over and over.
We gathered together, watching in silence for a moment.
Steve was the first to break it.
"Doesn't it remind you of someone, Billion?"
I let out a short laugh.
"Yeah. It's acting just like Cena."
Steve chuckled.
North frowned.
"Who's Cena?"
I shook my head and answered.
"A classmate from the academy. He was always butting heads with me—just like this Bison."
North hummed thoughtfully.
"Hmm… so if Cena is the Bison, doesn't that make you the pillar?"
I turned to stare at her.
"Yes, ma'am, sure. I'm the stone-cold pillar. Alright, go ahead and take care of it. You shouldn't have too much trouble."
I stepped back, giving them space, and the duo quickly went to work on the Level 10.
Steve exhaled.
"Alright, let's drop this idiot."
He darted forward, but this time, instead of going for its legs, he went straight for the head.
As the Bison reared back for another slam, Steve leaped onto its massive skull, balancing for half a second before driving his sword straight into the thick hide between its eyes.
The Bison jerked violently, throwing Steve off. He flipped midair, landing in a crouch as the beast turned, finally acknowledging them with a guttural snort. Blood trickled down its face, but it was still standing strong.
North had already repositioned. Her bowstring was drawn tight, her stance steady. The moment the Bison moved toward Steve, she loosed her arrow. It zipped through the air and buried deep into the joint of its front leg. The Bison staggered, its charge thrown off.
Steve saw the opening. He dashed under its body, slicing deep along its belly before skidding out on the other side. The Bison howled, thrashing in pain, but it still refused to go down.
North nocked another arrow.
"You're tough, huh?"
She aimed higher this time. The second the Bison lifted its head, she fired an arrow straight into its exposed throat.
It gasped, blood spilling down its front.
Steve moved in, gripping his sword with both hands, and drove it into the Bison's skull with a final, powerful thrust. The beast shuddered… then collapsed with a heavy thud.
North let out a breath.
"That one was persistent."
Steve wiped his blade.
"Yeah, just like Cena."
I smirked.
"And the pillar still stands."
I turned to North and pointed at the top of the pillar.
"Can you knock that cage down?"
North nodded, nocking an arrow and aiming straight for the cage. She let it loose, and the arrow struck true, sending the cage tumbling down.
I leaped forward, catching it before it hit the ground. Without hesitation, I broke it open and pulled out the glowing blue core inside.
I glanced at North.
"Do you know what this does?"
She nodded.
"Yeah. You don't?"
Steve and I exchanged a look before shaking our heads.
North frowned.
"Did neither of you have any family in the Elite Unit before?"
I nodded.
"My parents were both part of Elite Unit 07. But they passed away before I was old enough to discuss such things with them."
North's expression softened.
"Oh… I'm sorry to hear that."