Kade didn't blink. His gaze followed the bead of blood sliding down the girl's hand.
Blonde hair—no, golden. Shoulder length. Eyes the color of cold steel.
Average height. Lean, but far from fragile. The way she stood was tight, balanced—someone who knew exactly how to hold her ground. No older than him, yet her stare carried a weight most people their age would never bear.
She studied him right back — Euthy, precise and hard as a whetstone. Average build. Close-range fighter. Quick eyes. Smart enough to size her up while pretending not to. But why was he standing so close to that boy? Protecting him… or using him?
Elian stayed silent behind Kade, barely moving. He seemed to understand—if these two fought, the trees wouldn't be drinking rain today.
The standoff might have lasted longer if not for the sound—branches breaking in uneven rhythm, footsteps stumbling and desperate.
A girl burst through the treeline, breath tearing from her lungs. Mud streaked her knees. One arm clutched her ribs. Her head whipped back once, a quick, terrified glance, before she pushed harder. Even her hair looked panicked, loose strands stuck to her face with sweat. She didn't speak, didn't beg—just ran like the forest itself wanted her dead.
Euthy's gaze snapped after her. That kind of fear only came from a predator.
And right on cue, the predator arrived.
He was huge—shoulders broad, muscles layered thick beneath a torn shirt, a heavy axe swinging loosely in one hand. Vox, by the way he grinned and carried weight like an announcement. Even his steps seemed heavy enough to crack bone.
"Damn branches," he muttered, shoving one aside with a casual flick.
The girl didn't get far. Euthy stepped into her path, blade already drawn. "Run," she ordered.
The girl obeyed.
"Oy, oy, oy—let us have fun. What's wrong with you? I think I hate you already," the man said, voice almost playful.
"Do you need to kill her that badly?" Euthy's tone was flat.
"Yes," he replied, grinning. "Besides, that's what we're supposed to do, no—"
The axe came down. Euthy caught it on her blade, letting the steel slide along the edge in one smooth, practiced motion. No surprise in her eyes.
Kade's gaze stayed on Euthy, but his mind was already working on an exit. No point sticking around for an axe demonstration.
His hand shot back, gripping Elian's arm and yanking him into motion. "Move."
They made it maybe ten steps before cold letters slammed into his vision.
[SYSTEM WARNING] NEW CONDITION: Attempting to escape an active engagement will result in a penalty.
"You've got to be kidding me," Kade muttered.
He skidded to a stop. Elian stumbled beside him, confused.
That's when he saw it—hovering in the clearing, perfectly still between two trees.
A black sphere, glossy, the kind of darkness that swallowed light instead of reflecting it. Its presence pulled at the air, like the forest was leaning toward it. The wind died. Even the insects had gone silent.
Had it been there the whole time? Watching?
Its surface rippled. A mouth formed—too wide, teeth too sharp. The grin seemed to draw the air tighter around them, pressing in on the lungs.
Euthy saw it too. Even Vox, the axe-wielding brute, froze for half a second.
The sphere's smile widened.
"You are taking too long," said the same mocking voice from before. "I'll send you a little help. Be grateful."
"…What the fuck," Kade muttered.
The ground split with a wet, tearing sound. Something dragged itself up—six legs, jointed wrong, each as long as Kade was tall. Its skin glistened like something peeled from the deep sea. The stench rolled over them—rot and salt, heavy enough to stick to the tongue.
In its jaws, screaming, was the same girl who had fled past them moments ago. Her kicks were weak now, arms thrashing in jerks, voice breaking into raw, ragged gasps. One leg bent wrong.
The thing's teeth sank in. Her scream cut off like a rope snapping.
Silence.
Vox broke it first. "Hah… hahahahaha! Perfect. Thanks for the gift." He surged forward, boots crushing the boy Euthy had killed seconds earlier.
Euthy moved too—kicking the corpse aside to clear her footing, blade catching the light as she turned.
Kade knew his options were gone. Running wasn't one anymore. Between the pervert with the axe and the thing with too many legs, standing by would only make him the next target.
The spider-thing's screech ripped through the clearing, sharp enough to shake the air in Kade's lungs. Vox met it head-on, his axe crashing down with all the weight in his frame—only for the blade to rebound, sparks spitting from chitin hard as stone. The impact jarred his arms, his grin faltering for a fraction of a second.
Euthy came in low, her sword flashing in a clean horizontal slash. It barely scratched the surface before the creature's leg whipped out, forcing her to backflip away or be skewered.
Black ichor? None. Just a dull, ugly scrape in its armor. Silver was not effective.
"Trying to run again, little rat? Survive long enough… or die. And if you stay still for too long… there will be punishment."
The black sphere pulsed once, like it was laughing.
[SYSTEM NOTICE] URGENT EVENT: Survive the Widowmaw or die. Time limit: 5 minutes.
Reward: STAYING ALIVE (Maybe you'll even manage to kill it.)
Kade's jaw clenched. Another penalty, just for staying alive the wrong way. Figures.
He crouched, pressing a hand to Elian's shoulder. "This'll keep you alive. If someone sees you—run. Don't stop." A faint glow wrapped Elian's arm as Greta's Protection settled over him.
Then Kade launched himself toward the chaos—not out of heroics, not even fear—just because in this game, even staying alive had rules… and I hated rules.