****
I pulled a Supporter Resurrection Scroll out of my inventory—one I'd never used before.
Traveling with two supporters would draw too much attention, so I decided to revive Black Eagle later outside the village and brought Arcia back to life first.
"I'm sorry, Adrian."
Arcia apologized to me the moment she revived.
She seemed to think it was her fault for failing to block the Death Knight, leading to our wipeout.
But this wasn't her fault.
It was mine for blindly assuming she'd hold out as perfectly as she always had.
I shook my head and offered her the seat beside me.
"Are you okay? Did it hurt?"
Even though Arcia was a homunculus, she could taste food, smell scents, and feel touch just like a human.
There was no way she couldn't feel pain.
"It hurt, but the pain setting in the game isn't as high for me as it is for you, Adrian, so I can endure it."
That was a relief.
At first, I'd recruited her just for her strong tank stats without much thought, but as we grew closer over time, I often felt guilty hiding behind her small frame.
If she was taking pain meant for me, I would have changed our combat style.
'No. I probably need to change it anyway.'
Our battle against the Death Knight had exposed the limits of our style all too clearly.
The gap was so wide that we'd never win sticking to the same methods.
Our fights were very simple.
Arcia led with her shield to block enemy advances, while Blackie obscured their vision or harassed them with ambushes to support her.
I hung back, casting spells for heavy damage.
Frankly, it was too basic to even call a tactic.
Thanks to gear carrying us, it had worked so far, but against foes like the Death Knight that Arcia couldn't cling to, we'd hit a wall.
'We have too many gaps between attacks.'
The gaps came because I, the main DPS, was a caster needing time to chant spells.
That meant our only way to harass during casts was Black Eagle's body slams.
But a named Death Knight was beyond Black Eagle's harassment, leaving the enemy free to hammer Arcia's shield.
No matter how great Arcia was, she couldn't keep tanking sword auras forever.
Breaking the defensive line was inevitable.
'Honestly, Arcia's defense holds even against the Death Knight. She blocks at least one hit for sure.'
If we'd had even one more harassment DPS to ease Arcia's burden during my casts, our current style might have sufficed.
But I couldn't bring outsiders into a fortuitous encounter quest, so no new allies.
We had to adapt with this team.
'Three options come to mind here.'
Nothing too complicated.
Just tweaks to our members' styles.
First: Me focusing on low-circle spells for faster casts and higher DPS uptime.
Second: Using Black Eagle more aggressively as a combatant, not just harassment.
Third: Having Arcia not just shield-bash but deal damage with her sword too.
Each had pros and cons, but the first would nerf me too much, so changing Black Eagle and Arcia made most sense.
Not that it'd be easy.
"Let's at least try."
"Understood."
After mulling possibilities with Arcia for a while, I made my decision.
Time to practice, recover EXP, and fine-tune.
***
Round 2 against Death Knight Pascal.
Restoring EXP lost to death took over an hour.
We somewhat shaped up a new style, but.
I soon realized it wasn't enough.
[You have died. Please recover EXP and try again.]
We died even faster than round 1.
Was it trauma from being hacked apart?
The agony of limbs severed and guts burning?
After reviving, my hands and feet shook uncontrollably, body ignoring me.
Clinging to the village fountain railing, grinding my teeth, I finally spat curses.
"Fuck! Can this thing even be beaten?"
This plan ramped up Arcia and Black Eagle's involvement.
But Black Eagle couldn't handle the Death Knight, outing in one minute flat—a disaster.
Arcia, switched to medium shield and one-handed longsword from greatshield and dagger, couldn't even swing once before breakthroughs overwhelmed her.
I died at three minutes; she followed a minute later.
"Hoo! Hoo... Calm down. Calm."
Pain fading, I steadied my breath and clenched my trembling fists.
"I'm sorry."
"No. No need to apologize. This is on my skills."
Reviving Arcia again, she apologized once more.
I patted her shoulder, saying I was fine, and sorted my thoughts.
What was the biggest issue this fight?
'Blackie's quick knockout.'
He didn't deal much direct damage, but his harassment was huge for us.
Bottom line: Black Eagle's survival was key to our style.
'Make him armor?'
Arcia and I wore top gear for our level, no upgrades there, but Black Eagle had room.
Plus, this was a game, not reality.
Plenty of light, tough metal for an eagle without burdening him.
"Guess we try something."
"Yes."
Plan set—time to act.
'Don't rush. That ruins doable things.'
I had goals worth a hundred, thousand deaths.
This was just trials for 7th Circle.
Mind set, I pressed on.
***
Round 3 against Death Knight Pascal.
"Argh! Damn it!"
[You have died. Please recover EXP and try again.]
We armored him decently, but options for a flying eagle were limited.
Breastplate for belly and back, helmet for beak and head, bladed boots—that was it.
Couldn't touch wings, left them bare; he got sliced there, crashed first again.
'Not bad, though.'
Rushed gear, but protected spots did their job.
Black Eagle lasted longer, doubling fight time.
Pascal's patterns grew visible—solid progress.
***
Round 5 against Death Knight Pascal.
As Black Eagle and Arcia adapted, we managed proper offense-defense exchanges.
Leaps from the sloppy first and worse second, but.
The gap didn't close easily.
[This is...]
Desperate, round 5 brought a wild tactic.
Arcia tanking, Blackie harassing—wasn't it all to keep me safe?
What if I made it impossible for the enemy to reach me?
[Absurd. Am I fighting acrobats?]
The Death Knight stared skyward, chuckling dryly.
"Pretty flustered, huh?"
I taunted, but the monster crossed arms at waist, shaking his head.
[Making an undead like me laugh is talent. Switch careers?]
Simple reason.
I was flying.
Double-casting starts at 7th Circle.
At 6th, Fly blocks other spells, so not my power.
How, then?
-Flutter! Flutter!
Simple.
Hang from giant eagle Black Eagle.
His supersonic wings handled my weight fine.
Strapped to his belly, we hugged the mage tower ceiling.
"Ever heard of human bomber?"
Thus, fused with Black Eagle, I challenged.
'Promising?'
Silly look, but start was good.
To reach us, Death Knight leaped—jumps create openings.
Air time limited no chain attacks; dodging let Arcia poke and pull aggro.
"Haha! Die! Die!"
Vengeful, I spammed spells like a true bomber.
But...
Ten minutes in, issues hit.
-Kree! Kree!
"Wha? Whoa."
Black Eagle had stamina; speed dropped.
-Splat.
Later, altitude dipped slyly.
Finally, exhausted, he gently set me down.
[Welcome from below.]
"Oh, hi there."
Face-down landing greeted by sword aura barrage.
"Argh!"
Lesson: Brains over brawn? Nah—straight power.
***
Round 7 against Death Knight Pascal.
40-minute fight, Death Knight HP damage: 55%.
Nearly 100% of our total damage was my magic, but Arcia hit 20% range first time.
Meaning steady damage while tanking.
[You have died. Please recover EXP and try again.]
"Urk!"
Felt good this time.
Eye contact for perfect backups; even my clunky mage bod dodged a dozen attacks.
Repeated duels with death built skills fast.
"Not bad."
Pain familiarized—no more fear shrinking.
Could cast with arm severed.
Pain still hurt.
Just venom let me endure.
***
Round 9 against Death Knight Pascal.
25-minute fight, Death Knight HP damage: 45%.
Tried new formation.
Arcia always fronted; first side-by-side.
Black Eagle alone couldn't split aggro enough.
Mage stepping up? Chronicle Online heresy—party kick instant.
But results?
'Fight shorter, but DPS per minute crushed.'
Dodging with this slow bod while casting was issue, but 25 minutes showed promise.
I read his moves perfectly now.
Battle experience payoff.
But buffs like Haste, Strength—body lagged eyes still.
'Respec gear: evasion over casting.'
Dodgy mage build—total trash, but trying.
***
Round 11 against Death Knight Pascal.
62-minute fight, Death Knight HP damage: 84%.
Evasion mage boosted survival, eased team burden, but hourly DPS dipped.
Lost, but...
Convinced: Keep this up, we'll win.
"Thought level 200 would end it—snagged unexpectedly."
Doffed game headset, stretched.
Round 11 hit login limit.
Next login: Fortuitous quest stage 7 cleared.
"World seems slow?"
"You're repeating deaths revives others can't. Vision sharpening—natural."
"You too?"
"Not sure. But..."
I waited as she eyed her palm.
"Stronger. Stats same as yesterday, but feels way stronger. Experience's power."
Her answer felt too human for a homunculus.
Time and experiences would make her indistinguishable.
"Hm?"
Staring too hard, silent?
She blinked, dropped a bomb.
"In heat? Then..."
"Shut it."
Tossed shelf cookie jar to derail.
Her eyes locked on food; I napped for condition.
"No watch duty—rest deep."
"Yes, understood."
***
Next day, limit lifted.
Logged in determined, resumed.
Round 12, Death Knight HP damage 75%.
Round 13, 85%.
Round 14, 91%.
Round 15, 89%.
Round 16, 93%.
Round 17, 98%.
First for readjust, rest experience grind.
No boredom.
Felt self grow step-by-step.
"Time to end it."
Round 18 against Death Knight Pascal.
Ultra-cautious: 102 minutes, 15 more than 17.
[Impressive.]
Death Knight HP damage...
Hit 100%.
[Fortuitous Encounter Quest Stage 7 cleared.]
Named monster Death Knight Pascal—defeated.
"Yaaaaah!"
Ragged, staring mage tower 1F ceiling, I pumped fists roaring.
Yes.
Now I become 7th Circle archmage; Arcia, Aura Master.