I was returned to the same spot I'd been, standing just outside the village. The glow faded, and in an instant, the world spun around me. It was the same sensation as when I was first sent here, only this time I wasn't as injured.
As soon as I appeared, the women approached, led by Manaia, forming a semicircle around me. These ten women would be my recruits, my future warriors. Manaia stood at the front, her face a mix of curiosity and concern.
I opened the guild panel. The screen unfolded before my eyes, revealing a skill tree with many locked options: Blacksmith, Potion Shop, Combat Training Ground, Magic Training Ground, Weapon Shop, Spell Shop—an endless array of choices. But when I selected any of them, a message blinked: "Monster Cores required to unlock." Each shop required a specific number and minimum rank of monster cores.
