The battlefield had gone quiet.

  Only the hiss of snow filled the air, where different skills had scorched the ground moments earlier. The scent of burnt fur and iron clung to everything even though the dungeon monster's body had already vanished.

  Boris planted his spear into the ground and whistled. “That took longer than I thought. But they’re not that tough. Most of them fight like low-mid dungeon beasts.”

  Unlike Boris, the rest of the front line didn’t look as triumphant. Adam was stretching his arm, grimacing each time his shoulder clicked. Leo’s armor was streaked with black blood that smoked faintly where acid had splattered him. Even Andel, still humming with faint arcs of lightning, looked winded.

  Roy and Toby, both untouched, exchanged a glance. Toby cocked a brow. “How’d you know? Have you been to a dungeon before?”

  Boris scratched at the back of his head, sheepish. “Just from reading books, I guess?”

  Roy snorted. “Don’t lie. I’ve never seen you holding one.”

  “Uhm—”

  A shadow passed over them, silencing the banter.

  Elle York walked toward them, silver hair catching the light like threads of moonlight woven into snow. Her presence made the chaos around them feel… cleaner. Like even the blood on the ground didn’t dare stain her boots.

  “I heard you don’t have support,” she said, voice calm and cool. “So I’m here to heal you.”

  Every boy in the group straightened immediately.

  Andel raised his hand first, grinning. “Right here. My shoulder.”

  “Me too,” said Adam, wincing for effect.

  “Same,” Boris added, clutching at a clearly fake limp.

  Elle York’s expression didn’t shift. Her silver eyes scanned him once from head to toe. “You look perfectly fine. Boris.”

  “I’m not feeling right,” Boris muttered, shoulders slumping.

  Elle ignored him and moved past, placing her hands over Adam’s arm. A faint blue glow spread from her fingertips, soft and constant, the air around her warming slightly. The boys watched in silent awe as bruises faded and skin sealed cleanly over wounds.

  Boris glared at Andel as though betrayed by fate itself. The temperature around him seemed to drop from pure frustration.

  Andel glanced up mid-heal, feeling that stare crawl up his spine.

  When Elle York left, Boris whispered to himself, “Next time… I’m getting injured. Properly injured.”

  The others chuckled, the tension in their shoulders breaking. Around them, soldiers cheered faintly as the tide of battle went into their favour. There were only a few scattered dungeon monsters around the garrison.

  …

  The trumpet’s cry split the morning air—a long, rising note that rolled across the frozen field like a sigh of relief. Scouts had returned from the garrison. Safe, they signaled. The garrison was successfully occupied.

  But Suri didn’t leave her post.

  Inside the command tent, the air was heavy with the scent of oil lamps and cold parchment. Shadows from the map table flickered against the canvas walls as officers muttered in low, urgent voices.

  “Why did they abandon the garrison?” one asked, fingers drumming against the wood.

  Of course they knew there were imperial soldiers before though not yet confirmed if they were really from the empire but the people the garrison simply left as if the dungeon monsters exist just to buy some time.

  “I heard it’s layered with runes,” another replied. “If they’d held their ground, we’d have bled ourselves dry trying to breach it.”

  A third leaned forward. “Then why hasn’t the dungeon closed? Where’s the core?”

  Suri’s eyes snapped open. Her hand trembled slightly as the runes on her wrist glowed faintly—resonating with something unseen.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “I found them,” she said.

  Her voice cut through the tent like a blade. All sound stopped. The officers turned to her, their expressions tightening.

  “I don’t understand why they moved to a temporary shelter,” she continued, striding to the table. Her finger traced across the map, stopping at a valley marked by a faint ink stain. “I was able to reach them before they activated some sort of concealment rune.”

  Suri pointed out the direction, “Ahead of us, a few hours away.”

  A murmur spread through the ranks.

  “They probably know,” rasped Lord Kavel from his chair. His voice was dry, brittle like old parchment. “They know my condition.”

  He pushed himself to his feet. It took effort—his knees shook, his breath rattled—but he stood tall nonetheless. The lamplight caught the deep lines on his face, the veins on his hands.

  “If they confronted us now,” he said, “they’d lose too much. They’re simply waiting for me to die.”

  Silence. The words sank into them like stones into still water.

  Lord Kavel’s gaze swept across his officers, lingering on each of them as though memorizing their faces.

  “This,” he said, voice steady despite its weakness, “is my last quest.”

  Outside, the wind howled across the northern plains, carrying with it the faint echoes of battle—and the weight of a promise yet to be fulfilled.

  ……

  Most of the high-ranking officers had already gone, their armor clinking as they disappeared into the storm outside. Only one man remained—a young northern soldier, the temporary commander, his pauldrons far too large for his narrow shoulders. He stood over the table where Lord Kavel’s map still lay, edges curling from candle heat.

  “Good work,” he said, voice steadier than his eyes. “You may rest for now, Miss Suri. Report to me if you notice anything urgent.”

  Suri nodded, rubbing her stiff fingers. “Thank you, Commander. I’ll eat now before I faint.”

  Outside, the air bit her cheeks—cold, sharp, and carrying the tang of burned monster hide. The camp was alive with small fires and the low murmur of exhausted soldiers. She spotted Boris and the others near one of the makeshift tables, a half-eaten stew steaming between them.

  “Can’t believe you guys didn’t even visit me,” she said, puffing her cheeks in mock offense as she sat down beside them.

  Rin laughed, nearly spilling her cup. “We figured you were eating with the big shots.”

  Suri rolled her eyes. “The ‘big shots’ barely remember to breathe, much less eat.”

  Leo leaned forward, curiosity sharp in his gaze. “Where’s Kana? She’s still not back?”

  Suri’s smile faltered. “She’s… fine.”

  She closed her eyes, reaching inward—toward the fragment of illusion she had left attached to Kana before the garrison attack. It took effort to focus. Her illusions were like thin strings of light in the dark, and right now, that thread trembled violently.

  Then the vision came.

  Kana stood in shadow, surrounded by movement too fast to follow. Four swords flashed from different angles—synchronized, perfect. Each strike was a whisper of death. Kana blocked one, dodged another, but blood gleamed along her arm, her side. Her armor was cracked; her guard plates shattered.

  Suri gasped, hand clenching tight on her lap. The image rippled, unstable.

  “Or not,” she said softly, color draining from her face. “She’s in trouble.”

  Boris dropped his spoon. “How bad?”

  “Bad.”

  She shot to her feet, the stew forgotten. “We have to help her—now!”

  The group moved instantly, scraping back their benches, armor plates rattling.

  “Where is she?” Rin demanded, already strapping her mace.

  “She’s… somewhere dark.” Suri’s voice wavered as she pushed harder, trying to pull her illusion forward. The connection shuddered like glass under strain.

  Then it snapped.

  The world behind her eyes went black.

  Suri staggered, hand clutching her chest. “She’s gone.”

  The fire beside them crackled, the only sound breaking the silence that followed.

  Boris shook her shoulders,”Don’t tell me.. Kana..”

  Suri slapped his head in response,”Kana disappeared, I think she used that dungeon item, the one she told us that we will go somewhere but she didn’t know where to.”

  Boris remembered,”Ahh.. The scroll that she got from the granny. I really thought it was fake.”

  Leo and the other students breathed a sigh of relief.

  “I can’t see the three of them.” Suri muttered,”Where did they go?”

  …

  Kana controlled her breathing. Slow in, slower out. Like Zia taught me.

  It steadied her hands, though the ache in her ribs refused to fade. She still hadn’t mastered the skill, not fully learned it either—Zia used to say it came with time, that the mind learned to command the body eventually. Kana had never reached that point.

  And yet… something in her gut felt wrong. How did those twins find the tunnel? Find them? As if expecting them in the first place.

  The thought coiled tighter in her chest as she crouched on the branch, her back pressed against rough bark. The tree was old and thick—she’d climbed it once as a child while chasing wind beetles. Now it was her cover.

  Below, movement.

  Two silhouettes drifted past like shadows unmoored from their owners. Their steps were light, curved swords loose in their hands, their eyes sweeping the forest floor. Kana froze, barely daring to breathe.

  Then she realized they weren’t a good tracker.

  They were simply searching for anything unusual, they looked like they were hoping—hoping to find some of her trails, such as footprints.

  The twins moved like mirrors—each step matched, each turn a reflection. When one glanced left, the other shifted right, curved swords always angled to strike from two directions.

  Kana’s pulse quickened.

  Her body trembled from exhaustion, every muscle heavy with strain. If she’d been in full form, she would’ve already run circles around them. They were strong, yes, but their movements were predictable, and on the slower side. Frontline types, she thought.

  That, at least, was an advantage. She would choose speed over strength. As long as they wouldn’t be able to catch her then she would be fine.

  Night was her ally. And they were in her turf—one of the mountains near the Saltrain Village.

  Even weakened, she could move faster than them. If she was smart, if she could pick them off one by one—

  A faint smile touched her lips.

  Every rock, every tree root, every stretch of frozen earth between her and the area near Saltrain Village—she knew them all.

  And if the twins wanted to hunt her here, then they’d stepped into her playground.