What happened to Porter? What was going on in that little cove under the lighthouse?

  “Elaine,” Colby said. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

  The red-haired Knight-in-training had stopped bucking around like a mad bull, eyes locked onto him as she turned her head. They had been best friends—well, ex-best friends—ever since she started gloating about her height. Elaine knew what he was thinking. And even if she didn’t, he’d figure something out.

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  “No, I’m Colby.”

  “Really?”

  “Sorry, force of habit. Just do it.”

  Elaine nodded. “And just so you know, I’ve improved [Strengthen] quite a bit.”

  Strengthen:

  Channel Mana into one’s muscles temporarily increasing physical power.

  (Each level slightly increases maximum physical output.)

  “I can handle it.”

  She reached behind her back and grabbed him. Strands of sticky mozzarella pulled apart as she carried him in her arms. Sand bunched up against her feet as she prepared to run. Her biceps tensed under the strain, then with a short sprint, she tossed him toward the cove.

  Wind blew across his face, his hair rustling as he flew towards the cove. Elaine had gotten stronger, both physically and magically. No wonder she was worried for him.

  Good thing he had a perfect way to cushion his fall.

  Within his Core, Colby started production of even more [Cheese Pillows]. Using Curd-Cutter, he sliced balls of mozzarella prepared by Bowl-lander, dumped the rock-solid chunks into The Cheesetastic Fridge, and the soft ones into Smart Waiter.

  Or he would have, if there wasn’t still a lingering acrid scent of smoke leaking out of Smart Waiter.

  Colby approached the Core Construct, asking, “Do you think you can do a few more deliveries?”

  The hatch opened and closed three times. That was Smart Waiter’s way of saying, ‘Maybe.’

  “Please. I need you. Porter needs you.”

  Smart Waiter opened his hatch, waiting for Colby to load up the [Cheese Pillow].

  “Thank you.”

  After closing the hatch, he set Smart Waiter to deliver the cheese with maximum force. That was assuming the Core Construct could still function properly. Still, what other choice did he have?

  Just like before, Smart Waiter sputtered and spurted, shaking so violently that Colby was worried the construct might just fall apart right then and there. Even more smoke poured out, escaping through the gaps in the hatch.

  “C’mon, Smart Waiter,” Colby said, rubbing the metallic hatch. “You can do it. Who’s the smartest waiter of them all?

  A soft glow emanated from within his Core Construct. It started to shake even more.

  Curds! Was it about to blow up?

  There was no way to abort the spell manifestation. So, Colby did what any rational magical cheese maker would do.

  He grabbed Bowl-lander, tossing out the half-finished ball of mozzarella they were currently pounding with a vengeance, and placed it over his head. In one hand, he grabbed Temp-tation, the other, Curd-Cutter, before dashing towards The Cheesetastic Fridge. With all of the shelves filled with cheese and other ingredients, he couldn’t possibly hide inside it. So, he settled for hiding behind the door. Colby held out his ‘weapons’, as if they had any possible chance of defending him.

  Smart Waiter shook even harder.

  Colby closed his eyes and braced for the worst.

  Congratulations! Smart Waiter has reached Level 10!

  Core Construct can now be upgraded.

  Warning! Core is only at Tier 0. Upgrading to a Tier 1 Core Construct will overload the Core.

  His Core Construct leveled up! Yes!

  And now he had the ability to upgrade it. Okay, he only had a partial ability to upgrade it. He still had to get his Core from Tier 0 to Tier 1

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  Whatever. It was another problem for future him.

  Smart Waiter stopped shuddering. A small ding rang out.

  Colby opened his eyes, still sailing across the sand. A [Cheese Pillow] was [Cheese Shot] out of his hand.

  It flew toward the cove, crashing onto the ground in a puff of cheese and sand.

  One wasn't enough. So he loaded up another [Cheese Pillow] into Smart Waiter, sealed the hatch, and prayed to all that was curds and whey.

  The Core Construct shook again, though noticeably less. Only the tiniest wisps of smoke were leaking out from the hatch instead of thick plumes.

  More [Cheese Pillows] were [Cheese Shot] out of his Core, crashing into the sand right in front of the cove.

  Colby brought his arms together, shut his eyes, and braced for impact. He crashed into the soft, but definitely not soft enough, pillows.

  He was going to feel that in the morning.

  No time for that.

  Colby pushed himself up. His hands sank into their softness, making it even more difficult to get up. Turning around, he spotted Elaine sprinting toward him, leaving footprints in the sand as she took long strides. Her sword was in her hand, and flakes of sand clung to the bits of cheese stuck along its edge.

  She was almost here.

  Colby didn't even brush himself off; he just dashed into the cove where unspeakable things—because he didn't know what was going on inside—were happening to Porter.

  Sunlight poured into the rocky cove. Delving deeper, he finally found Porter with his back against a wall. It was the wall. The one where the three of them marked out their dreams.

  Porter to be the best Supply Runner in the world.

  Elaine to be a shining beacon of hope.

  And for him to make the ultimate cheese.

  Closing in on him were a group of crustacean monsters, three different types to be exact. They looked like lobsters, a mottled brown color, but what set them apart were their claws—specifically what replaced them.

  The Lob-stirs waved their thick, spoon-shaped claws that were perfect for stirring a pot of soup. Next to them were the Lob-stabs. Instead of claws, they brandished fork-like appendages, each tipped with four prongs for stabbing anything unlucky enough to get close. Lastly, were the Lob-slices. The knives they possessed could slice and dice up some mice.

  They were a bunch of lob monsters. Otherwise referred to as lobsters from now on.

  The monsters clicked and clacked their unusual claws, inching ever closer to Porter.

  What could he even do? They had armor. His [Cheese Shots] would just bounce right off.

  “Porter!” Colby shouted. “Just run away! You can use that dash thing you do in the air, can’t you?”

  “But, Colby… What if they ruin this?” He shifted to the side, giving a clear view of what he had been shielding with his body. It was the mark they had carved out all those years ago. A crudely drawn wobbly circle, with the initials E.C.P. on it.

  “It’s just a mark, Porter. We can always make another one later.”

  “But, it’s not just any mark, Colby. It’s the one. If we break it, our dreams might never come true.”

  He dug his hand into his hair, rustling it. Darn superstitions.

  Another set of hands covered his own. These were larger than his. And way rougher.

  “Yeah, Colby. We can’t just abandon it, especially not to a bunch of low-level monsters.”

  It was Elaine.

  “But…Fine,” he said, knocking her hand away. “Also, you’re the shortest since you arrived here last.”

  “Whatever,” she said.

  She sauntered toward the lobsters. Her sword started to glow, just like when she [Flashed] him. However, the light wasn’t directed at him this time. A burst of light lit up the cove. Elaine [Flashed] the horde of monsters.

  They paused their approach, turning towards her. A cacophony of biological kitchen utensils clanged together as they rushed towards Elaine.

  “What did you do?” Colby screamed.

  “I got their attention,” she said.

  She charged forward. Her blade cleaved through crustacean flesh. Blue droplets of blood and brown shell bits spraying everywhere.

  Some of the lobsters hadn’t fallen for Elaine’s taunt, continuing their approach toward Porter, who still had his back against the wall. For a guy whose whole job involved running, it would be great if he started doing that right now.

  Elaine cleaved a path of destruction, rushing toward Porter. But she was just one girl—a really big one—but still a single person nonetheless. She wasn’t going to make it in time, no matter how hard she swung her sword.

  Colby had the range, but not the power. So, what could he even do?

  Do what he always did best, be annoying.

  Inside his Core, he retrieved the hard balls of mozzarella from The Cheesetastic Fridge and loaded them up into Smart Waiter.

  “Just a little bit more, okay,” Colby said, rubbing the side of the hatch.

  The hatch opened and closed once. That was his way of saying, ‘Yes.’

  Smart Waiter shook once more as the spell materialized out of his Core.

  Congratulations! You have learned a new spell, [Hard as Cheese]!

  Hard as Cheese:

  Level 1

  A piece of cheese created with the intent to be as hard as cheesically possible.

  (Each level slightly increases the hardness of cheese.)

  Well, that was something. Not like he was complaining. He needed all of the help he could get.

  The hard balls of mozzarella crashed into the lobsters descending onto Porter. They bounced harmlessly off their shell. The lobsters turned, bubbles foaming out of their mouths as they clanged their kitchen utensil claws together.

  Just as he had suspected. He wasn't strong enough to damage them, let alone kill them. But it did distract them long enough for Elaine to finish the job.

  She swooped in, swinging her blade. The lobsters couldn’t even react before their claws were severed and their shells hit the sand. Elaine wreaked havoc amongst the crustacean population, not stopping until the cove was a mess of shattered shells, blue blood, and equally blue guts.

  She ran up towards the scrawny boy, asking, “Porter, are you okay?”

  “I am, Elaine. And so is this.” He stepped to the side, revealing the carving that he had been protecting with his body.

  “That’s good,” she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

  It really highlighted the difference between them. Porter was a short, skinny boy, while Elaine was a huge, tall girl. There was more meat in her arms than both his legs combined.

  “Glad, you’re okay, Porter,” Colby said, running up to him, careful not to step on any of the grossness splattered across the sand.

  “And you,” Elaine said, turning towards him.

  “Yes, your shortness?”

  “This is for that stunt you pulled earlier.” She cocked her hand back and brought it straight to his face.

  Colby closed his eyes, bracing for the worst.