Everyday consisted of leveling up by battling any small animal. And there was always those one times the group would encounter a bigger animal.

It felt like a loop. A continuous routine that would only stop till it was time.

Days would pass. And the time would go down.

"The wave will be coming soon..." Kain said while the group was heading off to the forest.

"I just hope that what we've done is enough." Renn whispered uncertain.

I saw the dead and tired faces of my team. " It'll be fine guys. As long as we're all together, there's nothing going in in our way."

Suki gave off a shy smile off to me. Before looking back.

"We should upgrade our armor and weapons now!" Suki shouted. Catching everyones attention.

The three of us nodded. And started walking back towards the village.

————

"Thank you guys for coming, come back soon!" The seller waved to us.

The three walked ahead. But stayed behind a bit. I looked at the other more leveled up weapons.

"You coming [Y/N]?" Renn asked, as the other two looked back at me.

"Yeah. Just go on ahead without me." I waved my hands, hoping they wouldn't mind me looking over the stuff I couldn't get (yet)...

"Oh, alright." Suki's high voice said, before the three walked out the door.

I sighed 'I hope he doesn't think I'm annoying..."

"What you looking for..?" The seller moved around from behind me.

"I-I'm just looking at the higher leveled stuff..." 'Now I just look poor.'

"Oh it's fine.. You know that you could-"

The seller was cut off by the door opening. I turned over to the door to see who it was...

"N-Naofumi!" I muttered to myself.

I noticed someone else who was standing right beside him. Burnette with small ears and...

'God she's cute."

I realized I was staring at the two for an awkward amount of time.

"Uhm. Hi.." I said, trying to keep the awkwardness away.

Naoufumi only gave me a glare back. He changed so much from when we had first met.

"Oh uhm.... I'll be going now." I walked or maybe literally ran out of the shop and off to the forest.

———

"You took quiet the time there [Y/N]." Kain said, eying me as soon as I ran to them.

The three gave me an intimidating stare. Their eyes looking for answers.

"Sorry I just wanted to look at the stuff there..."

"Well c'mon! I wanna try this stuff out." Suki said swinging her sword around in the air.

'Are you aiming that thing for me?-'

"Yeah, we need to level up as soon as we can." Kain

"Right." I loaded up my gun, as we started our hunt again.

———

"1 2 3 4!" As I scream the last number, my group jumps out of the bushes. And into a triangle like formation with Suki in the front, and Kain in the back.

Kain had insisted that we make up formations for emergencies. So we decided that today would also be the day we practiced.

The formations were pretty simple. I would yell out 'SUE ANNE' and then count to 4. Giving the group enough time to huddle up.

The group huddle would consist of Suki in the front with her sword, me and Renn on the side with my gun and his bow. And Kain in the middle, with his staff.

Suki slashed the rabbit roaming around that appeared in front of us.

Suki was the most leveled up from us. Lowest being Kain and I.

We practiced our formation for another couple of minutes. Before deciding to make another one.

Renn and Suki went out farther in the forest to level up. While me and Kain stayed behind a little to discuss.

"Well what if one of us aren't available when we call the formation?"

Kain shut my question. "Then we would have Renn in front. Or you in front. Going from the order."

I nodded and thought for some more questions.

"Should we have another formation if we're injured...?"

Kain looked down at the ground in thought for a moment. "We could have our most offensive members attack while we try to help the wounded..."

He looked back up at me "What do you think?"

"Oh. I'm really just going with what you're saying."

Kain shook his head. "I need your input as well..."

I stared at him for a while. Thinking a bit.

"We could always change it. But I think it's good for now."

Kain nodded. As we continued walking slowly, and tracing Suki and Renn's path.

———

The sun was going down more. As our group sat down on the ground exhausted.

My legs quivered. As I had been running so much all day. My heart pounding hard as well.

Though I shouldn't be complaining. Suki and Renn carried the group a lot.

"Is it okay if we camp over here for the night..?" Renn asked in small breaths.

I looked over at the rest of the group. Making eye contact with both Suki and Kain before nodding to Renn.

I finally got my butt off the ground. Dusting my self a bit.

"I'll get the fire started..."