Nautilus and Yuna ran, as if their lives were tied to every step they took.
They had to be faster, faster still… The tension in the air was like a string stretched to the point of snapping.
Their hearts pounded wildly, each beat echoing through their chests like it could shatter their ribs. Their breaths came in ragged gasps, burning their throats, but they didn't slow down.
Their feet kept moving, crashing through the thick foliage, trampling dry branches underfoot in chaotic strides.
No one called out. No one paused. A silent dread weighed heavy in their minds, the fear that, by the time they arrived, Ren would still be trapped in the fight.
But when they arrived… it was already too late.
Everything was over.
There was nothing left. No sign of the horde of monsters that had once filled the area, only the forest, and a thick white mist.
Only the dying Little Nepenthes, their vines and roots severed entirely, still bleeding, scattered lifelessly across the ground. Their slimy tendrils and shredded carnivorous petals lay in ruin, dissolving into bright red pixels, flickering in the air before gradually fading away.
The damp earth, cloaked in lingering fog, still bore the scars of battle, sharp slashes etched across tree branches, tattered leaves, the musty scent of crushed foliage mingling with the faint smoke drifting from vanishing pixels.
The burnt scent of smoke bombs, and the smell of a grueling fight.
But now… only absolute silence remained.
No more ear-splitting screeches from the Little Nepenthes.
No more clash of metal.
Only the white mist crawling slowly through the space, blanketing everything.
And in the midst of that desolation.
Ren.
He stood there, alone amidst the drifting mist that floated through the sparse forest, a small figure, but not a fragile one.
It was as if time had frozen around him. All sound had been swallowed by the stillness, leaving only the faint rhythm of his breathing, and the heavy footsteps of the two approaching figures.
Ren said nothing.
He didn't move, as if still caught in the aftermath of the battle just passed.
The hood of his wolfskin cloak was drawn low, hiding most of his face, leaving only a few messy strands of hair visible beneath the dark fabric.
The leather armor hugged his slender frame, almost feminine in shape, still bearing marks of slashes and cuts.
The soft wolf fur lining his collar swayed gently in the breeze, like ripples across a silent lake.
He was like a ghost drifting through the wild forest.
There was no pride of a victor.
No exhaustion of someone who had just fought for their life.
No expression at all could be seen beneath that shadowed face.
Only silence.
A lone wolf, hunting silently through the night, only to be left with emptiness when it was all over.
Yuna and Nautilus came to a halt.
The wind whispered past, carrying with it the remnants of the battle, the last shimmering red pixels fading into nothingness.
Ren still didn't speak.
But when Nautilus took another step forward, slowly closing the distance between them, he could see more clearly.
Those eyes.
The beautiful turquoise eyes, hidden deep beneath the shadow of the hood, shimmered like a lone light beneath a gloomy sky. A gaze so deep and unfocused, it felt like not even Ren himself knew what he was thinking.
A lone wolf, standing in an empty battlefield.
Ren hadn't won easily.
He had to use everything he had.
From the very first moment, when his eyes met the writhing swarm of Little Nepenthes closing in from all directions, Ren knew, this wasn't a fight that could be won by brute strength alone.
They were many, swarming like an endless tide, their dark red petals swaying gently in the mist, pulsing as if they were breathing, waiting for the moment to reach out and ensnare their prey.
Despite their bulky appearance, they weren't slow. And the way they coordinated to encircle their target was even more dangerous.
But Ren had what they didn't, tactical thinking, speed, and endurance.
Without hesitation, he darted forward, not to escape, but to lure them in.
Thick foliage blocked the sky above, giant roots jutted from the earth, twisted together to form natural walls.
Ren didn't have the power to destroy them all. But he could turn the forest itself into a weapon.
Break them apart. Lure them into the maze of roots. Take them down one by one.
Even so, it wasn't easy.
When the white mist rolled in, vision became a blur. Ren knew it was a disadvantage, but also an opportunity. If used right, he could vanish from the Nepenthes' senses.
Without hesitation, he threw a smoke bomb. A wave of gray smoke rose, blending into the natural fog, cloaking his presence.
Separate. Bait them into dead ends. Finish them off before they could call for reinforcements.
Blades flashed through the mist. Each slash was clean, sharp, efficient, not a single move wasted.
But even after using every advantage, Ren couldn't come out unscathed. A sudden horizontal strike from a Nepenthes tore through the air, slashing his leather armor and leaving a gash on his arm.
His HP dropped significantly.
But right then...
The necklace activated.
A surge of energy spread through his body, a strange sensation between collapse and ignition. The special effect only triggered when HP fell below 20%, boosting his movement speed.
He became faster. More agile. His feet skimmed the ground like wind, dodging attacks by inches.
The enemies before him seemed to slow down, their movements clearer in his eyes.
Slash. Dodge. Run. Lure. Strike.
He couldn't stop. Couldn't get surrounded.
His breath ragged, sweat soaked beneath his cloak, but his eyes still burned bright in the fog, focused only on the next target.
One went down.
Then another.
Fragments of red pixels burst in the air, flickering before vanishing into nothingness.
By the time the last monster's HP hit zero, its body trembled slightly before shattering completely, dissolving into tiny specks of light that rained onto the forest floor.
Ren had burned through two full small healing potions, just to keep his HP at a safe, but low, margin, right around 20%, without letting it drop too far.
Luckily, Sword Art Online had an almost hyper-realistic system, allowing him to sip a small amount of potion instead of consuming the whole bottle at once.
The healing was minimal, but that was exactly what he wanted. The tide of battle had turned in his favor.
Ren stood among the aftermath, his breathing still uneven.
But he didn't turn back. He didn't rush to leave.
Only the mist drifted gently past him, as if draping a faint curtain over his figure, making him appear both lonely and mysterious.
It was over.
The three regrouped quickly, their eyes darting to one another, confirming no one was seriously hurt.
Their breaths were still heavy, but no one spoke much, not because there was nothing to say, but because they all understood, this wasn't the time to relax.
The thick mist still cloaked the forest, hiding unknown dangers.
Tall trees stretched like twisted arms, massive roots sprawled across the ground, and in the distance, strange noises echoed faintly through the fog, making all three instinctively tense.
Ren glanced at Yuna, she looked okay, though her expression was still shaken. Nautilus leaned against a tree, one hand on his sword hilt, his eyes sharp with caution.
"We can't stay here long," Ren said, lowering his voice as his eyes scanned the area."Let's find another spot...now."
The other two didn't object. They quickly left the area, each step placed carefully, avoiding any unnecessary noise.
After a while of moving through the forest, they found a clearing among the massive roots, a spot hidden enough from sight but still with an exit route in case things went south.
Though none of them had any real camping skills, they managed to set up a temporary resting place: somewhere to catch their breath, treat wounds, and recover before continuing the journey.
Ren plopped down and opened his inventory. Two HP potions.
Or rather—had two. Both were completely drained during the previous battle.
He let out a long sigh, as if just now coming to terms with that harsh reality.
Yuna sat across from him, still visibly shaken. Nautilus stood nearby with his arms crossed, staring at him.
"You're out of HP potions?" Nautilus asked.
Ren nodded. "Yeah. Those were my only two."
Yuna bit her lip, seeming like she wanted to say something, but held back. After a moment, she softly asked, "...I remember each potion costs... 500 Cor, right?"
"Yeah."
Silence settled over them.
500 Cor per potion, that wasn't a small amount for beginners like them.
That kind of money could've gone toward better equipment, or saved for more urgent situations.
But without them, Ren probably wouldn't be sitting here right now.
"Gotta be more careful next time."
Ren's voice was hoarse, part reminder to himself, part warning to the others.
Nautilus looked at him for a moment, then lowered his gaze to his own sword.
"...Do you think we can keep going like this?"
Ren said nothing, just stared at his hands, still marked with cuts, his coarse gloves torn in places.
They had only just begun, but the challenges ahead would only get harder.
"It's still early... but let's set up camp and rest," Ren said, gathering some dry twigs nearby and pulling out his fire-starting kit.
Thankfully, they'd been able to collect some fuel along the way, even without any gathering skills. It helped that they were in a forest, after all.
Ren also felt relieved that he'd packed enough food, even if it wasn't anything fancy.