Ashton raised a brow, then smirked.
"Oh? So, are you one of his fans?" he asked, his tone laced with mockery. "Or perhaps… an admirer of Samael Flameheart?"
Emily's expression darkened instantly, but Ashton simply leaned back against a tree, his posture completely relaxed.
"Don't you think you're in the wrong place, warning the wrong person?" he continued lazily. "I'm not interested in him. So, why don't you go find your beloved Samael and tell him to stop bothering me?"
Emily's crimson eyes flashed with anger. "Ashton, do you really think I'd believe that?" she snapped. "You have no interest in Samael? And yet, he's the one chasing after you? Hah."
She took a step closer, her voice laced with disdain.
"You orphan bastard."
The moment the words left her mouth, the air around them shifted.
Ashton's smirk vanished. His fingers curled into a fist so tight his knuckles turned white. His purple eyes darkened with a cold, dangerous light as a sharp, invisible pressure radiated from him.
Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet Emily's. His voice was deathly calm, but beneath it, there was an unmistakable edge of warning.
"If you want to fight," he said, his voice low and controlled, "then I'll gladly oblige."
His aura flared for a brief second, sending a chill down Emily's spine.
"But don't—" his gaze locked onto hers, unwavering, "—call me bastard."
Emily smirked, unfazed by the hostility.
"Well, well… look at this," she sneered. "The great Ashton Walker actually wants to fight me?"
She took another step forward, her red eyes gleaming with amusement and disdain.
"You?" she scoffed. "Ha! Hahahaha!" Her laughter rang through the forest, filled with mockery. "Fine then. Let's fight. I'll crush you right here, right now."
Her aura flared, a crimson energy surging around her. "And when I'm done, Samael will never associate himself with you again."
Ashton's expression remained unreadable, his eyes cold and unwavering.
Emily Bane, the daughter of the Hunter Association's CEO—someone who was undoubtedly strong.
But strength alone didn't intimidate Ashton.
If she wanted a fight, then so be it.
He would show her exactly who she was mocking.
Just as they were about to clash, a harsh voice cut through the tension.
"Oh? So the great Ms. Bane is here."
Both Ashton and Emily turned sharply as Felix Ashford emerged from the surrounding trees, his piercing blue eyes locked onto Emily with an unmistakable edge.
His usual carefree expression was gone, replaced by cold anger. He stepped forward, his presence commanding.
"And tell me," Felix continued, his tone laced with mockery, "why exactly are you targeting my friend?"
Emily narrowed her eyes. "Felix," she said coolly, "this is none of your business."
Felix scoffed. "None of my business? You're trying to pick a fight with Ashton, and you expect me to just stand here and watch?" His expression darkened. "Tsk. You really think too highly of yourself."
The tension between the three escalated.
Emily crossed her arms. "You should stay out of this, Felix. This is between me and him."
Felix smirked, but his sharp gaze didn't waver. "Yeah? Well, too bad. If you have a problem with Ashton, then you have a problem with me."
The forest grew eerily silent.
She didn't expect Felix to interfere.
Her irritation grew, but she knew fighting them both directly was risky. Even if she was stronger, Felix was a werewolf. And Ashton…
There was something dangerous about him.
Then, an idea formed.
Her red eyes flickered to the side, sensing a powerful presence approaching.
Samael Flameheart.
Emily's lips curled into a smirk.
She could use this.
Instead of fighting, she softened her expression. Her anger vanished.
And then—she acted.
She let out a mocking scoff and took a step back, pretending to be defensive.
"Oh? So this is how it is?" she said, her voice trembling slightly.
"You two want to gang up on me?" she gasped dramatically. "Just to steal my points?"
Her red eyes glistened with feigned vulnerability.
"You two are pathetic. Fine! If that's what you want, I'll fight you both."
Ashton and Felix immediately saw through her act.
"Tch," Felix scoffed. "You're playing the victim now?"
Ashton's voice was sharp and emotionless. "How pathetic."
But before either of them could expose her—
A powerful presence descended upon them.
Heavy footsteps.
A pressure that dominated the battlefield.
A force that made even the air feel heavy.
Samael Flameheart had arrived.
Emily instantly turned toward him, her red eyes flickering with triumph.
Without hesitation, she rushed to his side, clutching his arm.
"Samael!" she called, her voice filled with carefully placed distress.
She pointed at Ashton and Felix.
"See? Your so-called 'friend' isn't worthy of your friendship!"
Her voice trembled as she continued, "They ganged up on me. They wanted to steal my points and eliminate me from the competition!"
Then, she leaned closer, her voice dropping into a whisper only he could hear.
"Samael, let's fight them together. Let's remove them from this competition."
Silence.
Ashton and Felix watched, unmoving.