As Rishitha sat silently, the discussions around the fire grew louder. Ragith, Erin, and Mo Tang were still debating the next steps, but her mind was elsewhere. Her personal system chimed softly in her mind, the robotic voice cool and detached.
[System Notification: New Missions Available]
The words glowed in her mind's eye, the sudden influx of information causing her heart to race.
[Main Mission: The Trial of Courage]
[Sub-Missions: The Whispering Woods & The Spirit of the Woods]
Her system interface expanded, and she scanned the details rapidly. The Guardian of Fear, the ancient wellspring, the tormented spirits—it was overwhelming, but there was no time to hesitate.
Rishitha's thoughts swirled. These are connected to the overarching story mission. If I fail here, it's not just me—everyone here will suffer, and the world itself could collapse.
Her gaze flickered to her companions. Mo Tang's fierce determination, Ragith's loyalty, Erin's calculating eyes—they didn't know how much rested on this. They couldn't.
She took a slow breath and focused. Think. Prioritize. What comes first? The Guardian? The spirits? What about the traps in the forest?
The phrase "Secrets of the Forest" resonated deeply in her mind. If they could uncover the hidden paths and environmental traps first, it would prepare them for the greater challenges ahead. But she couldn't reveal everything—trust was still fragile, and not everyone would react well to knowing the stakes.
Plan step by step, she thought. No need to burden them with the weight of the world yet. Just keep everyone alive.
"I think we're overlooking something," Rishitha said suddenly, cutting through the conversation. The three turned to look at her, surprise flickering in their expressions.
"What is it?" Erin asked, his voice curious but cautious.
"This forest is more than just a trial for survival," she said carefully. "There's something deeper here—secrets we haven't uncovered yet. If we don't figure them out, we'll never be able to move forward. The traps, the monsters... they're not just obstacles. They're part of a design."
Mo Tang frowned. "Design? What do you mean?"
"I mean," Rishitha hesitated for a fraction of a second, "if we can figure out the patterns, we'll have an easier time surviving. Maybe even find advantages we didn't expect."
Erin tilted his head, intrigued. "You think there's more to this forest than just surviving for ten days?"
Rishitha nodded. "I'm certain of it."
"We've been focused on brute force," Rishitha continued. "Fighting monsters, hunting for food, building shelters. Those are all important, but we need to start thinking smarter. Explore. Look for hidden paths, clues, anything that might give us an edge."
Ragith nodded slowly. "That makes sense. If this is a trial, it's testing more than just our strength."
"But how do we divide our focus?" Mo Tang asked, glancing around the group. "We can't afford to split up too much. It's too dangerous."
"I'll take the lead on exploring the traps," Rishitha offered quickly. "I've been observing patterns in the environment—something about the way the trees are aligned, the way the air feels heavier in some places. I think I can figure it out."
"I'll handle combat," Ragith said firmly. "If there are monsters, I'll keep them at bay."
"Mo Tang can focus on keeping us alive," Erin added. "Medical supplies, food, water—if we're not healthy, none of this will matter."
"And you?" Mo Tang asked Erin.
Erin's expression hardened. "I'll watch our backs. Victor might not be a threat now, but he's not the only one we need to worry about. We're not alone in this forest."
As the group nodded in agreement, Rishitha felt a flicker of relief. The weight of her hidden missions was still heavy, but for now, the others were aligned.
Step by step, she reminded herself. Lead them out of the cave, find the Guardian's lair, soothe the spirits, and survive. Then, face whatever comes next.
Unbeknownst to the others, her system chimed again, a final reminder of her ultimate goal.
[System Notification: Failure is not an option. The world depends on your success.]
Rishitha swallowed hard, steeling herself. I won't fail. Not again.
Rishitha's thoughts churned as the group fell into action. They had agreed to her strategy without knowing the full scope of her insight. And they couldn't know. Not yet.
It wasn't just that she'd read the story of this world before—not just her knowledge of a novel gone haywire. No, her edge was something far more potent: the Eye of Knowledge.
The Eye of Knowledge
Granted by her system, the Eye of Knowledge was a skill unlike any other. It allowed her to see the unseen—details others would miss. Every interaction, every environment, every enemy, and ally presented itself to her in a game-like panel format, showing stats, skills, weaknesses, and sometimes even intentions.
She could scan a monster and see its health bar, its most dangerous attacks, and how to counter them. She could look at traps and deduce their mechanisms. She could even sense hidden missions or opportunities others would walk right past.
But the skill came with a weight. The knowledge was overwhelming at times, and it came with a bitter truth: no one else could see what she saw.
Why Her?
As they moved cautiously through the forest, Rishitha pondered the question that had haunted her since the system's robotic voice first spoke to her. Why me?
It wasn't just that she'd been pulled into a collapsing story. It wasn't just that she'd read the novel before. There was something else—something the system hadn't told her but that she could feel deep in her bones.
The Eye of Knowledge wasn't a random gift. It was given for a reason. She suspected the system knew she wouldn't survive otherwise.
"The story is collapsing. You are the only one who can correct it."
The words echoed in her mind, and she clenched her fists. It wasn't fair. Why did she have to carry the burden of fixing a world that wasn't even hers?
But if I succeed… if I gather enough points… I can turn back time. I can save them.
Her parents' faces flashed in her mind, and her resolve hardened. She couldn't let the weight of this knowledge crush her. She had to use it.
The forest grew darker as they ventured deeper, the trees twisting unnaturally, their branches clawing at the sky. Rishitha's Eye of Knowledge activated instinctively, scanning the environment.
[Location: Whispering Woods]
Danger Level: Moderate
Notable Features: Traps, Ancient Magic Residues, Hostile Creatures.
A faint glow appeared in her vision, highlighting a patch of ground that looked like any other to the untrained eye. She stepped in front of Ragith, who was about to walk directly into it.
"Wait," she said, her voice firm.
"What is it?" Ragith asked, frowning.
Rishitha pointed to the ground. "Trap."
Mo Tang crouched, inspecting the area. "I don't see anything."
"It's subtle," Rishitha replied, her heart pounding. "But the way the ground is disturbed—it's not natural."
Erin narrowed his eyes. "Good catch. Let's go around."
Rishitha nodded, relief washing over her. They trusted her instincts, even if they didn't fully understand them.
As they continued, her system chimed again, and a new notification appeared.
[Warning: Hostile Creatures Detected]
[Enemy: Dire Wolves]
[Quantity: 3]
[Danger Level: High]
[Advice: Focus on their leader. Disrupt their formation to weaken their attack.]
Her breath hitched. "We've got company," she whispered.
Ragith tensed, gripping his sword. "Where?"
"Three wolves, ahead and to the left," Rishitha said, pointing. "They'll attack as soon as they sense us. Their leader is the biggest threat—take it out first, and the others will fall into disarray."
"How do you know that?" Erin asked, his tone sharp.
Rishitha hesitated. "I… just do. Trust me."
Erin stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Fine. Ragith, you take point. Mo Tang, stay back and heal as needed. Rishitha, stick with me."
The dire wolves burst from the underbrush moments later, their fangs gleaming in the dim light. The largest one—a beast nearly twice the size of the others—let out a guttural growl and lunged for Ragith.
Rishitha's system lit up, highlighting the weak point at the base of the wolf's neck.
"Ragith! Go for its neck!" she shouted.
Ragith swung his blade in a wide arc, striking the exact spot she'd indicated. The wolf let out a pained yelp, its movements faltering.
The other two wolves hesitated, their formation breaking. Erin took advantage of the moment, slashing at one while Ragith finished off the leader. Mo Tang cast a healing spell on Ragith just as the last wolf fell.
The fight was over in minutes, but Rishitha's hands were trembling. Every time I use the Eye of Knowledge, I'm reminded of the weight of it. Knowing what's coming doesn't make it any less terrifying.
As they caught their breath, Erin turned to her, his expression unreadable. "You knew exactly where to strike. How?"
Rishitha forced a smile. "Observation. Wolves have weak points, just like anything else."
Erin didn't look convinced, but he let it drop.
Mo Tang, however, clapped her on the shoulder. "Whatever you're doing, keep it up. You saved us back there."
Rishitha nodded, but her mind was racing. They can't know the truth—not yet. The Eye of Knowledge is my only advantage, and if they knew I could see everything… they might not trust me.
But as the system chimed again with another notification, she knew the road ahead would only get harder.
[System Notification: New Sub-Mission Unlocked]
[Objective: Protect the Group from the Hidden Guardian]
[Reward: ???]
Rishitha's chest tightened. The Eye of Knowledge might show me what's coming, but it doesn't make the journey any less dangerous.