SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will-Chapter 124: The Weight of Trust

The difference was clear from the very start of the fight.

This time, the squad did not brace in fear.

They did not wait in dread for the crushing seismic pulse that had nearly broken them earlier. No one tightened their stance in panic, and no one hesitated when the second class ogres raised their arms. Instead, they moved with purpose, their confidence resting on a single person.

Arthur.

At first, none of them had expected to rely on the new explorer. He was just a bronze squad member, someone who should have been struggling to keep up with their pace. Yet battle after battle, he had proven otherwise.

They had seen it with their own eyes.

Every time a second class ogre prepared its skill, Arthur was already moving. Every time the mana around the monsters twisted, he struck at the exact moment needed to disrupt it. Again and again, he read the battlefield like he had walked through it before.

It was no coincidence anymore.

It was ability.

And so, slowly but surely, they began to trust him.

Not as a newcomer.

But as a comrade.

That trust changed everything.

Hope returned to their chests, and with hope came adrenaline. The fear that once slowed their movements disappeared, replaced by fierce determination. They stopped worrying about what might happen and instead focused on what they could do.

They attacked.

Spells and weapons moved without restraint. The squad poured out their strength with everything they had, not holding back, not hesitating. If Arthur would handle the seismic pulses, then they would handle everything else.

Arthur noticed the shift immediately.

He moved between the second class ogres, watching the tide of battle turn with sharp eyes. His breathing remained steady, his movements controlled, yet there was a quiet satisfaction in his gaze.

The captain had understood.

He had seen through Arthur’s intentions and rebuilt the squad’s formation around it. Where there had once been chaos, there was now structure. Where fear had broken their rhythm, trust had restored it.

"Good," he murmured to himself as he stepped aside from a sweeping arm and drove his blade into a joint, interrupting another gathering pulse. "That’s how it should be."

The squad fought as one.

A shield bearer stepped forward, bracing his weight as he absorbed a crushing strike that would have shattered weaker defenses. Behind him, an elementalist released a concentrated burst of flame that forced the ogre to recoil, exposing its flank. A lancer dashed in immediately, thrusting toward the opening before retreating just as quickly.

Their attacks connected like flowing water.

One motion led into another.

One opening created the next.

The ogres roared in frustration, their massive bodies shaking the dungeon floor as they swung wildly. Yet the explorers did not scatter. They controlled the distance, maintained pressure, and waited.

They were waiting for one thing.

An opening for the captain.

And he did not disappoint.

With heavy steps, the captain forced his way through the battlefield, his presence alone drawing the monsters’ attention. His battle axe dragged through the air with terrifying weight, each swing carrying enough force to split stone.

An ogre lunged toward him.

He did not retreat.

He stepped into the attack.

The axe moved in a wide arc, perfectly timed with the monster’s forward motion. The blade sank deep into its neck with a sickening sound, cutting through flesh and bone alike.

The ogre collapsed.

A heavy silence followed the impact, broken only by the creature’s final groan.

But the squad did not celebrate.

No cheers came. No relief softened their expressions.

They remained focused.

Because the battle was not over.

The remaining ogres reacted quickly. Their small, dull eyes shifted toward the second class ogres, and their movements changed. They began trying to reposition themselves between Arthur and the second class ogres, aiming to use their massive bodies as shields.

They were adapting again.

The captain noticed immediately, his expression hardening.

"They learn fast," he muttered.

Then his voice rose across the battlefield.

"Contain them! Don’t let them regroup!"

The order rang with authority, and the squad responded at once.

They pressed forward, cutting off the ogres’ attempts to reposition. Blades struck at legs, spells forced them back, and shields blocked their advance.

Ryn moved faster than all of them.

He had already noticed one of the first class ogres attempting to break away, pushing through the squad’s pressure to protect a second class ogre Arthur had just interrupted.

Ryn’s eyes sharpened.

Opportunity.

He accelerated.

Mana gathered around his body, reinforcing his movements. His steps became lighter, quicker, and before the ogre could react, he slipped behind it.

His blade flashed.

It tore through the back of the creature’s knee, striking the exact point the monster had guarded so carefully before. The massive body stumbled, its own weight and speed betraying it as it crashed forward.

The opening appeared.

The captain had been watching.

Waiting.

The moment the ogre fell, he roared, his skill activating as power surged through his arms. He leapt forward with overwhelming force and brought his axe down in a decisive strike.

The blade carved straight into the ogre’s neck.

A deep wound split open, ending its life instantly.

The captain pulled his weapon free and exhaled heavily, then glanced toward Ryn. Their eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between them.

"Well done," the captain said.

Ryn shook his head slightly and pointed toward Arthur, who at that moment struck another second class ogre, disrupting its skill again.

"It’s because of him," Ryn replied. "He made this possible."

The captain followed his gaze.

Arthur still moved calmly between giants, striking at precise moments, never wasting motion. It was not just strength. It was awareness. Control.

The captain felt genuine satisfaction.

Yet there was no time to dwell on it.

He raised his voice again.

"Everyone! Continue to create an opening. Leave the finishing blows to me!"

The command carried new weight now. And the squad obeyed without hesitation.

As the battle shifted further in their favor.