The formation pushed deeper into the forest, the canopy thickening above them as the road narrowed into a winding trail. Sunlight slipped through the leaves and made shifting shadows across the knights as they marched.

Hajin kept his eyes moving, scanning the tree line on both sides while his hand rested loose in his pocket. Something about this stretch of road was putting him on edge, though he could not put his finger on exactly what.

Then the system panel flickered in the corner of his vision.

[ Warning ]

[ Demonic presence detected ]

[ Origin: Surrounding forest ]

[ Threat level: High ]

His steps slowed for a fraction of a second before he caught himself and kept walking. He glanced at Juna, who had her ears pinned flat and her eyes fixed on the treeline to the right.

Loccy had stopped stumbling entirely, her ears swiveling as she scanned the shadows with an alertness he had not seen from her before.

Vella was looking at him without the playful edge from earlier and she nodded.

’They feel it too,’ he thought, his pulse picking up slightly. ’Hmm, this might be bad. If those demons are anything like that demon back then...’

His mind drifted back to the forest clearing, to the obsidian monster that had killed Sir Gazel and nearly crushed Princess Didi.

He remembered the suffocating pressure it gave off just by standing there, the way it spoke with that calm, arrogant voice, the way even a knight of that level could scratch it.

If there were more of those things waiting in these woods, this mission was going to turn into a bloodbath long before they ever reached the Gate.

The knight beside him seemed to notice the shift in atmosphere, glancing over with a furrowed brow. "You alright? You look tense."

He kept his face neutral, not taking his eyes off the trees. "Just tired a little bit, had a long night."

The knight accepted the answer with a grunt and turned back forward, but Hajin could feel the presence lurking at the edge of his perception, watching, waiting.

He tightened his grip inside his pocket and kept walking.

Not long after, a loud sound echoed through the trees ahead, followed by a wet thud and the sound of something heavy hitting the ground.

The entire formation froze.

The Captain raised his hand and the column ground to a halt, his head tilting toward the direction of the noise. More sounds followed, the rapid exchange, the screech of monsters, and the heavy impacts of bodies being thrown into trees.

"Move," the Captain ordered, breaking into a run.

The knights scrambled after him, armor clanking as they pushed through the underbrush at full speed. Hajin kept pace with the girls close behind, his senses stretched wide as the fighting grew louder.

They burst into a clearing and found the scene already over.

A boy and a girl stood in the center of the clearing, their bodies covered in blood. The ground around them was littered with the bodies of monsters, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles, some split cleanly in half.

The boy was wiping blood off his hands with a calm expression, while the girl stood beside him, breathing hard but looking completely unbothered by the carnage around them.

Hajin’s senses went haywire the moment his eyes landed on them.

It was them, those were the demons.

The Captain stepped forward, his hand still resting on his sword as he studied the two of them with narrowed eyes. "Who are you two?"

The boy looked up, his expression completely calm. "Adventurers. We were just passing through when monsters attacked us out of nowhere."

The Captain held his gaze for a moment before extending his hand. "Badges."

The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out his adventurer badges, reach over and took the girl’s too, then handed them over without hesitation.

The Captain examined them carefully, turning them over in his hands while checking the enchantment seals and the registration marks.

Hajin watched the whole exchange from the back of the formation, his mind racing.

’This is bad,’ he thought, keeping his face neutral while his instincts screamed at him to stay alert. ’Why are these demons taking on human forms? And this whole scene looks completely scripted. Just what are they planning?’

The Captain finished inspecting the badges and handed them back with a slow nod. "These are in order. You two handled yourselves well out here."

The girl gave a small bow. "Thank you, sir."

"You seem strong," the Captain continued, his tone relaxing slightly. "With that kind of combat ability, you will make good adventurers. Keep pushing forward and you will go far."

"Thank you," the boy said, his voice flat.

The Captain turned and signaled for the formation to resume marching, the knights falling back into position as they prepared to continue toward the valley.

"Wait," the girl called out.

The Captain stopped and turned back, his expression hardening. "Is there something wrong?"

"By any chance," the girl said, tilting her head slightly, "are you heading to the anomaly Gate?"

The moment the words left her mouth, several of the nearby knights shifted, their hands moving closer to their weapons. The Captain’s eyes narrowed sharply.

"What concern is that to you?" he asked, his voice dropping into a colder tone.

The girl’s eyes widened slightly and she immediately raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Oh, I am sorry, I did not mean to pry. I only assumed because of the direction you are heading, and because your group has so many powerful people in it. I figured a raid team would be the only reason to have this many skilled fighters moving together."

She offered an apologetic smile, her demeanor completely natural and unthreatening. "If I was wrong, please excuse me. I was just curious."

Hajin watched the whole exchange from the back of the formation, his mind completely stunned.

’This demon is playing the human role a little too well,’ he thought, his eyes narrowing as he studied her. ’The way she talks, the way she acts, the way she deflects suspicion without even blinking. She is not just mimicking humans, she actually understands how they think.’

The Captain studied her for a moment longer before his expression softened slightly. "You are observant. Yes, we are a raid team. Now if you will excuse us, we have a mission to complete."

"Of course," the girl said, stepping back with a respectful nod. "Good luck out there."

Hajin kept his eyes forward as the formation moved out, but something made him glance back over his shoulder.

The girl was still standing in the clearing, her eyes locked directly on his. She gave him a small, warm smile and raised her hand in a quiet wave.

He turned back around without responding, his chest tightening as he kept walking.