In another part of Serpent King Island, other survivors were fighting to stay alive.
There were four of them in total.
The group was camped on a different beach—far from the region where Samael was. It would take several hours of walking along the coast to reach that location.
Among them, one girl naturally stood out as the leader.
Her long black hair contrasted sharply with her intense lavender-violet eyes, and her symmetrical features drew attention regardless of the surroundings. There was something about her that attracted gazes effortlessly—a cold presence, difficult to ignore.
Elizabeth held a bow, her quiver resting at her side, as she wrapped bandages around wounds with firm, precise movements.
In front of her, the group's healer was tending to another member.
"Hey, Elizabeth…" the healer called out without taking her eyes off the patient. "What was that noise?"
The girl's name was Summer.
She had brown hair and black eyes. She was pretty, without a doubt, but not someone who stood out at first glance—especially next to Elizabeth, whose presence naturally eclipsed everyone else.
"The forest felt strange after that sound," another member of the group commented.
It was Mason, the team's support. A boy capable of temporarily enhancing physical attributes—an extremely valuable ability in such a hostile place.
Elizabeth paused for a moment, her gaze distant.
"I don't know…" she replied at last.
She finished tightening the bandage and slowly stood up.
"But whatever it was, it's not a good sign."
Her eyes shifted toward the dark line of the forest.
"The sound seemed to come from the island's core…" she added. "From the very region where we suspect a citadel exists."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Instinctively, everyone felt a chill run down their spines.
Something had changed on the island.
And no one knew whether they were safer now… or closer to death.
"If even the Nightmare Creatures are scared…" said the boy being treated. "I don't think it's safe to explore the forest right now."
His name was Henry.
He possessed the ability to accelerate his own movements, but had been injured some time ago while fleeing from a Nightmare Creature during a poorly planned exploration.
Henry was a Legacy.
He wasn't arrogant, but he took pride in his abilities—especially his speed. He was in the same class as Samael and Leon at the Awakened Academy.
Physically, he stood out: well-kept brown hair, symmetrical features, and sharp, attentive eyes. In terms of appearance, he didn't fall behind either of them.
They had been together for three days.
At first, Henry believed he should lead the group.
But Elizabeth proved better.
Much better.
She wasn't a Legacy, but she came from a well-off family and demonstrated a natural talent for leadership—something Henry had been noticing more and more.
In the beginning, there were eight of them.
Now, only four had survived.
Two had been abandoned after being severely injured.
No one complained.
In that place…
It had been the best possible choice.
"Let's avoid the forest for now," Elizabeth said firmly. "Scared creatures are more dangerous. The deadliest moment is when someone is cornered."
"True," Henry agreed.
Elizabeth had noticed his gaze over the past few days.
She found it uncomfortable.
But he was useful.
And on that island, she couldn't afford internal conflicts.
"Let's explore more of the beach and only the edges of the forest," she continued. "We'll split into pairs."
She pointed naturally.
"Mason and I, that way.Henry and Summer, the other side."
Henry frowned.
"Why that division?"
"Because we can't leave two supports together," Elizabeth replied without hesitation.
The argument was simple.
And irrefutable.
They separated soon after, agreeing to regroup at sunset at their temporary base made of branches—conveniently divided between boys and girls.
Elizabeth and Mason headed left along the beach.
They advanced cautiously, at a slow pace.
At times, they stopped to observe the forest's edge, watching both the behavior of the Nightmare Creatures… and their absence.
"Are you sure you want me to go first?" Mason asked after Elizabeth ordered him to lead the exploration.
It was strange.
He was a support.
She was the combatant.
Elizabeth gave him a calm look.
"Do you remember what my Dormant Ability is?" she asked, as if that alone were enough.
Mason fell silent.
He accepted the order, though the discomfort lingered.
Still, he moved forward.
Behind him, Elizabeth's lavender-violet eyes glimmered softly.
A clear sign.
She was using her Aspect.
Her Aspect was simple: it allowed her to see five seconds into the future of other people, as long as they were within her field of vision.
That was why Mason walked ahead.
And why Elizabeth never explored without caution.
After hours of slow progress—interrupted whenever she needed to recover her Soul Essence—they decided to return at the agreed time.
When the group reunited, everyone was exhausted.
The exploration had yielded almost nothing.
Henry and Summer had found only human remains—someone who had been thrown onto the island and hadn't been as fortunate.
The mood grew heavy.
Physical fatigue.
Mental exhaustion.
Tense looks.
Everyone… except Summer, who seemed strangely cheerful after spending the day with Henry.
Elizabeth observed it in silence.
What kind of fool develops feelings in a place like this… she thought coldly.
Her gaze drifted toward the distant forest.
Something had changed on the island.
And even seeing a few seconds into the future…
She had the unsettling feeling that the worst was still beyond her sight.
For the next two days, the pairs continued exploring without major discoveries.
On the third day, however, they found something different.
A massive crater stretched from the sea toward the center of the island.
The forest had been split cleanly in half.
"What was that…?" Mason murmured, stunned. "What could cause something of this magnitude?"
"I don't know…" Elizabeth replied.
Her Aspect remained active as she observed the crater, attentive to every detail.
Then—
An arrow appeared out of nowhere.
Elizabeth felt the impact on her shoulder and widened her eyes.
She twisted her body, searching for the shooter.
There was no one there.
The same arrow from her vision came again.
She dodged with absolute precision, already knowing the trajectory before the shot was even fired, escaping unharmed.
If I didn't have my ability active… she thought.
Her gaze locked onto the direction of the attack.
The bushes rustled.
Something—or someone—was about to reveal itself.