Hana Takayama's Perspective
The more Hana fought, the more excited she became about the situation unfolding before her.
By the third time a goblin horde was summoned, she began to realize she was grasping the patterns of the game — or rather, the lack of them.
That realization taught her where to aim, when to fire, and even how to anticipate the creatures' movements, frustrating their attacks before they could get close.
It was as if every arrow was guided not just by her aim, but by an intuition that seemed to grow stronger with each battle.
She had followed the entire pre-sale of The Awakening of the Black Tower.
Every trailer, every announcement, every promise from the developers.
And honestly, she hadn't been the only one.
After all, who wouldn't be interested in the world's first full-immersion game?
But now she was forced to admit: full immersion was only the beginning of what this game had to offer.
The goblins they faced didn't feel like mere puppets programmed by someone.
They felt alive.
With thoughts of their own.
With instinctive cooperation with their peers.
They attacked together, retreated when needed, adapted in ways that seemed far beyond what a few lines of code could create.
Hana couldn't even imagine how complex the algorithm behind them must be.
But she had understood one crucial thing:
She couldn't expect standardized behavior from them.
They weren't predictable, limited game enemies.
They were violent beasts, bloodthirsty, ready to kill at the slightest mistake.
More and more, Hana felt she wasn't playing a game.
She was on a real hunt.
Exposed to the dangers of the wild, searching for weaknesses in her prey.
And that understanding made all the difference.
The fight against the fifth sub-boss had been even more enlightening.
Every previous sub-boss had essentially been defeated by Aslan alone.
Not out of arrogance.
Not to boast.
But simply because no one else could keep up with him.
While the Tank clashed with those enraged creatures, the pace was too frantic.
The clash of blades too violent, too fast, leaving Hana no safe opening to fire.
No certainty that her arrow would strike the enemy and not her ally.
At least, not yet.
But the fifth sub-boss was different.
A goblin warrior with a spear.
And unlike the others, he didn't hurl himself at Aslan for contact.
He kept his distance.
Each extended thrust of the weapon forced the Tank back, made him recalculate, opening precious space for the rest of the party to attack.
And they attacked.
Arrows, spells, and even bursts of sacred flames rained down on the monster's body.
Cassandra seemed especially thrilled, her eyes gleaming with each blast of fire or ice that struck true.
It was as if she were venting a long-suppressed desire in her heart.
But that wasn't what caught Hana's attention most.
It was the sub-boss's eyes.
Yellow, burning with hatred.
With every arrow that pierced its flesh, Hana felt its fury rise.
She knew that if Aslan weren't between them, the goblin would charge straight at her and tear her apart without hesitation.
Honestly, it was terrifying how real it all felt.
More than a game.
More than a test.
It felt like an actual fight for survival.
Hana only allowed herself to relax when the sub-boss's body hit the ground.
Dead, pierced through by Cassandra's conjured ice spear.
The redhead celebrated her strike like someone who had just won a championship, raising her staff and laughing through heavy breaths.
But even with the fifth sub-boss defeated, Hana noticed the tension hadn't completely vanished.
It lingered in the air, dense, almost tangible.
She knew exactly why.
Only the boss remained.
If they beat it, it would be their first cleared dungeon in the Black Tower.
A milestone separating dreamers from survivors.
She knew it, they all knew it… and so…
All eyes inevitably turned to Aslan.
The Tank.
The wall that had withstood every sub-boss's assault so far.
The man who, back in the first sub-boss's hall, had said that with the right strategy, the boss might actually be easier than the sub-bosses themselves.
He seemed to understand the collective desire for answers.
He took a deep breath and silently gestured for everyone to gather closer.
Then he sat on the stone floor, still stained and shattered from battle.
And then he spoke:
"The boss is a mage. That makes him weaker than the sub-bosses," his voice was firm, calm. "But he has two guards almost as strong as sub-bosses. To win, we need to follow this strategy:"
He paused, scanning every face before him.
"I, with Lumina's support, will draw the guards' attention and keep them busy. Meanwhile, Silent, Amber, and Matteo will fight the boss directly."
Then he turned to Matteo.
"Matteo, focus solely on defense. The boss is a mage, with abilities very similar to yours. Whenever he attacks, raise earthen walls to protect yourself and the girls."
Finally, his eyes locked on Hana's and Cassandra's.
"As for you two, put everything into offense. The sooner he falls, the easier the fight will be."
His tone hardened.
"There's only one surprise: when his health gets low, he goes berserk. His casting speed skyrockets, and he starts attacking indiscriminately at everyone in the room. When that happens, be ready to defend yourselves."
Silence.
Everyone absorbed his words as if they were orders from a commander.
Hana drew a long breath.
She couldn't help but think how reassuring it was to have someone who had already cleared this dungeon.
Having insider knowledge from the start made everything seem so much simpler.
It was only the second day of the Black Tower.
And he was already level 4.
Already inside a dungeon.
If he wasn't the strongest player in the Tower right now, he couldn't be far from it.
That's what she believed.