The moon hung high over the mountain ranges, casting its pale silver light across the battlefield-turned-campground. Ethan sat quietly at the edge of a small cliff overlooking the valley below. The ground beneath him was cool, solid. The breeze was gentle, yet it carried a haunting weight. Despite the triumph earlier that day, he couldn't shake the feeling that something darker was approaching—a storm building behind a calm sky.
His body was battered, bruised, and aching, but his spirit had never been stronger. He had faced Varrick Darkblade and emerged victorious, but the encounter with Karen Lore—her cryptic words, her warning—lingered in his mind like a half-remembered dream. A divine force stirring beneath the surface. A fate intertwined with something ancient and dangerous. What did it mean?
"Still brooding alone?" came a soft, melodic voice behind him.
Ethan turned slightly, not surprised in the least. Karen Lore walked toward him slowly, dressed in a simple priestess robe now that her ceremonial attire was tucked away. Her violet eyes shimmered in the moonlight, more ethereal than ever.
"You're very good at appearing out of nowhere," Ethan said, managing a small smile.
"I used to be a shadow myself," she replied, sitting beside him.
The silence between them was comfortable. The sounds of crackling campfires and distant chatter of the team echoed far behind them, but here, it felt like a world apart.
"Did you mean it?" Ethan asked, eyes still on the horizon. "Everything you said before? That I'm connected to something ancient?"
Karen nodded slowly. "Yes. And I've been searching for you, in a way, for years. I didn't know your face or your name, but I knew there would be someone. Someone chosen not by divine will—but by their own."
Ethan raised a brow. "Chosen by… themselves?"
She turned to him, her expression serious. "Most people wait for miracles. For powers bestowed upon them. But your abilities, Ethan… they come from your will. Your pain. Your struggle. You forced the system to evolve, not the other way around. That makes you different. Dangerous to the wrong people. And essential to the right ones."
Ethan blinked. He didn't really know how to respond to that. He was just a guy who never gave up. That was his first passive skill, after all. Never Give Up. Something people laughed at. Something he almost laughed at too. But it had carried him through hell.
Karen looked at him again, and her expression softened. "You're thinking too much. Again."
Ethan laughed awkwardly. "I guess that's just who I am."
She smiled. "That's one of the reasons I like you."
His brain stalled.
Like?
Karen, noticing his frozen expression, giggled softly. "You really are dense."
"I—I mean, I'm not that dense…" Ethan mumbled.
She leaned in slightly, her face just inches from his. "Then say it. What did I mean just now?"
Ethan's eyes widened. "Uh…"
"Exactly." Karen pulled back, chuckling. "Dense."
He rubbed the back of his head, flustered. "You people keep saying things that sound like confessions, and I don't know what to do with them!"
"I can see that," she teased. "You're more terrifying in battle than in romance."
Ethan slumped a bit. "I'm not good at this stuff."
Karen touched his shoulder gently. "You don't have to be. That's what makes you… endearing."
Back at camp, the twins—Lilian and Vivian Ashmore—sat around the fire, polishing their weapons.
"You saw the way she was looking at him, right?" Lilian said, smirking.
Vivian, quiet as always, gave a soft nod. "She likes him."
Lilian leaned forward. "So do we."
Vivian blinked, then gave another small nod.
Lilian grinned. "We need to step up our game. Big Sister Karen is playing hard."
Vivian's cheeks flushed slightly.
As the night deepened, Ethan finally stood and turned to head back to camp. Karen stayed seated for a while, watching the stars.
But before Ethan could rejoin the others—
BOOOOOM.
A massive explosion echoed across the cliffs. The ground trembled beneath his feet. His instincts kicked in instantly.
"Karen!" he turned, and she was already rising.
The explosion came from the east—beyond the ridge. Smoke curled upward, black and foul-smelling. Shouts followed, along with the unmistakable screech of mutated monsters.
Ethan sprinted toward the source without hesitation.
A New Threat Emerges
When Ethan reached the edge of the ridge, what he saw made his blood run cold. A small village that had gone unnoticed during their previous battles was under attack. Not by normal monsters—these were twisted, grotesque forms, clearly warped by corruption.
Dozens of villagers ran in terror. Fire and chaos dominated the scene.
"Where the hell did these come from?" Ethan growled.
Behind him, the others began arriving. Karen, Lilian, Vivian, and a few others who had chosen to stay close to Ethan after the tournament.
But then—through the flames—a new figure stepped forward.
It was a girl.
She was maybe a year or two younger than Ethan, her clothes torn and dirtied from combat, but her figure moved with the grace of a predator. She had long, silvery-blue hair that trailed behind her like moonlight. But most distinctively—she had cat-like ears and a long, sleek tail that moved in tune with her body.
People were shouting at her. Angry. Hostile.
"Monster!"
"Get away from here, freak!"
Ethan's eyes narrowed.
She was fighting for them. Slashing monsters apart with her dual daggers, protecting the villagers—and they were treating her like that?
The cat-girl snarled, not at the people, but at the monsters behind her. One of the larger beasts lunged for a child. She intercepted with lightning-fast reflexes, cutting it down just in time.
Ethan didn't hesitate.
He leapt down into the village, crashing into a group of monsters with bone-crushing force. His fists became a blur, and his passive abilities activated one after another.
[Unbreakable Body][Iron Grip][Pain to Power][Haste]
And more…
The tide began to shift.
The cat-girl blinked, stunned at Ethan's sudden arrival. She watched him move like a force of nature.
Ethan turned to her, standing amidst the monster corpses.
"You okay?"
She looked at him like she couldn't believe he was talking to her.
"I—uh… yeah," she muttered, confused.
"Good," he smiled. "You were amazing back there."
Her cat ears twitched.
"You don't… mind what I am?" she asked quietly, eyes lowered.
Ethan tilted his head. "Why would I? You're awesome. You saved people. Also…" he paused, then added casually, "You're kinda cute."
Her tail froze.
Then stiffened.
Then puffed up like a fuzzy broom.
Ethan blinked. "Wait—did I say something wrong?"
She stared at him with wide eyes. "You… think I'm cute?"
"Well, yeah. You're strong and brave. And I like your ears."
She made a noise like a kettle about to boil and turned away, holding her cheeks. Her tail twitched uncontrollably.
Karen, who had arrived moments later, smirked. "You're doing it again, Ethan."
"Doing what?"
"Making girls fall for you without realizing it."
Ethan frowned. "That doesn't make sense. I'm just being nice."
Karen chuckled. "Exactly."
The cat-girl turned back shyly. "My name is Xiao Yao…"
Ethan smiled. "I'm Ethan. Glad to have you with us."
Passive Ability Gained: [Protector's Gaze]Description: When fighting to protect someone you care about, all physical stats are temporarily boosted by 15%.
To Be Continued…