When night arrived, the group set up camp and gathered around a campfire, talking among themselves.
Kael lay a short distance away from the others, quietly observing the particles drifting in the air around him.
"Since it's getting dark, it's better for us to sleep here. If we move in the dark, it might be dangerous—we could provoke another Quadra Wolf," the bald man said.
"This could also attract other wolves… or even another Quadra Wolf," another man added.
Kael lay there, watching the drifting particles and the shining night sky filled with countless stars.
"Based on the map, the kingdom is close by," he muttered to himself.
Then he activated his ability.
[Truth]
In an instant, he could clearly perceive the intentions and thoughts of the bald man and the others around the campfire.
"Hehe~ it's easy to get the horn. Just a little bit… I think this is around ten thousand Spirit Stones," the bald man thought.
"My boss will get excited if he sees it… no, he'll definitely enjoy it," another thought.
"That guy's energy is lower than Master level… even lower than mine," another thought drifted through the group.
Their expressions and intentions were clearly visible on their faces.
"It looks like they're going to make a move later… they're just waiting for someone," Kael muttered to himself.
He picked up the bundle of horns and looked at them.
"Just as I thought… these horns are valuable. Even though I got them by crushing it, the body itself has nothing useful," Kael said to himself.
"But… I don't know what kind of world this is," Kael said to himself, looking up at the night sky.
Later on, one of the armed men started to move. Leaves rustled everywhere—someone was approaching fast.
"They've started to move," Kael muttered to himself.
Behind him, among the bushes, a woman appeared. Half of her body remained hidden by the dense foliage, while the upper half was visible.
She had long, wavy red hair and black eyes. She wore a black-and-red leather suit, and a dagger hung at her waist
"What are you doing?! They're coming towards you!" she shouted at Kael.
Kael remained completely relaxed, not moving from where he lay, his expression utterly unbothered.
The woman grabbed Kael from behind, trying to pull him away.
"Why aren't you moving?!"
"It's useless," Kael said calmly. "They're already surrounding us."
The woman looked around, confirming they were completely surrounded.
Then she turned back to Kael, furious.
"You were too slow to move—now we're surrounded! What do we do now?!" she shouted, grabbing his shirt tightly.
A bald man stepped forward, holding a sword pointed at Kael and the woman, a grin spreading across his face.
"Kekeke… foolish bastards. It's too late to run."
"I don't know what kind of artifact you used to kill that Quadra Wolf…" he said, his grin widening, "…but it doesn't matter now."
"That artifact you used… it's going to belong to us. And those horns too," the bald man sneered. "Kekeke… once the Ironfangs arrive."
He tilted his head slightly, his grin turning cruel.
"After that… I'm going to tear you two apart."
The woman's fury flared the moment she heard his words. Her energy began to surge through her body, her expression twisted with killing intent.
"Those bastards… you really want to spill blood, huh?!"
Beside her, Kael's lips curved into a slight smile as he watched her finally reveal her true ability.
"So this is her real power… I can finally see what kind of ability she possesses."
Then Kael shifted his gaze toward the forest.
Above the shadows between the trees—pairs of glowing eyes slowly emerged from the darkness.
"Then that man behind the trees… he looks quite strong. Even above this woman."
"Even though I lack battle experience with people, I can still figure out how strong they are," Kael muttered to himself.
"Kill both of them!" the bald man shouted to his men.
The armed men immediately rushed forward.
Their faces twisted with excitement, grins spreading as their eyes glowed faintly red with killing intent.
But the woman moved as well. She rushed forward and precisely threw a dagger straight into a man's head.
Three men didn't react in time and collapsed to the ground.
Without stopping, she stepped in close, delivering a sharp upward kick to another man's head.
In the same motion, she grabbed an axe from a fallen body and threw it toward another opponent, striking him as he moved.
She jumped back to Kael's side. Kael's expression remained unchanged.
"Sorry, I threw it a bit too hard."
Then she activated her ability—countless daggers appeared, floating around her in the air.
"It's because… I'm actually pretty angry."
"From this point on… all of you are going to suffer a terrible fate," the woman said, tossing her long hair back.
"Not a single one of you is getting out alive."
A bald man stepped forward. Behind him, more men arrived, their faces twisted with sinister smiles.
"I had a feeling when you lured that Quadra Wolf to us… but now that you've shown your power…" he said, narrowing his eyes.
"So it really is you—the Red Assassin."
He let out a low chuckle.
"This is a request from the Guild in Fortress Genesis, isn't it?"
"Whether this is a request or not doesn't matter. You've killed too many innocent people."
Her gaze hardened.
"I'm sure plenty of people in the Deep Abyss would love to see your heads rolling on the ground."
The bald man let out a low laugh, the sound dry and mocking.
"Innocent people?" he sneered. "You still believe in things like that?"
He raised his sword slightly, pointing it toward her.
"This is the Deep Abyss. The weak die. The strong take everything."
The men behind him chuckled, tightening their grips on their weapons.
"Besides… you're not here to play hero," he added, his grin widening. "You came here to kill us. Don't pretend otherwise, Red Assassin."
The woman's eyes sharpened, the floating daggers around her trembling as her killing intent intensified.
"…You talk too much."
"Maybe," the bald man replied casually. "But unlike you—"
His gaze shifted briefly toward Kael. "That guy?" the bald man scoffed, jerking his chin toward Kael. "A mere Mortal-level nobody, relying on some artifact and a pile of Quadra Wolf horns—more worthy than you?"
Kael frowned slightly, a hint of confusion crossing his face.
"…Artifacts?" he whispered to himself.
The woman didn't take her eyes off the bald man.
"Don't mind him," she said coldly. "He doesn't even know what an artifact is."
The bald man smirked. "Even better," he replied. "That means whatever he has… we'll take it."
"Tch… all I need is to kill you all, and it'll be over. And don't say anything—I'm already irritated," the woman said coldly.
In an instant, she raised her hand, and the countless floating daggers around her shot forward, all aimed at the armed men.
"Kill him!" the bald man shouted.
The armed men immediately rushed forward, weapons drawn—swords, axes, and blades of all kinds—charging straight toward them.
The woman's eyes sharpened.
With a flick of her fingers, the floating daggers changed direction mid-air.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Steel clashed violently as several weapons were deflected before they could reach her.
One dagger slipped through the gap—
SHUNK!
A man collapsed without a sound, a dagger embedded in his head. Then another fell. And another.
"There are so many… thirty—no, forty Mortal-level fighters… and one Master," she muttered under her breath, her expression tightening as she assessed the enemies closing in.
"But what is this feeling…? It feels like someone stronger is hiding nearby…"
He swallowed, sweat forming on his face as he fought against the armed men.
"No… I need to buy time for him to escape. Even if she has artifacts or something… he's just a Mortal level," he whispered to himself.
When he glanced back, he was shocked to see Kael already surrounded.
Without hesitation, he immediately changed the direction of his daggers, redirecting them mid-air.
Three men surrounding Kael fell instantly as the daggers struck their heads.
"Are you fools?! You can clearly see I'm trying to buy you time! Idiots!" she shouted, her voice furious as she fought while sweating.
"Go south! You'll reach Fortress Genesis!"
Kael slowly lowered his fingers, cutting off the formation of his ability mid-process. If he continued, it would likely mean the surrounding men would die.
His expression remained calm, like he didn't heard woman shouted.
"Kekeke~ it's too late. All my brothers are here. You two are completely surrounded, hahaha," the bald man said, his grin widening.
Then countless men emerged from the trees and bushes, their eyes glowing red with excitement as they closed in from all sides.