Standing amidst the aftermath of battle, Turai took a moment to catch his breath. The ground around him was littered with corpses, the result of the brutal skirmishes that had unfolded across the mountain range. Gareth's call broke the silence, his voice rough and urgent.
"Turai! Over here!"
Turai turned, wiping sweat and blood from his brow as he approached Gareth. His guardian stood atop a small rise, the magic plaque glowing in his hand. Turai's eyes followed Gareth's gaze to the display, where a familiar name was rapidly climbing up the rankings.
"Ivan's back in the game," Gareth said, glancing at Turai. "And he's moving up fast."
Turai studied the blinking name, which seemed to pulse every few seconds as Ivan's kill count increased at a startling pace. "He must've found a nest or hideout," Turai speculated, a slight grin playing on his lips. "There's no other way he'd be rising this quickly."