Don was too embarrassed to say anything. Elias Finch seemed like a righteous person on the surface, but he was actually quite shrewd. His words had unwittingly put Don in a tight spot, if Don set the distribution rules, he’d look either greedy or foolish no matter what he chose.

But their team had its own sharp minds.

Kira, who usually didn’t say much, spoke up. "I’m the main tank, so can I weigh in?"

Elias Finch was briefly taken aback. "Little sister, say whatever you like. No need to be so polite with me."

"Let’s distribute by class. If a longsword drops, I won’t be shy, I’ll roll against you, big brother."

Elias Finch laughed heartily and casually posted a screenshot of his own weapon’s stats in team chat. The group fell speechless.

[Delman Enhanced Longsword, Gold Grade (Crafted)] Longsword | Level Req: 35 | ATK: 470–540 +90 STR | +70 AGI | +90 CON Unsealed: ATK +50% | Crit Rate +2% | ATK Speed +4%

Nobody could speak for a long while. If the dagger in Don’s hand was a finished product, then Finch’s weapon was a divine artifact. The gap in attributes was simply too vast.

"Crafted?" Kira swallowed hard. "War Fire’s production team is something else."

Elias Finch responded without hesitation. "Little sister, I’m a straightforward person. If you’re willing to join War Fire, this longsword is yours. I can guarantee your equipment will surpass mine in the future. I’ll also give you a department manager position in the company with a proper salary. You’re talented, just like Don. Skills and courage both. I like young people like you."

The Debtborn seized the opportunity to press further. "President Finch already knows the three of you are trainees at Extraordinary Studio in Henshaw Tower. As for Lily, well, that girl is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, enough said. If you two are willing to come, you’ll receive the same treatment. And Don, I think we two brothers are destined for each other, aren’t we?"

Despite the Debtborn’s warm attempts to draw him in through friendship, Don remained unmoved. He was a stubborn person. Once he’d made up his mind, no amount of external pressure would change it.

But he needed a suitable excuse, something tactful and plausible.

Seeing his eyes shift evasively, Kira laughed and spoke up, crafting a reason for both of them that made every jaw in the party drop.

"Brother Finch, Brother Lane, thank you for your kindness." Kira’s expression carried genuine emotion.

A person’s tone was always picked up by the listener. The moment she spoke, Elias Finch paused. "Don’t get worked up. Take your time."

"We have to stay at Extraordinary Studio because of our beliefs. We’ll only join another guild if our faith abandons us." Kira’s voice grew quieter with each word. "Don may be even more resolved than I am on this point. If that person abandons him, he might delete his account and say goodbye to Realms Online forever."

"It’s not that serious, is it?" Snow Fox joked.

Elias Finch lowered his voice. "Snow Fox, quiet. Let Water Color finish."

Kira fell silent, suddenly seeming like a different person entirely, wordlessly enduring the Saber-Toothed Rat King’s relentless strikes.

Just as Don was about to offer some words of comfort, a telepathic message arrived from her: "Hehe. I feel like I could go to Hollywood."

That was when he realized she was acting. The girl was too clever.

He had no choice but to play along. Clenching his teeth, Don drove his dagger viciously into the Rat King’s backside. "Damn it..."

Elias Finch sighed deeply. "You young people are just too fragile when it comes to feelings. There’s no way around it, nobody grows up without getting violated by love at least once. Fine. I respect your choices. I’ll say it again, whether it’s War Fire or the Finch family, the door will always be open. I admire people who value loyalty."

The words were somewhat contradictory, on one hand dismissing romantic attachment, on the other admiring unwavering devotion. What kind of person was Elias Finch, really? Don found himself genuinely curious.

But the show was over. The boss still needed to die. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

The Saber-Toothed Rat King showed no sympathy for anyone’s love story. Its attacks grew faster and more vicious. Kira was beginning to struggle, shifting into a full blocking stance with her shield raised.

Then Don added to the chaos, an unintentional strike disrupted the perfect balance they’d been maintaining.

In a moment of carelessness, his dagger swept out and severed the Saber-Toothed Rat King’s tail clean at the root. Blood erupted everywhere, and a damage number appeared that made everyone’s jaw drop.

[Critical, 190,582!]

Don was stunned. How had the damage been that extreme? Could the tail be its weak point?

A chilling system chime confirmed his suspicion.

[System: You have severed the Saber-Toothed Rat King’s weak point, triggering its Rage attribute. Movement speed, attack speed, and physical attack increased by 20%. Aggro locked on you for 5 minutes. Boss will lose 1,000 HP per second for the duration.]

Blood gushed from the stump where the tail had been, splattering across the ground. The enraged Rat King roared and lunged at Don, murder blazing in its eyes.

Lily’s Wind Arrow shot out like lightning, and missed.

She was frantic. "Are you kidding me? I choke at the worst possible time?"

An ice arrow pierced through the Rat King’s foreleg, significantly slowing its charge. The Debtborn’s spell gave Don just enough time to escape and create distance.

The Debtborn roared, "Don, disengage and go invisible! Kira, prepare to intercept the second hit!"

Don shook his head grimly. "Brother Lane, it might not work. This boss has reconnaissance-type skills, it probably has detection abilities."

Kira gritted her teeth. "Then what do we do?"

Don drew the Larsel Bow. "Simple. Strike while the iron’s hot."

During the commotion, Elias Finch’s voice came through team chat. "What happened on your end?"

"President Finch, that unlucky kid Don touched a nerve with the boss..."

"Understood. Pull the boss toward my coordinates. Try to stay together." Elias Finch remained perfectly calm. "Lily, watch the boss’s slow debuff. Reapply the moment it expires. Clear?"