The Red Forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
Liam stepped carefully over twisted roots, his sword drawn, senses sharp. The air was thick with heat and tension, heavy enough to slow his breath. Trees stretched high above, their trunks a deep shade of crimson, their leaves pulsing faintly like veins. Red light filtered through the canopy, bathing everything in an unnatural glow.
They had only been inside the forest for five minutes, and already the world felt wrong.
Sarya moved beside him, crossbow ready, scanning every shadow.
"This place feels alive," she muttered.
Rena trailed slightly behind, blade in hand, eyes narrow.
"It's watching us."
Liam didn't disagree. Every instinct screamed at him that they were not alone. The system's alert had gone off the moment they entered Zone Five, and it hadn't stopped since.
> [System Alert]
Zone Five: Red Forest
Status: Hostile Territory
Bond Target Detected – Class: Elite
Type: Assassin
Status: Active Hunt – You Are the Prey
Objective: Survive and Locate Bond Target
Time Remaining: 24 Hours
Liam stopped at a tree marked by a strange symbol... a red line slashed across a blade.
Rena saw it too.
"Mark of a hunter."
Sarya knelt, brushing her hand across the roots.
"She's setting the trap."
Liam nodded.
"She already has."
The system pulsed again.
> [System Update]
Bond Target: Kaelyn – Crimson Huntress
Combat Type: Stealth, Trap, Close Quarters
Bond Condition: Defeat in Combat or Survive 24 Hours
Note: Failing either results in death or bond loss opportunity
"Kaelyn," Liam said quietly. "Crimson Huntress."
Sarya exhaled.
"Lovely. She's the kind that doesn't wait."
Rena stepped closer.
"She wants us to run."
Liam didn't move.
"We don't run."
He advanced slowly, scanning the dense underbrush. His sword glowed faintly with Frost Dominion energy, the ice magic pushing back against the oppressive heat. The forest resisted him, branches curling slightly as he passed.
Another alert pinged.
> Proximity Warning
Crimson Huntress – 100 Meters
Ambush Probability: 90%
Buff Triggered: Frost Edge – Bonus Damage Active
Companion Synergy: Sarya – Trap Detection Enhanced
Liam raised a hand.
"Stop. She's close."
The wind shifted.
A whisper of motion.
An arrow flew from the trees.
Liam dodged. The bolt grazed his arm, slicing through his sleeve, drawing blood. He spun, eyes scanning.
Rena blocked another shot, her blade deflecting it into the dirt.
Sarya fired back, her bolt vanishing into the red canopy.
Silence.
Liam's blood ran cold.
"She's testing us."
Rena growled.
"Then we hit back."
Suddenly, the ground cracked.
A net trap burst upward from the soil beneath Rena, wrapping her legs. She slashed it quickly, cutting free, but the damage was done.
Sarya cursed.
"She's herding us."
The system flared again.
> [Critical Alert]
Multiple Trap Zones Detected
Evasion Required – 30 Seconds
Enemy Approaching – Stealth Signature Confirmed
Distance: 50 Meters
Liam scanned the trees.
"She's coming."
A blur moved between the branches.
Then Kaelyn appeared... red cloak, twin blades, eyes glowing gold. Silent and fast.
Her presence hit like a whisper through the storm... quiet, confident, lethal. Kaelyn's beauty was the kind that crept in, dangerous and unforgettable. She didn't shine like the others; she cut... sharp cheekbones, storm-gray eyes that missed nothing, and lips that curved in faint amusement, like she already knew how this would end. Her armor clung tight, black leather molded to a frame built for speed and precision, every movement deliberate, economical. She was stunning… and terrifying. Not a temptress. A predator.
She moved like mist through shadows, her steps light enough to escape even the cracked stone's whisper. Kaelyn's beauty wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. It was in the sharp lines of her face, the quiet confidence in her eyes, and the deadly grace that clung to her every movement. Her skin was pale, kissed by moonlight, and her hair... a deep midnight black... was pulled into a high, intricate braid woven with thin silver threads that glinted when she turned.
Her eyes were violet-gray, cool and focused, always watching, always calculating. She wore fitted leathers, reinforced for silent movement, with a belt of throwing knives and curved daggers strapped to each thigh. Every part of her form was precision... lean, quick, honed for survival and silence. And when she spoke, her voice was low, smooth as a whisper, with a hint of steel behind every word.
Kaelyn didn't seek attention. But when she moved, when she struck, no one could look away...
She leaped. Liam raised his sword...
Kaelyn didn't wait.
She struck again, fast and silent. Her blades moved like extensions of her body, aiming for Liam's throat and side in a single, fluid motion. Liam reacted on instinct, raising his sword to block the high strike, twisting his body to let the second blade glance off his armor.
The force of the impact sent him stumbling back.
Kaelyn pressed forward, relentless. She didn't speak. She didn't gloat. She just attacked with the calm precision of a predator fulfilling her purpose.
Liam gritted his teeth. His shoulder throbbed where her blade had cut earlier, but the pain sharpened his focus.
He adjusted his grip.
"Rena, left!" he shouted.
Rena moved without hesitation, flanking Kaelyn. Her sword swung low. Kaelyn pivoted, catching the blade with one dagger while her other slashed at Rena's arm.
Sarya fired from behind. Her bolt streaked toward Kaelyn's back.
Kaelyn bent backward, the bolt missing her by inches.
Liam charged, using the opening. His sword crashed into Kaelyn's guard. For the first time, she gave ground.
She slid back across the blood-red leaves, her boots carving through dirt.
"Better," she said softly.
Liam didn't reply. He moved again, swinging hard. Kaelyn ducked low, her cloak swirling. She aimed a kick at his leg, but he was ready. He caught her foot and pulled.
She hit the ground.
Before she could roll away, he was on her, sword point hovering inches from her chest.
"Yield," he said.
Kaelyn looked up at him, breathing hard, her golden eyes gleaming.
For a second, she didn't move.
Then she smiled.
"You don't hesitate."
"I can't afford to."
She exhaled slowly, lowering her weapons.
"Good answer."
> [System Alert]
Bond Target Subdued
Trial Status: Passed
Bond Status: Pending Seal
Reward: Assassin's Reflex Unlocked
Buff Available: Stealth Field – Territory Cloak Ability
Liam stepped back, letting her rise.
Kaelyn stood slowly, dusting off her cloak. She watched him closely, as if still deciding whether to strike or follow.
"I was told to hunt you," she said.
"By who?"
"Your system. It wants loyalty tested. I was chosen for that."
Liam nodded.
"Then you failed."
Kaelyn smirked.
"Maybe. Or maybe I found something worth following."
Sarya approached cautiously.
"She's fast."
Rena said nothing, but her grip on her sword hadn't relaxed.
Kaelyn glanced at them.
"So, I'm not the first."
Liam stepped between them.
"You're the fourth."
Kaelyn raised an eyebrow.
"Ninety-five to go?"
"That's the plan."
She laughed, a low, dangerous sound.
"Then let's get started."
She stepped close, almost touching him.
"Seal it."
> [System Alert]
Bond Seal Initiated – Kaelyn
Duration: 10 Seconds
Energy Sync – Active
Buff Gained: Assassin's Reflex
Bonus: Dodge + Trap Sense
Passive Skill: Territory Stealth – Activated
The system energy surged. Liam felt it settle into him... sharp, precise, not like Ice Queen's frost or Sarya's traps. This was quiet power, deadly and controlled.
Kaelyn stepped back.
"It's done."
Liam turned to the system map.
A new zone blinked.
> Zone Six Unlocked
Target: Dual Bond Trial
Difficulty: High
Time to Engage: 48 Hours
Warning: Rival Overlord Sighted
Rena stepped beside him.
"More enemies?"
Liam smiled faintly.
"Always."
Kaelyn folded her arms.
"Let's hunt them first."