Ren clenched his teeth slightly.
The pressure from the Kobolds was strangely shifting away from the trio of unfamiliar players, as if the waves of attacks were deliberately redirected elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Nautilus and Yuna had to bear the brunt of the assault, gradually being pushed into a different branch of the cave.
Instead of stepping forward to share the burden, the three others simply... stepped back. Just one step. A distance so small that no one noticed, except Ren.
He understood. When people face fear, the instinct to survive often overrides reason. They choose to save themselves, hoping someone else will hold the line long enough for them to escape.
But...
Ren narrowed his eyes. A fleeting glance from the one in the middle. A slight nod from the one on the left. Their eyes met for a brief second, quick, but full of unspoken meaning.
This wasn't instinct.
It was a plan.
Ren's chest tightened, as if a cord had wrapped around it and pulled taut. A part of this chaotic battle… had been arranged in advance.
And Yuna and Nautilus were the bait.
Ren felt the shift in the air the moment the unfamiliar players began signaling to one another.
One of them, the one who seemed like the leader, shouted a misleading command, loud and deliberate, but clearly out of place:
"Push to the right! That side's weak!"
Nautilus reacted instantly to the call, but his reflex led the group into danger.
In just a single moment, the gap Nautilus unintentionally created became the opening the Kobolds rushed through, dragging both Yuna and him into the heart of the battlefield, confused, unaware that a trap had just closed in around them.
During that moment, the other two players didn't even look concerned.
They stepped back, one foot at a time, as if waiting for a signal...for a chance.
With the subtle precision of those who had planned ahead, they began quietly herding the Kobolds to one side, directing the monsters' aggression toward Yuna and Nautilus.
All Ren could do was watch, his heart tightening.
Even though Yuna was putting all her strength into pushing back the Kobolds, her short sword swinging with fierce determination, Ren's eyes never left the calculating looks on the faces of those three.
A glance. Another sidelong look. They were backing away, slowly surrendering the battlefield to others, without the slightest trace of worry.
Step by step, blow by blow, the Kobolds pressed harder on Yuna and Nautilus, enclosing them in a tightening ring with no way out.
Ren could feel a surge of anger rising, but not at the monsters. The feeling of betrayal pierced through his mind, cold and sharp, like a knife cutting deep.
These people weren't fighting to survive. They weren't facing the threat together, they were using it. Sacrificing Yuna and Nautilus to escape unscathed.
This trap… had been woven from the start, and Ren could sense it clearly. Every glance from those players was a lie, a mask hiding their true intentions.
They were not comrades. They were not people Ren could trust.
And that made his heart feel like it was about to explode, not from fear, but from the fury sweeping through every cell in his body, like a smoldering fire about to ignite.
And then, as if it was all just one necessary move in a planned sacrifice-and-escape scheme, the three bastards acted.
Without hesitation, without warning Yuna or Nautilus, they suddenly broke through a weak point in the Kobold formation.
They dashed into the opening as if everything had been pre-calculated, without a hint of doubt.
In just an instant, they shattered the formation and began running toward Ren, who was still hidden in the shadows.
Their expressions were cold and panicked at first glance...but they quickly brushed it off. They didn't know Ren was there; they were just headed toward the exit, which happened to lie in his direction.
No sound. No trace. Only vague shadows melding into the darkness and stone walls of the cave.
Their every movement seemed meticulously calculated, every step carrying ruthless precision.
"Stealth skill…" A cold thought flashed through Ren's mind. "They all have stealth."
These weren't ordinary players. They were deceivers, people Ren couldn't see through, and now, everything was as clear as a board game that had already been set.
Every move they made had been carefully planned, and they had only one goal: exploit the situation for their own gain.
The only advantage Ren held now was that they had no idea he was there.
There was still a gap, still a distance between him and them.
And that distance… was the only opening Ren could use to strike back.
Ren's eyes sharpened, his mind racing against time.
Every step had to be calculated down to the last detail, he couldn't afford to give the enemy a single opening.
Not a moment could be wasted, because even a second of standing still would offer them a chance to retreat and end the game in a brutal fashion.
Ren clenched his lips tightly, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword until his fingers turned white.
Though the three had activated their stealth skills, Ren knew well that those skills were far from perfect.
They only worked when the user was still or moving slowly. Moreover, the level of mastery each person had directly affected the effectiveness of their concealment.
The movements of these three, hurried and reckless, only made them more visible and revealed their carelessness.
With each frantic step, their positions became more and more obvious, like ink spreading across a blank page.
Without waiting another beat, Ren burst from the shadows. His sword slashed forward, the blade flashing like sudden lightning in the night.
A powerful strike, with no hesitation, struck the body of the one in front.
The blade tore through his crude armor, blood erupting in vivid red pixel fragments, the cold gleam of the sword flaring like a signal for the end of this chase.
Ren didn't think, he acted on instinct, fury rising in his chest.
These people, those who pretended to be allies, were now trying to exploit others. And he wasn't about to let them get away with it.
The leader screamed, but before he could react, a sharp, searing pain tore through him as if something had pierced straight through his body.
The sensation came so suddenly that he barely had time to blink before pain engulfed him.
The rest of his group froze in shock, unable to believe what had just happened.
The attacker wasn't a fellow comrade or a monster, it was an entirely different player. Someone they hadn't noticed at all.
Ren didn't hesitate. He blocked the path ahead of them, spinning his sword with swift precision, and pressed in on the second target.
His blade sliced through the air in a deadly arc, giving no time for a reaction, like a knife cleaving through the night.
"Don't even think about escaping!" Ren roared, his eyes blazing with the fire of resolve. He was merciless, every strike forcing them further back.
The third one, still confused and panicking, tried to retreat, but Ren was far faster.
A horizontal slash, sharp as a razor, cut across the man's side. He didn't even have time to cry out before collapsing to the ground, eyes filled with pain and fear.
It all happened so fast. In just a few seconds, the area fell silent, leaving only Ren's heavy breathing and the groans of the three severely wounded enemies.
But he knew they wouldn't die. Their equipment was far superior to the average players Ren had faced.
With thick iron armor and powerful weapons, even Ren's fierce attacks weren't enough to kill them outright.
The pain had stopped them in their tracks, but he was sure they wouldn't surrender so easily.
He stared at each of them with cold eyes, then glanced toward where Yuna and Nautilus were.
So, even though he hadn't wanted to, he'd struck first...to buy them time to escape. But Ren knew the battle wasn't over. It was only just beginning.
The three bastards began to back away, then split up, each moving in a different direction to surround Ren from three sides.
The leader, face soaked in sweat and fear, drew a gleaming sword, its blade catching the faint light of the dark cavern.
He charged at Ren from the right with lightning speed, aiming to drive his blade into Ren's body.
At the same time, the second attacker came in from the left with a crude stone mace, threatening a crushing blow.
The mace howled through the air, carrying the force of a deadly strike.
The third, still shaken but resolute, held a heavy iron axe. He circled behind, ready to swing down hard and exploit any opening in Ren's defense.
These three weren't holding back anymore. They understood now, if they didn't take Ren down here and now, they wouldn't get another chance. All three attacked with full force, giving Ren no room to breathe.
Ren could feel each incoming blow, and his battle instincts kicked in instantly.
There was no time to think. He crouched slightly and thrust his sword forward.
He spun, slashing at the leader and deflecting his attack to the side.
Then, abruptly, Ren twisted to the left, dodging the crushing blow of the mace. In a flash, his sword swept sideways, clashing with the edge of the weapon.
Ren grimaced slightly at the mace's weight and the strength behind it.
But he reacted quickly. As his opponent tried to overpower him, Ren subtly shifted his blade.
The mace was thrown off balance, pulling its wielder forward due to his own momentum.
The third attacker didn't let up from behind, but Ren had already predicted it. He turned sharply, dodging the axe's downward strike.
With one precise move, Ren's blade slashed the handle of the axe, forcing it out of the attacker's hands and sending it flying.
The situation was incredibly tense, but Ren maintained control of the fight.