[Drive away the sky whales from the vicinity of Mount Tumay. Time remaining: 157 hours 6 minutes.]0

The prospect of finally meeting a worthy opponent excited me. Lately, the lack of meaningful battles had not only been frustrating me but also hindering my growth. Though the Overseer and Great Warlord of Terror had challenged me when I first faced them, those encounters were disappointingly brief and could no longer push me.0

Considering all of that, the captain was a rare find. He was a formidable adversary, the likes of which I hadn’t faced in ages. I didn’t want this fight to end too quickly, and I could spare a few minutes without affecting the mission.0

From the moment my fingers wrapped tightly around the axe’s haft, the familiar surge of adrenaline coursed through me, filling me with the thrill of combat.0

I should limit my use of Lightning Essence. Oh, Master of Shadows and Flash Strike will make the fight too easy as well.0

Blue arcs of electricity crackled along the axe’s edge as I prepared for the captain’s approach. Seeing that he hadn’t moved yet, I approached him cautiously. He watched me with an unsettling calmness as I closed the gap.0

This would mark my first time—in a while—facing a mace-wielding opponent.0

What will his first move be?0

My muscles tautened in anticipation as I braced myself. A moment later, the captain surged forward as he swung the mace upward in a diagonal ar...0