The first thing I noticed after finishing climbing the stairs was that, somehow inexplicably, I had arrived in a forest. There was fog — lots of fog — hanging over the place. Although it wasn't thick enough to hide everything, it still made it pretty hard to see distant objects.
The vegetation around wasn't exactly dense, but you couldn't call it open either; there were trees all around, with enough space to walk, but not enough to see much beyond a few meters.
What was strangest, though, was the contrast with the place I came from — suddenly stepping out from some kind of underground subway straight into a fog-covered forest felt like something out of a dream or a hallucination.
I needed to find the others somehow. But honestly, where do you even start? If I just wandered around, the chances of finding my way back would be slim — in the end, I'd probably only end up getting even further away from them.
Even if I sent just one of my bodies out, it wouldn't change much. It's not like I could track both of them in real time. All I could do was see from two different perspectives, which didn't help much when it came to navigation or precise location.
Of course, it wasn't like I really had to do that. And the reason behind that thought? Well, it was pretty simple. Just ahead, on one of the first trees you saw after coming out of the underground — or whatever that place was — there was a clear mark, obviously made with a blade or something similar.
You couldn't miss it: the tree was right near the stairway entrance going down, and the cut in its bark stood out too much to go unnoticed by anyone coming out of there.
Anyway, I saw many more of those marks on the trees ahead. I remembered Oliver had said he wouldn't wander far, so I assumed if I followed the signs, I'd easily find them. With that thought in mind, I moved both my bodies and started tracing the path marked by the trees.
However, I realized Oliver, Ethan, and Alice had gone straight ahead, no detours — probably because it would be easier for me to find them that way. The trail was clear, almost like they'd left clues on purpose.
I followed the cuts for a while — I'd probably been walking for a few minutes. My pace was casual, almost automatic. To be honest, I wasn't really thinking much about the situation.
As I mentioned before, because of my unique condition, I simply can't feel fear. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm completely carefree — I stay alert, even if I can't feel fear.
In the end, my eyes scanned the surroundings, but all I saw was the thick fog dominating the path. Honestly, I still hoped to find the others by following those marks on the trees.
It was about that time, as that thought crossed my mind, that a strange sound echoed in the distance. I couldn't quite identify what it was, but it sounded like metal striking metal — dry, rough, and repetitive.
Also, the marks on the path had ended right where I was. For a moment, I was tempted to head toward where the noise came from, but I hesitated — I wasn't sure it was the best choice. At worst, I might never find the marks again and get lost for good.
Still, I couldn't ignore the possibility that Oliver, Ethan, and Alice had been forced to leave the original trail for some reason — maybe an obstacle, an unexpected danger, or even a distress call.
I thought about it for a long time, but all I could do was let out a resigned sigh. I muttered to myself, almost like a veiled warning: "Damn... I hope I don't regret this decision later"
Thinking out loud, I started running toward the direction of the noise. Both my bodies moved at an impressive speed, thanks to the ring Noa wore on her finger. Even so, I still wasn't sure how easy it would be to find other dungeons from here on out.
It's not hard to imagine a lot of people would be willing to fight for a chance to get into them — of course, assuming most didn't require specific prerequisites like certain classes or skills.
But leaving dungeon questions aside, the metallic sounds — like blades clashing — grew louder the deeper I went into the forest. At some point, though, the noises stopped abruptly. Still, I knew exactly where they had come from.
Before making any rash moves, I carefully checked the surroundings, focusing especially on the tops of the trees. My plan was simple: climb them with both my bodies and observe the situation from above, where I'd have a wider and safer view of what was going on.
Although they were relatively tall, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle, especially considering my new stats. With that thought firm in my mind, I placed my male body firmly in front of one of the trees, leaning against the trunk. I clasped my hands together with determination, preparing for the next move.
Then, with my female body, I approached Justin gently, holding his hand firmly. I used the momentum he gave me to launch myself upward. Within seconds, I was in a much better position — higher and more stable. Having boosted stats really made all the difference — it was like my body had gained strength and agility I'd only ever imagined in fiction before.
As I moved with Justin toward the last point the sound had come from, I proceeded cautiously, always staying behind bushes to avoid being seen. Gradually, I opened Noa's eyes to observe the surroundings more carefully. A little further ahead, I finally identified what was causing those unsettling noises.
As I got closer to the place, still in my male form, the scene before me caught me by surprise. My face revealed an expression I couldn't hide, and fighting the impulse, I bit my lips hard to hold back from acting recklessly.
The closer I got to the spot, my male body moving steadily, the voices echoing in the heavy air grew louder and clearer. A threatening tone cut through the silence: "You better start talking. Where's the last member of your group?"
It was a voice I didn't recognize — at least, I was sure I'd remember if I had ever heard it before. In other words, it was someone completely unknown to me. From up high in the tree, watching the scene through Noa's viewpoint, I could see everything much more clearly.
Oliver, Ethan, and Alice looked surrounded, cornered by a group of four men, probably in their early to mid-twenties. They were tense, and the atmosphere felt heavy, like any wrong move could spark a confrontation.
As I watched the situation from above with heightened focus, Oliver shot back at the man with sharp sarcasm, almost like a crooked smile playing on his lips: "I already told you, it's just the three of us. And even if there were more, why the hell would I tell you that after the cold reception you gave us?"
It was only when I caught the sarcastic tone in Oliver's voice that my eyes finally shifted to the wounds on the three of them. Ethan, with much more severe injuries than the other two, looked like he'd been brutally beaten — his swollen face barely hiding the pain, and one of his arms hung uselessly at his side, probably broken.
Oliver wasn't as badly hurt as Ethan, but his rigid posture and distant gaze betrayed a contained pain, an invisible wound that seemed to drain his inner strength, even if his body appeared intact.
Alice, meanwhile, though less injured compared to the other two, still bore deep cuts scattered along her arm and some dried blood stains on her clothes — silent signs of a hard fight she had faced.
Either way, I kept watching the scene through Noa's perspective — the man who, by his firm posture and the way he commanded the conversation, I figured was the leader of the group.
With a steady motion, he rested a large heavy sword on his shoulder, his gaze fixed and challenging: "You think we're idiots?" His voice was firm, dripping with contempt: "You're not the first team we've come across here. They all had four people with them, just like you. That's how this place works. Now, if anyone here decides to play the smartass again, I'm gonna have to be tougher with you"
The silence that followed was tense, like the prelude to an imminent threat, as he waited for a reaction, his eyes shining with a mix of forced patience and latent danger. While he spoke, I kept a close eye on every move he made.
I noticed that slowly, his eyes shifted from Ethan and Oliver to Alice, and a strange, almost uncomfortable smile began to form on his face, like something was bothering him inside. Oliver seemed to notice the same change because he quickly positioned himself in front of Alice, like a silent shield, sending a subtle tension through the air.
With a smirk curling his lips as if he was enjoying the whole situation, the man went on, his voice carrying a nearly mocking tone: "Heh, besides, even if you don't talk, we have our ways of finding things out"
As he spoke, his eyes sparkled, and he gave Alice a piercing look, who seemed to freeze for a moment under the weight of that gaze. Then, with a slow, calculated movement, he licked his lips, sending a chill through the air: "But things won't end so well for your friend"
I saw Alice's body shudder under the impact of the harsh words as she stepped back, pressing her back against the cold, rough wall. Her eyes glistened, full of fear and confusion.
Seeing that, Oliver frowned, irritation growing in his expression. He stared down the man with firmness and a voice full of outrage: "Why the hell are you doing this? We're all human! We should be fighting monsters, not each other"
The man laughed again, a cold, deep laugh, as if Oliver's words were the funniest thing he'd heard in a long time: "Humans, you say?" His voice carried a mix of contempt and irony: "No, there are no humans in this world. This isn't a fairy tale, you idiot. All there is are just animals — the only difference is some show their fangs openly, while others keep hiding under sheep's clothing." He leaned forward, his eyes flashing with malice: "In my case, I chose to show mine"
Honestly, that was all I needed to see. These guys were clearly enemies, and if the situation stayed like this, things would get ugly for the three down there. But facing the four head-on would be pure madness.
Fortunately, I was in strategic spots, with the terrain advantage on my side. As long as I acted precisely, I could turn the fight in our favor — I just had to stay calm and use every move smartly.
With that thought, all that was left to do was wait for the right moment. Both my bodies drew their daggers from their sheaths, sliding the blades with precision as they readied themselves to attack.
My female body stayed still above, carefully balanced on a sturdy branch — it seemed strong enough to hold my weight, so I didn't have to worry about falling.
Meanwhile, my male body moved silently through the dense bushes, cautiously stepping between damp leaves and uneven ground. Thick fog wrapped everything around, creating an almost impenetrable veil. It was hard to imagine anyone detecting me in that misty atmosphere, giving me a silent, almost invisible edge.
Mana: 143/143. I cast one last glance at my total mana — my reserves were still intact, more than enough for what I planned. All I needed was to take down two of them quickly, then face the remaining two alongside Oliver, Ethan, and Alice.
For a moment, my eyes rested on my dagger. Before activating my [Precise Strike] skill, I felt a familiar tingling in my hands. Both daggers reacted as if connected by an invisible thread, glowing with a reddish metallic shine that reflected the light threateningly.
I gripped the dagger's handle firmly, feeling its weight and texture, breathing deeply to calm my racing heart. At the next moment, I focused all my attention on the field ahead, alert to any tiny opening. Once it appeared, I wouldn't hesitate: the attack would be deadly.