Time blurred, and in the blink of an eye, a week had gone by.

Ethan blinked, staring at Logan as though he couldn’t comprehend his words.

"You want me to follow you and Luna on an expedition to explore an Origin Gate?"

Logan smiled and nodded.

"We’ve taken permission from the academy to head to one of the high-ranked dungeons. It’ll be good for improving our strengths and teamwork."

"Teamwork..." Ethan muttered with a slight frown.

He stared at Logan evenly.

"But you know you and I aren’t friends."

Over the past week, there had been several clashes between the two.

Ethan found it surprising that Logan still considered him a friend.

’Could he be planning something?’

This was Ethan’s first thought, but he quickly ruled it out.

It was impossible to kill another student without the academy finding out. He believed Logan would never take such a risk.

’Then why?’

He frowned slightly.

Logan smiled and extended his hand.

"There’s no need to think about it too deeply. There’s a first time for everything, right?"

Ethan hesitated.

Ultimately, he stretched out his hand, and the two shook hands.

"Sorry about the incidents from before," Ethan said unexpectedly.

"As special students, we were competing against each other. I can understand," Logan replied with a smile.

Ethan didn’t see the hidden intent behind that smile and simply nodded, a smile soon forming on his own face.

"When do we leave for the mission?"

"Now."

As Logan spoke, the air rippled slightly, and Luna materialized out of thin air.

Ethan’s eyes flashed with shock.

He hadn’t even sensed that Luna was there.

Earlier that morning, Logan had already informed Daenerys of his departure.

Of course, he’d forcefully taken Snow with him, knowing the cat would be useful.

Daenerys had offered to come with him, but he hesitated.

He still remembered the shadow’s threat about taking away everything he cherished.

Within the seven days he’d spent with Daenerys, the friction in their relationship had dissolved, and Logan had gradually begun accepting her as his woman.

His feelings were still a little complicated.

Previously, he thought loving two people at the same time was impossible.

But now...

He felt something for Daenerys and similarly felt the same for Evelyn.

Logan sighed, deciding not to dwell on it.

Daenerys’ Origin Ability would evolve within a day or two after his departure.

With her newfound strength, she could defend herself.

Setting the thought of Daenerys aside, Logan glanced at the two beside him.

Luna was needed because her Origin Ability could come in handy.

Although Snow had long since copied it, Logan still wanted to at least fulfill his promise to her.

"Are you guys set?"

Luna nodded.

Ethan paused briefly.

"I don’t have any loved ones to say goodbye to. I’m set to go."

Ethan was particularly excited. He’d never imagined heading out on an adventure so soon.

Normally, he was someone who was always eager for adventures.

It was one of the traits that had enabled him to stumble into Origin Gates and discover forbidden treasures that aided his rise in the original novel.

Logan smiled at both of them and nodded.

With that, the three soon left the school premises.

They took a car, and it sped off into the distance.

Time blurred, and before long, the towering walls of the academy had vanished behind them.

The car glided smoothly along the highway, its engine humming softly as civilization stretched endlessly around them.

Rows of buildings flashed by outside the windows.

Busy streets.

Crowded intersections.

Towering structures reaching toward the clouds.

People moved about their daily lives, completely unaware that three academy students were heading toward one of the most dangerous locations in the country.

Inside the vehicle, silence dominated.

Luna sat quietly by the window.

Snow rested comfortably on Logan’s lap, lazily flicking its tail.

Ethan, however, could barely remain still.

His eyes constantly wandered outside.

Every few minutes, he found himself asking another question.

"How far is the dungeon?"

"No idea."

"What rank is it exactly?"

"We’ll know when we get there."

"How dangerous do you think it’ll be?"

Logan merely smiled.

Ethan clicked his tongue.

Talking to Logan was sometimes like punching cotton.

Several hours passed.

Gradually, the scenery began to change.

The skyscrapers disappeared.

The roads became emptier.

The dense flow of traffic slowly faded away until only a handful of vehicles remained.

Soon, even those became rare.

Fields replaced buildings.

Rolling hills stretched into the distance.

The air outside seemed fresher.

Colder.

Wilder.

The signs of civilization grew fewer and fewer.

Eventually, the highway narrowed into a long road cutting through an enormous forest.

Ancient trees towered on both sides.

Their massive branches intertwined overhead, forming a natural canopy that blocked much of the sunlight.

The farther they traveled, the darker it became.

The driver tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

Even he appeared slightly uneasy.

"This place always gives me chills."

Nobody replied.

The forest seemed unnaturally quiet.

There were no birds.

No insects.

No sounds beyond the low growl of the engine.

Even Ethan slowly stopped talking.

A faint frown appeared on his face.

The deeper they traveled, the stranger the atmosphere became.

The road twisted through the forest like a black serpent.

Sunlight gradually vanished.

Shadows thickened.

The world beyond the windows blurred.

Green became dark green.

Dark green became black.

Until eventually, it felt as though they were driving straight into darkness itself.

Ethan shifted uncomfortably.

"Why does it feel like we’re entering another world?"

Luna’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"I can sense traces of spatial distortion."

The words immediately caused Ethan’s expression to change.

Even Logan looked outside with greater interest.

The forest had become far too silent.

Far too still.

As though the world itself was holding its breath.

Then...

The driver suddenly stiffened.

His eyes widened.

"What the...?!"

SCREEEECH!

The vehicle came to an abrupt stop.

Everyone was thrown slightly forward before the seatbelts pulled them back.

Snow instantly raised its head.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

"What happened?"

The driver stared ahead through the windshield, his face slowly losing color.

"T-There’s someone ahead."

The words immediately caused everyone to look forward.

The moment Ethan’s gaze landed on the figure standing in the middle of the road, his breath caught.

A woman.

She stood alone amidst the darkness.

Motionless.

Silent.

As though she had always been there.

The deeper one looked, the harder it became to look away.

Her beauty was flawless.

Not beautiful in the way ordinary people were beautiful.

No.

It was something beyond that.

Long silver hair flowed down her back like liquid moonlight.

Her skin was flawless to an unnatural degree, untouched by even the slightest imperfection.

Delicate features rested upon her face with impossible symmetry, creating a visage that seemed less like a human being and more like a masterpiece sculpted by the heavens themselves.

Yet that perfection only made her more unsettling.

Because perfection wasn’t natural.

The forest had become completely silent.

No wind.

No insects.

No sound.

Only the woman.

Watching.

Waiting.

Ethan unconsciously swallowed.

Every instinct in his body screamed that something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Luna’s eyes narrowed.

Even her spatial senses couldn’t determine when the woman had appeared.

One second, the road had been empty.

The next, she was standing there. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

As though reality itself had simply inserted her into existence.

Logan remained silent.

His gaze rested on the woman.

At first, he merely observed her.

Then his expression slowly changed.

A flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes.

Because unlike the others, he noticed something.

The woman wasn’t looking at Ethan.

Nor Luna.

Nor the driver.

Her eyes had never left him.

Not once.

The realization caused Logan’s pupils to narrow slightly.

The woman smiled.

It was a gentle smile.

A beautiful smile.

And for some reason, that smile made the atmosphere even heavier.

Then she moved.

One step.

Just one.

Yet it felt as though the entire forest shifted alongside her.

The shadows trembled.

The air distorted.

A pressure beyond description descended upon the surroundings.

Ethan’s face paled.

Luna’s body instantly tensed.

Even Snow stood up.

The woman’s lips parted.

Her voice drifted through the silent forest like a soft whisper.

Yet every person inside the vehicle heard it clearly.

"Fellow Chosen One."

Her smile widened ever so slightly.

"Why don’t we chat for a bit?"

Her silver eyes locked onto Logan’s.

"I have a few things I’ve been meaning to ask you."

...

Author’s Note: Chapters are longer. Work is quite hectic, so just two Chapters today. Happy new month once again!