As Terry glanced around at the weary faces of his guild members, he could see the exhaustion etched in their expressions. The adrenaline of battle had waned, leaving them drained both physically and mentally. He knew they needed to rest before taking the next step on their mission to confront the overlord.

Vanessa, who had been a fierce force on the battlefield, now leaned against a tree, her hands trembling slightly from the exertion of unleashing powerful lightning bolts. Rebecca, with beads of sweat on her forehead, was guiding the earth platform to a more stable position, her concentration evident.

Hector, Roger, Lucy, Natalia, and Kai, all formidable fighters, were catching their breath, their weapons still gripped firmly in their hands, but their shoulders slumped with weariness.

Terry recognized that they couldn’t afford to rush into the portal, especially not in their current state. The danger that awaited them on the other side was unknown, and they needed to be at their best to face it.

"I guess we can afford to rest for a day before taking the next step," Terry thought. "Still, you should call all your friends and make them clean this place up."

George nodded. He needed to recover some mana, so he waited for a while before he left to bring back some people.

In any case, the victory against the monsters brought a temporary sense of relief. Still, it did little to alleviate the bone-chilling cold that surrounded them. Despite their best efforts to warm themselves by the campfire, the icy winds seemed relentless, gnawing at their skin and leaving them shivering.

Terry couldn’t help but notice that a significant portion of the freezing temperatures seemed to emanate from the portal itself. The swirling vortex seemed to draw in the bitter cold from some unknown realm, making the area around it even more inhospitable. It was as if the portal acted as a conduit, channeling the frigid climate from another dimension directly into their midst.

"Things on the other side will be even worse, huh," Rebecca said. "What do you think we will find there in terms of the planet and the overlord?"

"Better not to think too much about it in order not to assume anything," Terry replied. "Just get ready to deal with everything that might happen without letting the situation surprise us." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

As Rebecca stood amidst the group, her mind swirled with conflicting emotions. She knew the importance of staying focused on the present and not dwelling endlessly on what could happen. After all, they had faced countless challenges before, and each time they had emerged stronger and victorious. But this mission felt different, and the stakes seemed higher than ever before.

Recent events have been a whirlwind of victories and unexpected successes. The magic device they had created brought together the guild masters, forming a united front against the overlord’s forces. Terry’s new weapon, the black steel Destroyer, had proved to be a formidable asset, allowing them to triumph over the red troll. It was all incredibly encouraging, and they were making significant progress in their fight against the monsters.

However, a lingering fear crept into Rebecca’s heart amidst the triumph. So many good things had happened lately that she couldn’t help but worry that it might be too good to be true. She feared that all this success could be fleeting and that the next battle, the one against the overlord himself, might be their undoing.

Terry scanned the area, his gaze sweeping across the group of tired but relaxed faces. It was understandable, he thought, considering the recent victory against the trolls. The monsters had been driven back, and the portal remained quiet for the moment. Yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease gnawing at the back of his mind.

The adrenaline rush from the battle was beginning to fade, and exhaustion was settling in. Despite the looming task of confronting the overlord still ahead of them, the guild members seemed to be taking this moment of respite to catch their breath. Some were sitting on nearby rocks, chatting with each other, while others were lying on the ground, looking up at the sky.

"I guess I can’t blame them for this since they are doing their jobs well... they are also following my lead without making a fuss," Terry thought while raising his left eyebrow.

Terry couldn’t shake the feeling of unease as he observed the guild masters around him. Part of him couldn’t help but wonder if their seemingly calm and relaxed demeanor was just a façade, an attempt to get on his good side. He knew that some of them had been skeptical about his plans and decisions in the past, and now, after their recent victory, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of mistrust lingering.

As he watched them interact with each other, laughter and camaraderie echoing in the air, Terry couldn’t help but feel a tinge of bitterness. He felt troubled by the thought that maybe they were just playing nice, waiting for the right moment to challenge his leadership or question his actions.

It bothered him that he was thinking like this, that he was only seeing the negative side of the people around him. Terry had always believed in the importance of trust and unity within a guild, and he had worked hard to foster a strong sense of camaraderie among his members. But now, his doubts were clouding his judgment.

"Lost in thoughts and considering your perspective of others?" Vanessa suddenly approached and asked since she noticed that Terry was looking at others more often.

"No, I was actually wondering what I should have for dinner tonight," Terry replied. "I don’t feel like eating meat after crushing so many heads. What about you?"

"You sure like to keep your guard up," Vanessa said and then shrugged. "You might not like how things reached this point, but eventually, you will understand that everyone worked hard and did their best for humanity."