At that moment, hearing his words, I hesitated for just a brief second. Should I act immediately and try to catch the two off guard? The idea was tempting, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this strategy might not be as effective as I hoped. And if I failed... well, things could quickly get a lot more complicated than I wanted them to.

Of course, considering there were only two left against us — me, Oliver, Alice, and Ethan — victory seemed almost certain. It was hard to imagine losing in that situation. Still, underestimating the chance that they might have some trick up their sleeves would be pure recklessness. And honestly, if they really do have something hidden, I’d rather not stick around long enough to find out what it is.

The tension in the air thickened almost instantly, like the forest itself was holding its breath, swallowed in oppressive silence waiting for the next move. Everything seemed frozen — the rustling leaves, the distant bird calls, even the wind hesitated.

The two remaining — the leader, standing tall and clearly more muscular, and the warrior to his right — were finally starting to realize something was deeply wrong. Their eyes scanned the foggy surroundings with growing unease, alert for any unusual shadow or sound, but clueless about exactly what they were looking for.

Unlike before, now both were fully on guard. Their hands rested firmly, yet controlled, on the hilts of the long swords strapped to their backs, ready to draw at a moment’s notice. Their eyes carefully swept the area, and their bodies held visible tension, like predators about to strike.

It was clear they knew they were under attack — their gestures and stance gave that away — but at the same time, they had no idea who the enemy actually was. Just like I expected. And then, their next words came as the final confirmation of my suspicions.

“What the hell is going on?” asked the man next to the leader, voice tight with tension and fear. His eyes darted through the mist, searching for any clue: “Is some kind of monster attacking us or what?”

The leader frowned, watching the thick, heavy fog around them: “This fog isn’t natural” the man continued, voice firm but grave: “It must be some kind of ability...”

The leader stayed silent for a moment, his eyes still carefully scanning the surroundings as if trying to pick up something beyond the visible. The air felt heavy, and silence took over the place. No sound broke the stillness, except for the whisper of leaves gently swaying in the breeze and the controlled, rhythmic breathing of the two last survivors, tense and alert.

“I’m not sure” the leader said, voice tight as his eyes swept the foggy area: “but pay attention. Whatever it is, it’s clear it doesn’t intend to let us leave here alive”

Anyway, putting that aside, we needed to move fast. Even with the ring in hand, Alice didn’t have much mana to spare. So far, what we knew about her abilities was that they drained mana voraciously — impossible to keep active for more than a few minutes. Each skill sucked her mana like a hurricane. In short, the responsibility fell on me: I had to act — and act fast.

Without making a sound, I switched positions between the two bodies with near-imperceptible fluidity. My male body — stronger and more robust — stepped forward to take the frontline of the attack, while the female body gracefully retreated to a strategic side position.

The movements were perfectly synchronized, like parts of a meticulously rehearsed choreography. Every step, every gesture, carried the precision of a sharp blade, turning the fight into a deadly dance. Two distinct bodies, but united by a single relentless mind.

The warrior took a firm step forward, hand slowly sliding to the hilt of the sword strapped to his back. His gaze held a mix of determination and tension, like he was about to speak his final word.

But before any sound could escape, my blade flashed, cutting through the thick fog that enveloped the field. My male body burst forth like a silent lightning strike, slicing the air with deadly precision.

The momentum of the leap, combined with all the force focused in the strike, drove the dagger brutally into the joint between the shoulder and neck — a vulnerable spot exposed by the shifted armor that gave way under pressure. For a moment, silence was absolute, broken only by the faint metallic sound of the blade lodging in place as life slowly fled from the warrior’s eyes.

He let out a surprised grunt, but the sound choked off in his throat before it could turn into a warning scream. I took the moment to shove his body with my knee, forcing him to fall backward onto the soft ground, covered by a thick layer of damp, yellowed leaves.

The impact was muffled by the natural carpet, but it still reverberated slightly in the silence around us. His wide-open eyes reflected the shock — fixed, desperately trying to trace the origin of the unexpected attack.

*You killed [Human / Warrior – lvl 20] – Bonus experience for killing an intelligent species member. 2000 TP gained*

But the leader reacted with surprising speed. Unlike the others, he didn’t hesitate or freeze facing the imminent danger. His hand grabbed the sword firmly even before his ally’s body hit the ground.

With a swift pivot on his heels, he launched into a nearly instinctive attack, directing his blade precisely where my male body had just appeared, as if sensing my movement before I even moved.

The iron blade tore through the air with a sharp whistle before embedding itself firmly in the tree trunk behind me. The impact was dry and solid — chips of wood flew, scattering in the air like splinters. A strong, direct blow, no messing around. Brutal, yes, but there was precision in the brutality. It wasn’t an amateur attack. I expected something like that... and still, the coldness of the moment made my heart race a little faster.

It was at that moment that Oliver acted. Hidden among the dense foliage, barely visible in the shadows of the bushes, he drew the bowstring firmly, his eyes locked on the target. The tense snap of the wood was lost in the rustling leaves as he released the arrow. The arrow sliced through the air like a whisper of death—fast, precise, lethal.

But the enemy leader was even faster. In an almost impossible reflex, he noticed the movement and spun his blade with a sharp, calculated strike, deflecting the projectile mid-air with a metallic, cutting sound.

The arrow was knocked aside, violently embedding itself in a branch above, which trembled under the impact. Although it didn’t hit the target, the attack had fulfilled its true purpose: to draw attention. For a brief moment, the enemy’s focus fragmented—and that was enough to create an opening.

Alice didn’t miss the chance. Seizing the gap, she raised her hands steadily, and a faint glow shimmered around her like a contained spark in the air. In an almost imperceptible motion, she activated her ability—a silent, ethereal wave of energy expanded outward from her, slicing through space until it hit the enemy.

The impact was subtle but powerful. The adversary shuddered, eyes wide for a moment, as if his consciousness struggled to stay steady. He didn’t freeze completely—his resistance was impressive—but for a brief moment, his body faltered. His muscles stiffened, then wavered, as if an invisible battle between will and movement took place. It was just a second... but sometimes, a second is all it takes.

That was exactly the moment I needed. With his sword still lodged in the wood and his movements compromised by Alice’s ability, I took the opening. My body—agile, light, and feminine—glided silently through the shadows.

I leapt from behind a low bush like a stalking predator, muscles tense, heart steady, eyes fixed and merciless. Every step was precise, calculated, without hesitation. I was the strike before the thought, the invisible threat that only reveals itself when it’s too late.

He turned at the last moment. For a brief second, our eyes met—his wide with pure survival instinct; mine cold, relentless, already decided. His arm began to rise, maybe to block, maybe to retaliate—a late reflex, driven more by fear than strategy. But it was useless. I was already on him, swift as a shadow swallowing the light.

I jumped with precision, and in midair, spun my body fluidly, channeling all the energy of [Precise Strike] into the tip of the dagger. At the height of the spin, the blade found its mark—piercing with brutal elegance the side of his neck, slicing through cartilage, muscle, and veins with near-clinical precision.

The dry sound of impact was followed by a muffled gurgle as his breath dissolved into bubbles of blood. The warm spray hit my face, running down my skin, but my eyes remained fixed, unshaken. There was no room for hesitation. Just the cut. Just the end.

His gaze as he watched me was pure shock—eyes wide, fixed on me as if trying to comprehend the impossible. His mouth slowly parted, trembling, and then I noticed a trickle of blood running down the corner of his lips, staining his chin dark and viscous.

His breath was short, broken. Finally, with a faltering, nearly inaudible voice, he murmured: “W-Why...?”

At the same time, my eyes met his, cold and still. I tilted my head slightly and let slip, almost a whisper, with a half-smile at the corner of my lips: “I imagine the people you killed asked themselves the same question... didn’t they?”

After my words, his eyes simply lost all light—they darkened completely, as if life had been ripped from them. The next instant, his movements ceased abruptly; his entire body went rigid, motionless, as if time had stopped just for him. Gradually, his expression twisted into something dark, almost morbid, a final reflection of what he felt before the end. He was dead.

*You killed [Human / Warrior – lvl 23] – Bonus experience for killing an intelligent species member. Experience shared with your group. 766 TP earned*

*DING! Class: [Assassin] reached level 25 – Status points allocated*

*New skills for Assassin class available*

The body fell with a dull thud, muffled by the damp earth, and for a brief moment, the mist around seemed to hesitate—especially the thick, pale fog Alice had artificially conjured. It was as if even it waited silently for the outcome.

Then, the sounds of the forest began to return, timid at first—the rustling of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze, the whisper of the wind weaving through trunks, the sparse chirping of crickets in the distance, as if testing the ground. The silence still hung thick, but no longer absolute. I breathed deeply, as if my lungs were trying to make up for all those held moments.

Both bodies remained still, and the smell of earth, sweat, and something metallic still lingered in the air. Adrenaline still buzzed beneath my skin, restless, but my mind gradually regained clarity—returning to center, like a needle after a collision.

“Done...” I whispered, the sound escaping like a sigh full of relief. My muscles relaxed slowly, each one releasing the tension accumulated.

Slowly, Alice, Ethan, and Oliver emerged from the bushes, their faces marked by grim expressions as they looked at the four lifeless bodies now sprawled on the damp forest floor. No one spoke—and honestly, it wasn’t needed. The silence said it all.

We knew what had to be done, just as we knew it was only the beginning. The only thing that truly mattered at that moment was keeping in mind that this didn’t make us monsters... at least, not yet. We were just survivors—wounded, exhausted, but determined. Survivors willing to do whatever it took to protect each other. The source of this content ɪs novel_fіre.net