“Huh!? What the—? Who the hell is that? I didn’t even look away!”

  The daylight filtering through the tall forest canopy cast fractured beams of gold across the clearing. The scent of damp earth, crushed leaves, and goblin blood hung thick in the air.

  Luna reacted instantly.

  She drew another arrow in one smooth motion, pulling the string tight until her fingers trembled with tension. The wood of her bow creaked softly as faint green energy began to gather around the arrowhead.

  The figure before her appeared to be another Player—one who had been hunting the Goblins.

  “Who are you?” Luna demanded, her voice sharp as flint. “What do you want?”

  The Player slowly turned.

  It was a young girl.

  She stared at Luna with a cold, lifeless expression. No fear. No surprise. Just emptiness.

  Luna didn’t flinch. Didn’t step back. Her arrow remained aimed directly at the girl’s forehead.

  For a long moment, neither moved.

  The forest went quiet. Even the wind seemed to hesitate.

  Then—

  Ding!

  “You have encountered a Player.”

  “Please be cautious.”

  Both received the notification.

  Neither broke eye contact.

  Ding!

  “Newly encountered Players cannot be identified unless that Player allows it.”

  Luna’s patience began to thin.

  “Are you just going to stand there all day?” she snapped.

  The girl continued staring. Then, in a soft, almost detached voice—

  “You killed it.”

  Luna frowned. “What?”

  “You killed it… that was my kill.”

  The girl shifted slightly, revealing a bloody dagger in her right hand. Fresh goblin blood dripped slowly onto the leaves below.

  Luna’s eyes flicked to the weapon.

  “How was I supposed to know it was yours?” Luna shot back. “The Goblin jumped out of the bushes.”

  The metallic scent of blood mixed with the earthy smell of moss and bark.

  The girl took a slow step forward.

  “I attacked it first,” she said calmly. “It was my kill.”

  Luna adjusted her stance, boots grinding against gravel and twigs.

  “Even if you did attack it first,” Luna replied coldly, “you didn’t finish the job. That’s on you.”

  The tension thickened.

  Another step.

  “Oh? Is that fucking right?” the girl asked, tightening her grip on her dagger.

  Luna’s arrow flared brighter green.

  “Bitch!,” Luna warned, voice low and lethal, “If you dont want an arrow through your FUCKING forehead, i suggest you step back.”

  The girl’s serious expression slowly twisted into a disturbing grin.

  Ding!

  “ALERT! A Player has expressed animosity towards you!”

  Luna scanned the pop-up quickly… then smiled.

  “Oh yeah?” she muttered darkly. “Right back at you, bitch.”

  They stood there—two predators—waiting for the other to make the first move.

  Suddenly, bushes rustled sharply nearby.

  Both turned instantly.

  A man stepped out, hands raised.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa! What’s going on here?”

  “Who the hell are you?” Luna snapped without lowering her bow.

  “Okay! Okay! Easy!” he said quickly. “My name’s Daniel. I’ve been wandering around and saw smoke. Figured there were people here. Clearly, I was right.”

  He slowly lowered his arms and stepped closer. The smell of sweat and panic clung to him.

  The tension eased—but only slightly.

  Then another man entered the clearing from the direction of the camp.

  “What the hell? So there are people here.”

  He scanned them all carefully.

  “So… you’re Players too?”

  Daniel’s eyes widened.

  “Wait—do you guys have floating blue screens too!?”

  He looked almost relieved.

  “Oh my God, I thought I was the only one! You see them too? What does yours say?”

  His open, nervous tone chipped away at the hostility in the air.

  The second man stepped forward confidently.

  “Let’s make this simple. It’s safe to assume we were all transported here, right?”

  Everyone nodded.

  “And I’m also assuming we all received the same task?”

  Silence.

  “The Player must level up and survive within the time limit. Correct?”

  More nods.

  “Good. Then we share the same objective.”

  He straightened.

  “Hello. My name is Zack. I am a C-Rank Knight. Pleasure to meet you.”

  Daniel jumped in.

  “Oh! Right! Umm—my name is Daniel, and I’m a B-Rank Warrior! It’s really good to meet you!”

  Silence followed.

  Luna never once took her eyes off the girl.

  Then—

  The girl stepped back.

  Her serious expression softened into something calm. Almost gentle.

  Only Luna noticed.

  The girl wiped her blood-soaked dagger clean on a cloth and sheathed it.

  “I guess it can’t be helped…” she murmured.

  Her eyes locked onto Luna’s again.

  “My name is Nicole. I am an A-Rank Assassin.” A small grin curved her lips. “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.”

  Luna’s thoughts sharpened.

  An A-Rank Assassin…

  That explains the undetected movement. The System didn’t notify me until I noticed her. Annoying.

  She glanced at Daniel and Zack.

  Warrior. Knight. No secondary class revealed.

  Too risky.

  Luna lowered her bow slightly but kept Nicole within her peripheral vision.

  Nicole suddenly looked completely different—calm, almost sweet.

  It was unsettling.

  “Giving away your Rank and Class doesn’t seem very smart,” Luna said evenly. “I don’t know any of you. And frankly? I’m not interested.”

  Daniel quickly stepped forward.

  “Wait! Wouldn’t it be better if we worked together? We all have the same objective!”

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  Zack nodded. “There’s strength in numbers.”

  “Not happening,” Luna cut him off. “Maybe I’d party with the two of you. And that’s a building-sized maybe. But her?” She jerked her chin toward Nicole. “She can kick rocks.”

  Nicole stepped forward smoothly.

  “I believe she’s right.”

  Daniel and Zack blinked.

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Nicole continued sweetly. “There is strength in numbers. But strength is built on trust.”

  She looked directly at Luna.

  “And I don’t feel comfortable with someone who points an arrow at my face moments after meeting me.”

  Daniel gasped. “You did that?”

  “Yes,” Luna said sharply. “Because she kept stepping closer after I told her to back the hell off.”

  Nicole tilted her head.

  “I don’t recall being in striking distance,” she said calmly. “If anything… you’re the only one who could’ve hurt anyone. Right where you stood.”

  Zack and Daniel exchanged uncertain looks.

  Luna saw exactly what Nicole was doing.

  “Oh, you bitch,” Luna muttered under her breath.

  She exhaled slowly.

  “Believe whatever you want. I made it clear—I don’t want any of you near me. I’m leaving.”

  She turned.

  “Oh, almost forgot,” she added over her shoulder. “There are swords and shields inside the tent for the Knight and the Warrior. And don’t forget…”

  She glanced back once.

  “Assassins usually stab you in the back.”

  Then she walked into the woods.

  The forest swallowed her quickly—sunlight flickering across her silhouette, leaves crunching beneath her boots.

  Zack turned to Nicole—

  She was gone.

  No sound. No trace.

  “Damn… that’s unsettling,” Zack muttered.

  “Come on, Daniel. Let’s gear up.”

  “I’m coming!” Daniel replied nervously, glancing into the trees.

  As Luna moved deeper into the woods, the air grew cooler. Pine sap, damp bark, and distant mountain air filled her lungs.

  She made sure she put serious distance between herself and the camp.

  She was still irritated—but focused.

  “Open Inventory.”

  Ding!

  The translucent blue screen shimmered before her. Items floated in disorganized clusters.

  She began inspecting them one by one.

  The scent of crushed herbs lingered as she examined a fruit.

  Ding!

  “Item Name: Sylvanheart Apple”

  “Rarity: Epic”

  “Type: Consumable”

  “Effects:”

  “Gradual HP regeneration (3% per second) for 60 seconds.”

  “Removes minor poisons and toxins.”

  The apple smelled faintly of fresh rain and tree bark.

  “A fruit… with stat effects?” Luna muttered. “Good to know.”

  Next item.

  Ding!

  “Item Name: Petalfruit”

  “Rarity: Rare”

  “Effect: Instantly restores 20% HP. Removes fear and charm effects.”

  It carried a soft floral fragrance.

  “Wow… that’s actually beautiful. Shame I might have to eat it.”

  Then—

  Ding!

  “Item Name: Tidecore Crystallite”

  “Rarity: Uncommon”

  “Type: Material”

  “Can increase effectiveness of weapons, armor, and accessories.”

  The crystal pulsed faintly blue, humming softly in her palm.

  “Gorgeous… and useful.”

  She sorted everything.

  Ding!

  “Sorted by Type.”

  “Perfect.”

  She resumed hunting.

  The forest echoed with distant goblin chatter—high-pitched and guttural.

  Luna moved like a phantom.

  Arrow after arrow pierced skulls.

  Bodies dropped into ferns and moss.

  With every kill, she smiled.

  Ding!

  “You have leveled up!”

  “You are now Level 3!”

  “You are now Level 4!”

  “You are now Level 5!”

  “Skill Tree Unlocked!”

  She sat on a flat rock, breathing steadily.

  “Skill Tree.”

  The menu exploded with information.

  “What the hell…”

  She skimmed.

  “Three paths…”

  “Path of the Archer—physical damage and mobility.”

  “Path of the Mystic—mana control and battlefield manipulation.”

  “Path of the Eclipse Archer—hybrid.”

  Her lips curved.

  “Got it.”

  “System, I’ve made my choice.”

  Ding!

  “New Skill Unlocked!”

  Her bowstring glowed green.

  A mana-forged arrow formed instantly.

  She drew.

  The air trembled.

  She released.

  A shockwave rippled through leaves and dirt. The arrow tore across the forest—

  Impact.

  A goblin’s head exploded clean off.

  The body collapsed.

  Luna smiled darkly.

  “Now that was awesome.”

  Ding!

  “Skill now active: Eclipse Arrow.”

  She distributed her stats carefully.

  After confirming—

  Ding!

  “Final Results.”

  HP: 124

  MP: 104

  STR: 7

  DEF: 5

  SPD: 7

  INT: 7

  MND: 5

  “Good.”

  She continued moving.

  Eventually, she spotted a cave embedded into the mountainside. Cool air drifted from within, carrying the scent of minerals and damp stone.

  She inspected the entrance carefully.

  No traps.

  She entered.

  Darkness swallowed the daylight behind her.

  The air inside was colder, heavier. Metallic. Ancient.

  A faint glow flickered deeper inside.

  Curiosity pulled her forward.

  She emerged into an abandoned mine shaft. Rusted tools lay scattered. Broken carts. Splintered beams. The smell of iron and rot lingered.

  “What the hell happened here…?”

  Then she saw it.

  A glow beneath debris.

  She moved equipment aside quickly.

  Four large blue crystals shimmered beneath the rubble.

  Her eyes widened.

  “These look like the Tidecore… but bigger. Brighter.”

  Before she could inspect further—

  Ding!

  “There are Monsters nearby!”

  Luna’s smile faded.

  “Damn it.”