The tension in the forest thickened, the oppressive weight of danger making every step feel like a gamble. Rishitha's pulse quickened as her Eye of Knowledge highlighted yet another faint glow in her vision. The system's panels flashed warnings she couldn't afford to ignore.
[Trap Detected: Magical Arrow Trigger]
[Risk Level: Lethal]
[Advice: Avoid triggering at all costs. Damage radius: 5 meters.]
"Erin, don't move!" she shouted, her voice sharp with urgency.
Erin froze mid-step, his brow furrowing as he turned to her. "Sorry?"
But before she could explain, a younger boy from the group—one of the newer arrivals—rolled his eyes and muttered, "What's the big deal? There's nothing there."
"Stop!" Rishitha screamed, but it was too late.
The boy stomped forward, his careless step triggering the trap.
The ground rumbled, and glowing sigils lit up in a circle around the boy. His smug expression twisted into terror as magical arrows materialized, shooting out in every direction. The boy was struck instantly, and before anyone could react, the arrows tore through the group like a storm of death.
Screams erupted as four or five people collapsed, blood pooling around them.
Chaos broke loose.
People screamed and scattered, their panic turning them into easy targets for the forest's lurking dangers. Rishitha's heart sank as she watched the once-organized group devolve into chaos. This isn't a dream. This isn't a novel. This is real.
The metallic scent of blood filled the air, and Rishitha felt bile rise in her throat as the land quickly became painted in red. Her doubts and disbelief faded away completely, replaced by cold, hard reality.
"This is real," she whispered to herself. "They're really dying…"
"ALL OF YOU!" Ragith's booming voice cut through the chaos like a blade. He stood amidst the panic, his sword pointed at the scattering group, his face a mask of rage.
"You've had quite cushy lives until now, haven't you?!" he roared, his voice echoing in the unnatural silence that followed. "Haaa! You've been living in your safe little worlds, sheltered by your parents, pampered like spoiled brats! That's why you're all acting like cowards!"
People froze, their fear now mixed with resentment and confusion as they turned toward Ragith.
"If you don't stop running around like headless chickens," he snarled, "I'll kill you myself!"
The group erupted into heated arguments.
"Who does he think he is, threatening us?!" one man spat, stepping forward. "We didn't ask to be thrown into this hell!"
"Maybe if that stupid girl hadn't yelled, the trap wouldn't have gone off!" another shouted, glaring at Rishitha.
"She was trying to warn us!" Mo Tang snapped, stepping between Rishitha and the accuser. "If you'd just listened—"
"Enough!" Erin's voice cut through the commotion. He stepped forward, his gaze cold and commanding. "We can argue later. Right now, we either work together, or we die. Simple as that."
Rishitha barely heard Erin's words. Her mind was reeling, the glowing panels of her system bombarding her with new notifications.
[Hidden Mission: Lead the Group Out of the Forest Successfully – Status: Compromised]
[Warning: Group Morale Critical]
[Suggestion: Assert Leadership or Ally with a Strong Leader to Restore Order.]
Rishitha's chest tightened. How am I supposed to lead when they won't even trust me?
The system's cold, robotic voice echoed in her mind.
"They are expendable. Only the main characters matter for the story to proceed."
Her fists clenched. "No," she whispered under her breath. "I'm not letting anyone else die."
Drawing a deep breath, she stepped forward, her voice trembling but firm. "Listen to me! This place isn't just a forest—it's a death trap. If we don't stay calm and organized, it will kill every last one of us. I've seen the signs. I know how this works. If we stick together, we have a chance."
"Why should we trust you?" one of the survivors scoffed.
Rishitha hesitated, but Erin's voice came to her rescue. "Because she's the only one who's kept us alive so far. She saw the trap before anyone else. Do you really want to test your luck without her insight?"
The group fell silent, their fear outweighing their distrust—for now.
Ragith sneered but nodded. "Fine. Formation! Everyone in pairs. Keep your eyes open. And if anyone else feels like ignoring warnings—remember what happened just now."
The group shuffled into a loose formation, their movements stiff and reluctant.
As they began moving again, Rishitha's Eye of Knowledge scanned the path ahead, lighting up dangers and opportunities alike.
This isn't just about survival anymore. If I'm going to fix this story, I need to stop reacting and start taking control.
Her gaze hardened. No one else is dying on my watch.
The group trudged through the ominous forest, their nerves frayed with every step. Rishitha's Eye of Knowledge glimmered faintly, the subtle glow of warnings highlighting traps that would otherwise be invisible. The constant pressure of impending danger gnawed at her resolve, but she pressed on, her mind focused on keeping them alive.
As they cleared another trap—a cleverly concealed vine that would have triggered a pitfall—her system chimed again.
[Warning: Hostile Creatures Detected]
[Enemy: Dire Wolves]
[Quantity: 3]
[Danger Level: High]
[Advice: Focus on their leader. Disrupt their formation to weaken their attack.]
Rishitha froze, her breath catching in her throat.
"We've got company," she whispered.
Ragith stopped immediately, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Where?"
Rishitha pointed into the dense underbrush ahead and slightly to the left. "Three wolves. They'll attack as soon as they sense us. Their leader is the biggest threat—take it out, and the others will scatter."
Erin turned to her, his expression skeptical but curious. "How do you know that?"
Rishitha hesitated, her heart pounding. "I just… do. Trust me."
Erin studied her, his gaze piercing. Finally, he nodded. "Fine. Ragith, you take point. Mo Tang, keep to the back and heal the wounded if necessary. Rishitha, stay with me and the others."
The tension was palpable as the group adjusted their formation. Ragith drew his blade, his stance brimming with aggression.
Just as they prepared to move, a blue screen flashed before every member of the group.
[Global Mission: Prove Your Value]
Objective: Kill one or more monsters. Category: Sub Difficulty: F Time Limit: 1 Hour Reward: 100 coins Failure: Death.
A wave of murmurs swept through the group as the announcement faded.
"What? We're supposed to kill monsters now?" one man exclaimed, his voice tinged with panic.
"Three wolves? That's all? How are we supposed to complete the mission if there are only three?" a woman added, her tone accusatory as she glared at Rishitha.
Victor, a smug and manipulative survivor, seized the moment. "Well, isn't this convenient? The girl who knows everything suddenly tells us there are exactly three wolves right after we get a mission to kill monsters." He sneered, his voice dripping with suspicion.
"Are you saying she's lying?" Mo Tang snapped, his calm demeanor breaking for the first time.
"I'm saying it's suspicious," Victor replied smoothly. "She's the one who's been acting like she knows everything. Maybe she's hiding more than she's telling."
The group's unease grew, and a few people began nodding, their fear making them more susceptible to Victor's words.
"You're out of line," Erin said coldly, stepping forward to stand beside Rishitha. "We don't have time for this. If she says there are wolves, then there are wolves. Now focus."
Victor smirked. "Sure, let's just blindly follow her lead. But when this mission fails and people start dying, don't say I didn't warn you."
Before anyone could argue further, a low growl echoed through the trees. The group went silent, their eyes darting toward the sound.
The wolves emerged, their glowing eyes cutting through the gloom. The leader was a massive creature, its black fur streaked with silver and its teeth bared in a menacing snarl.
The other two wolves flanked it, their movements synchronized as they prowled toward the group.
"They're here!" Rishitha shouted, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins.
Ragith wasted no time, charging forward with his sword raised. The leader lunged at him, their clash sending a shockwave through the air.
The group scattered, some too terrified to fight. Others hesitated, their inexperience glaringly obvious.
"Stick together!" Erin barked, but his voice was drowned out by the chaos.
Victor took advantage of the confusion, fanning the flames of discord. "If you want to survive, you'll have to kill! Look around—there's no way everyone here will make it with just three wolves!"
People began eyeing one another, their fear twisting into desperation. A young man lunged at one of the wolves, but his inexperience cost him—he was swiftly overpowered and dragged down.
"Focus on the leader!" Rishitha yelled, her Eye of Knowledge highlighting its weak points. "If we take it out, the others will retreat!"
Erin and Ragith heeded her words, coordinating their attacks. Mo Tang stayed at the back, frantically healing the wounded.
Meanwhile, Rishitha turned her attention to the group. "Don't let Victor manipulate you!" she shouted. "If we fight together, we can survive this!"
After a grueling battle, the leader wolf fell, its massive body crashing to the ground. The remaining wolves whimpered and fled into the forest.
The group was left in a tense silence, their breaths ragged and their spirits frayed.
"You see?" Victor said, his tone smug. "We barely survived that, and there were only three. What happens next time?"
Erin stepped forward, his expression cold. "Next time, we fight smarter. Together. And if you can't handle that, Victor, feel free to leave."
Victor smirked but said nothing, his eyes narrowing as he studied Erin and Rishitha.
Rishitha glanced at the system panel in her vision.
[Global Mission: Prove Your Value – Status: Complete]
[Reward: 100 coins distributed to each participant.]
Despite the reward, the group's morale remained fragile. Rishitha knew this was only the beginning.
"If this is how fragile they are now… how will they survive what's coming next?"