The dense forest stretched endlessly, its towering trees blotting out the sky and casting the ground in perpetual shadow. Their roots rose like ancient serpents frozen mid-slither, forming massive obstacles for anyone unlucky enough to traverse them. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth, and each step through the muddy ground made an unpleasant squelching sound.
"Who even designed this forest?" Kallus muttered, his voice echoing faintly through the oppressive silence. "Roots shouldn't be this big. It's like climbing a stack of logs every ten steps!" He stopped to catch his breath, glaring up at the tangled roots that stretched above him.
From atop one of the enormous roots, Seraphina peered down at him with an unimpressed expression. Her Silver hair framed her pale face, her sharp crystal blue eyes cold and calculating as usual. She crouched, extending a hand down toward him.
"You sure complain a lot for someone who was so confident about 'leading the charge' back at the start of this mission," she said flatly, her tone carrying the faintest edge of mockery.
Kallus tilted his head back, a grin spreading across his face. His dark eyes glinted with mischief as he rubbed his chin theatrically.
Seraphina raised an eyebrow, her gaze still neutral. "What's that look for?" she asked, her voice monotone but laced with faint irritation.
Kallus chuckled, his grin widening. "Oh, nothing," he said, his tone light and teasing. "Just admiring how even when you're helping me, you still manage to radiate that haughty, noble aura. But beneath all that grace and poise…" He trailed off, his voice taking on a conspiratorial edge. "There's a devious side to you, isn't there, Lady Seraphina?"
Her eyes narrowed. "And what, exactly, are you implying?" she asked, her voice dropping several degrees.
Kallus leaned casually against the massive root, folding his arms. "I'm just saying," he began, his tone dripping with mock innocence, "black is a good color on you."
There was a pause.
"What?"
"I mean, your panties. Black suits you."
The temperature seemed to drop several degrees as Seraphina's expression darkened. Her hand twitched, and in an instant, a shimmering bow of mana manifested in her grasp. She rose to her full height, aiming the weapon directly at Kallus, who was still grinning like an idiot from below.
"Be prepared to die," she said coldly, her tone devoid of emotion but her intent crystal clear.
Kallus froze for a moment, his grin faltering as he realized she wasn't bluffing. "W-Wait, hey! It was a compliment!" he stammered, holding his hands up defensively.
Before Seraphina could loose a mana arrow, a voice rang out from the distance.
"Hey! I found one of the objectives!" Ash shouted, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere like a blade.
Seraphina hesitated, her bow still aimed at Kallus. The weapon shimmered for a moment longer before dissolving into wisps of mana. Without sparing him another glance, she turned and leapt gracefully to another root, her movements fluid and precise as she augmented her legs with mana.
Kallus let out a relieved sigh, though he couldn't help but shout after her, "You don't have to be so uptight, you know! At least help me up!"
Seraphina ignored him entirely, bounding from root to root with an almost insulting ease.
Kallus stood there for a moment, staring after her. Then, as if a lightbulb had gone off in his head, he smacked his forehead with his palm.
"Wait a second," he muttered to himself. "I can just use mana to get up there."
He groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Why didn't I think of that sooner?"
Muttering curses under his breath, Kallus began to focus, gathering mana into his legs. "You're an idiot, Kallus," he grumbled as he prepared to leap.
Nearby, Ash waited patiently on another root with an amused smirk. As Seraphina lands beside him, she crosses her arms and looks back toward Kallus, who is still fumbling with his mana.
"I give him three more minutes before he gives up," Seraphina deadpans.
Ash chuckles. "I'll bet two."