What stopped us in our tracks was another group of humans. They were geared from head to toe with exquisite equipment, their weapons gleaming with an aura of power. It was an ensemble that screamed experience—or arrogance.
"Halt your steps," one of the four commanded, stepping forward. He was a swordsman, his blade resting casually on his shoulder. Beside him stood a man with a towering shield, clearly their tank. Behind them was a girl clad in robes, her staff glowing faintly with magical energy—a mage. And finally, a man whose calm demeanor and light armor marked him as their healer.
The swordsman's eyes narrowed as he addressed us. "You two, did you clear the monsters ahead?"
Seok-Hyun remained silent, his expression unreadable. I didn't bother replying either. Instead, I let my gaze drift over them, taking in every detail—the way they moved, the way their weapons were held.
"Analyse," I thought, activating the ability Kailus had cursed me with. The screen flickered to life, and the information appeared before me. It worked on humans, too, revealing their strengths and weaknesses in sharp clarity.
The swordsman's armor had a weak joint at the shoulder—a spot an arrow or precise strike could exploit. The tank's shield was nearly indestructible, but his movements were sluggish, leaving his legs vulnerable. The mage's staff seemed to be the source of her power, and without it, she'd likely be useless. The healer had no notable weaknesses, but his lack of offensive capability made him dependent on the others.
I said nothing as I scanned them, my expression remaining flat, disinterested. They were strong—but not invincible.
"Well?" the swordsman pressed, his tone sharper this time.
Seok-Hyun finally spoke, his voice calm but cold. "What does it matter to you?"
The tension thickened as the two groups stood facing each other, the air heavy with unspoken challenges. I remained quiet, letting Seok-Hyun handle the interaction. My hand, however, rested lightly on my blade, just in case.
The shield warrior stepped forward, placing a firm hand on the swordsman's shoulder and pulling him back. "Pyke, stand down," he said, his voice steady with authority.
He turned to me, his gaze steady but not unkind. "Lady, I can't help but notice you sizing us up and down. Care to share your thoughts?"
The question felt strangely casual, almost out of place given the tension, but I decided to respond. My tone remained lifeless, my words plain. "Formidable, yes. Undefeatable? Not quite. I'll lose in a fight, though."
The shield warrior's lips curved into a small, almost approving smile. "Honest. I like that." He nodded thoughtfully. "I'll recommend you to Lord Clark Ball. What do you say? Did you two clear the monster horde?"
I stared at him for a moment, my expression unreadable. The analysis I'd done earlier hadn't lied. If it came down to it, I could dismantle this bunch of clowns cleanly, picking apart their weaknesses one by one. The only reason I'd lose was if Seok-Hyun decided to side with them—though the thought seemed far-fetched.
Still, I chose my words carefully, keeping my indifference intact. "The horde's gone, isn't it? Draw your own conclusions."
Pyke bristled at my tone, but the shield warrior held him back with a raised hand. His eyes lingered on mine for a moment longer before he stepped back, as if satisfied with my answer. For now.
"That settles it then," the shield warrior, who introduced himself as Gark, said with a firm nod. "We're the cleaning party. Our job is to clear the land of monsters and guide capable warriors like yourselves back to the only inhabited city."
Pyke, the swordsman, remained tense, his wary gaze fixed on Seok-Hyun more than me. It was clear he found something unsettling about him, though Seok-Hyun hadn't uttered a word since his last question.
The rest of the introductions followed. The healer was Jamie, a calm-looking but wiry young man, shorter than the rest of his team but carrying an air of quiet competence. The mage, however, was something else entirely.
Julie, or Juliebus as Gark called her, was striking in her appearance. Her long, wavy hair shimmered with shades of deep chestnut, framing a face that held both maturity and allure. Her sharp eyes, lined with a hint of dark makeup, seemed to pierce through anyone she looked at, and her full lips carried an almost perpetual smirk that hinted at secrets she wasn't going to share. Her figure was statuesque, her curves emphasized by a form-fitting robe adorned with faint glowing runes. She moved with the kind of confidence that didn't need to prove itself, and yet her presence felt magnetic, almost too much to ignore.
Something about her drew my attention. Was it her beauty? Her composure? Or perhaps something else entirely? I didn't let myself linger on the thought for long, shaking my head clear of any unnecessary distractions.
Without exchanging further words, I followed the group, my steps steady and indifferent. Seok-Hyun trailed behind us, silent and unreadable as ever. Whatever he thought of the situation, he kept it to himself. For now, I wasn't interested in prying.
***
Kailus's PoV:
"This is fun", I mused, leaning back in the nothingness that surrounded my existence, watching Lira and Seok-Hyun navigate their little trials. Lira moved with that lifeless apathy I found endlessly fascinating, while Seok-Hyun... well, he was always searching, always sensing.
His reactions were sharp, almost preternatural—exactly as I'd intended when I bestowed that little "gift" on him. He could feel my gaze, I was sure of it. How delightful.
I shifted my attention momentarily, letting their progress simmer in the background. My focus now rested on Clark Ball, the self-proclaimed "Lord of the City." As expected, he was exactly where I'd left him—in bed with his secretary.
The room was dimly lit, though not for lack of wealth. The soft glow of the city outside filtered through the expansive windows, casting long shadows over the luxurious space. Clark, with his thick build and self-satisfied smirk, lounged lazily while his secretary—ah, what was her name again? No matter—lay sprawled beside him, her disheveled outfit barely preserving her professional façade.
I chuckled. A man like Clark, with his insatiable greed and delusions of grandeur, was almost too easy to manipulate.
Clark leaned over, his hand tracing the curves of his secretary's body as he whispered something undoubtedly sleazy. She giggled, but her eyes betrayed her disdain—a perfect mixture of submission and quiet rebellion. Humans were so predictable, so fragile.
"This little tower of yours," I murmured aloud, though no one could hear me, "let's see how you fare when my pawns arrive at your gates, Clark."
I allowed myself a moment to imagine the chaos Lira and Seok-Hyun might bring to his carefully constructed world. Their unpredictability was my favorite part of this game. Would Lira's cold indifference crack under the weight of his manipulations? Would Seok-Hyun's sharpened instincts turn him into an unstoppable force—or a broken tool?
Either way, I'd be entertained.