Dawn stared at the demolished tower, the sheer scale of the destruction sparking a cold panic. The arrow, far larger than she had intended, had utterly leveled her target. Frantically, she descended the tree to meet Agent X. He had a grin on his face, as if he knew the job was done.

  ?"We have to leave now!" Dawn said, her voice frantic.

  ?With a cruel smile, Agent X replied, "Why? Are you not interested in the aftermath?"

  ?"Absolutely not," she said, full of anxiety. "I'm sure they can tell which direction that attack came from and will be coming this way any second."

  ?Agent X, seemingly without a care in the world, just lay down at the base of the tree. "We can not leave just yet. There are several things you still need to do."

  ?"Is the crystal not glowing? Did I kill the wrong person?" a very confused Dawn asked.

  ?"The crystal is glowing," Agent X said, pulling it from his stash to show her before putting it back. "But that's not it."

  ?He settled in at the base of the tree before continuing. "First, you need to put your gear in your stash if you want to leave. Otherwise, Cosmo will sell it and pay you out in gold for it. Second, you need to boost your stats at least a little in each situation, or else you will have little growth over your career. And lastly, I need to rest my mind before we return."

  ?Frustration overwhelming her, Dawn began to pace frantically. "Okay, fine. Where do you plan to sleep, and what should I do in the meantime?" she snapped.

  ?Unaffected by Dawn's tone, Agent X just settled in at the base of the tree before replying, "I'm going to rest right here. Why should I go somewhere else?"

  ?Dawn, feeling like she was going to start pulling her hair out, replied, "I shot their king from here. I'm sure they will come searching this area for whoever is responsible."

  ?Agent X began to lose his patience. "If you had been stealthier, they wouldn't know where the attack came from."

  ?A defeated Dawn replied, "I didn't mean for the arrow to do that."

  ?Agent X paused for a moment before speaking. "Let me ask you. What were you thinking about just before you shot your arrow?"

  ?Dawn thought for a minute before replying, "I'm not sure. I think it was about the sturdy metal arrow and how easily it should pierce the king."

  ?Agent X pointed at her. "There's the issue. When you thought about the metal, you unknowingly infused the advanced metal element into it. Since the arrow was already made of metal, you just enhanced the arrow's size and durability when you released it. Don't worry. What's done is done. While I rest, why don't you hunt some beasts in these woods? It would be a good chance for you to get combat experience."

  ?"What about you?" Dawn asked, stunned. "I'm sure guards will be storming this hill soon enough."

  ?Agent X closed his eyes as if about to fall asleep. "Don't worry about me. No one in this realm can hurt me."

  ?Dawn hesitated, her heart still pounding. The idea of him sleeping peacefully while the guards could be on their way was absurd, yet the cold confidence in his voice was undeniable. She turned away from him and began her hunt, disappearing into the dense woods.

  ?Dawn entered the dense forest, the sunlight barely piercing the thick canopy. Her anxiety was still high, but the memory of Agent X's chilling confidence pushed her forward. She looked at the fingerless glove and the empty quiver. The first step was to find something to hunt. She spent a good ten minutes just walking, her senses on high alert. Soon, she heard a rustling in a nearby bush. A creature, resembling a deer but with shadowy, translucent antlers and hooves, stepped out into a small clearing. It moved with a silent, unnatural grace.

  ?Taking a deep breath, Dawn aimed her empty gloved hand at the creature. She reached into the quiver, grasping at nothing. As her hand closed, she felt the smooth, cool metal of an arrow. She pulled it out and nocked it, her arm trembling slightly as the energy bow began to form. She aimed, released, and the metal arrow flew wildly past its target, missing by a wide margin. The Shadow Deer, startled, darted away teleporting short distances at a time, coming to a stop a hundred feet away in the blink of an eye. Dawn tried again, this time thinking about the metal of the arrow more consciously. The next arrow, glowing faintly with power and increasing in size, hit a tree with a loud thunk, splintering the bark. The deer was gone. She swore under her breath, a mix of frustration and embarrassment. After a few moments, she found its tracks, and with renewed determination, she began her pursuit.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  ?It took what felt like an eternity. Dawn would get a shot, miss, and the creature would vanish, only to reappear in a different spot. Her frustration mounted with each failure, but with each shot, the draw felt a little smoother, the aim a little steadier. Finally, she managed to get close enough for a solid shot. She pulled back the string of energy and, without a thought, released the arrow. It struck true, lodging itself in the creature's side. The deer let out a pained cry, stumbled, and then vanished. Knowing it was still alive, Dawn ran to where it vanished and saw a faint trail of blood, following it until she found the deer collapsed behind a cluster of trees. It lay there, whimpering. Dawn hesitated for a moment, then, with a heavy heart, she pulled back one last arrow, confirming the kill. Next she knew she had to collect a peice of the creature. Dawn draws back another arrow aiming at a hoof that was stuck out further than the others. Thoughts of rushing wind from a tornadoe as she releashes the arrow. The arrow upon release changes to a form of dense air, it blasts foreward out of the bow and cleaves the shadowy hoof. As she did, she felt a small rush of energy, the thrill of the hunt wasn't so bad when the prey wasnt human. Dawn thought to herself, that thing was fast. I bet it will increase my speed stat. It was a grim process, but it was necessary.

  ?Dawn moved on, feeling more in control of her new weapon, if not her emotions. Her next target was a Stone Rhino, a massive creature with a hide like cobblestone and a singular horn made of what looked like pure diamond. This was a different kind of challenge. No amount of speed was going to take this thing down. She needed power. This time, as she drew her bow, she focused not on the metal, but on the very earth. She channeled a mental image of a mountain, of rock and immovable force. The energy bow pulsed with a dull, brown light. She released the arrow, it changed shape to that closer to a large stone spear. The arrow impacted the rhino's leg with a force that sent a tremor through the ground. The creature bellowed in pain, but its hide wasn't pierced. Without hesitation, Dawn drew another arrow. This time, she focused on sheer, explosive force. The second arrow flew, and on impact, it shattered the rhino's leg, bringing the immense creature down with a thunderous crash. The rhino's life was slipping away as Dawn walked over to its head and, with an extra shot, managed to break off a piece of its horn. Just like that, she had another beast part to boost her. With its tough hide it was sure to boost her defense stat. The progression was real.

  ?As the sun began to set, Dawn began to hunt her final target: a Gloom Wolf. Unlike the other two creatures, this one was a predator. She could feel its presence before she saw it, a cold, lurking threat in the shadows. This time, she didn't rush. She moved with newfound grace and stealth, her senses sharpened. She waited, hiding behind a thick bush, listening for the slightest sound. When the wolf finally emerged, it was a sleek, dark form, its eyes glowing with a faint, malevolent light. Dawn took a deep, steadying breath. She drew her bow, not thinking about the metal or the earth, but about the very shadows the wolf was made of. The energy of her bow was dark, almost nonexistent, a void against the fading light. She released the arrow, and it was a masterpiece of lethal precision, a dark streak in the air that found its mark perfectly in the wolf's neck. The creature didn't even have time to whimper before it collapsed unmoving. Dawn walked over and harvested one of its fangs, she wondered just what stat the wolf would give her.

  Dawn returned to the base of the tree, feeling a sense of satisfaction. The hunt had been successful, and the weight of her first purposeful kills didn't feel as heavy as she had feared. But the peaceful clearing was spoiled by the sight of a half-dozen bodies arranged in a loose circle around Agent X, who was still laid out on the ground as if asleep. They were all dressed in the town guard's armor, and Dawn couldn't find a single mark on them. No blood, no arrows, no wounds. Confused, she looked at Agent X.

  ?His eyes snapped open, a flicker of amusement in their depths. Dawn jumped back in surprise, her hand instinctively going to her side where her quiver was. Agent X's lips curled into a faint smile.

  ?"How was the hunt, Dawn?" he asked, his voice calm and even.

  ?"It had its moments," Dawn replied, still rattled. "I had some issues with a teleporting deer, but I finally landed a shot. I also experimented with different elements on a rhino and a wolf."

  ?Agent X nodded his head in approval. "I'm glad you're getting comfortable in combat and trying different things. Now, put your gear in your stash, and let's head out."

  ?Dawn quickly did as she was told, removing her glove and quiver and storing them away. She gave a small nod, and in a flash, Agent X crushed the crystal in his hand. Everything rapidly faded to a solid, bright white. Then, in an instant, they were back in Xander's living room.

  ?A wave of exhilaration washed over Dawn. She had the biggest smile across her face, her mind replaying the hunt. She felt a strong sense of accomplishment. Her inner thoughts about how she could really be a hero in these realms solidified. She could truly be someone who stops evil and protects the weak. That realm has one less evil ruler.

  ?"You did well," Xander's voice broke her thought process. "Even if it was just one target, it's a necessary part of what we do. The last situation type we haven't done, I feel, will be the hardest for you. That, of course, is the Calamity mode. This mode is know for the mass amount of graves it produces. Very few Incarnates actually enjoy doing this mode. But someone has to."

  ?Dawn's eyes widened and her face grew pale at the thought of widespread slaughter. Xander already knew how she was feeling. Mild annoyance stirred within Xander before he speaks. "I know your moral code is still telling you not to kill these people without reason," he said, "so for this one, I'll give you an easy way out. I just want you to see each mode before you begin to settle on your preferred situation type."

  ?Dawn was stunned by the seemingly generous offer. At the same time, she was confused at what exactly he had in mind. Dawn just hoped it was a realm brimming with evil intent. That would be the best help she could receive, to get through the nightmare she was about to undergo.