Oops

"Stop hiding, you cowards. I can smell all five of you," Ri mumbles, his voice as deep and resonant as the earth itself. Within, his desires are simple, 'I just want to eat a steak under the sun...' he grumbles to himself, a hint of weariness seeping through. Approaching a tree with an almost lazy gait, he grabs it by the trunk and yanks it from the ground with effortless strength. Clenching his fist, he hurls it with such force that it sends a shockwave through the air, slicing the targeted tree in half, its two pieces hurtling in opposite directions.

As the dust settles, Saelin stands revealed, her sword in hand, and her blue-green hair cascading back from the force of the throw. 'That was close. I'm not good at using swords, but I'm glad I'm holding one. This demi-human is a monster. I've always been gifted with seeing weak points in anyone as long as they're near my level. The fact that I can't see any weak points means this man is strong,' she assesses, her instincts on high alert.

With a yawn that belied the tension of the moment, Ri speaks again, "Hiding won't help you. I can smell and hear every single one of you." His statement hangs in the air, a challenge to those concealed.

Seeing no movement, he sighs, "Fine, I guess I'll do this the hard way..." 

Saelin, masking her apprehension with bravado, forces a smile. "Hey, come on, how can you look down at me? I'm more than capable of dealing with you." Her voice is steady, but the undercurrent of concern is palpable.

Ri, momentarily distracted, cleans his canines with his nails, his casual demeanor at odds with the situation. "You smell like the girl I fought earlier. But you look completely different; she had orange hair while you have green-blue hair. She was boring," he comments, as if discussing something mundane.

Saelin's eyes flash with a mix of confusion and anger. 'Huh... what...' Her glare intensifies. "You damn bastard! What did you do to my Taelia!" she demands, her voice thick with emotion as she propels herself towards him, the ground cracking under the force of her launch.

Ri catches the blade between his fingers, the ground beneath them shattering from the impact, trees swaying as if in a storm. "How simple-minded..." he observes, his voice a mixture of amusement and pity. 'Emotional as ever... why are all elves the same? Hmm... Why is she using a sword?' He pushes her sword back effortlessly. "You're not a swordswoman. You lack the stability sword users have. Pull out your weapon, or you'll end up like 'your Taelia.'"

"Where is she!? What did you do to her!?" Saelin demands, her voice thick with anguish and fury. 'Dammit! There's no way she's dead, right? Why would she fight him alone?' she wonders, desperation clawing at her. "Tell me, you damn demi-human!" she screams, unable to contain her rage.

Ri, unfazed by her outburst, yawns, his expression one of detached amusement. "Hmm... I played with her for a bit, but I got bored when she went crazy," he claims with a chilling coldness, weaving a tale of horror. "Are you going to avenge that woman? I broke every bone in her body and tortured her for hours until she begged me to kill her. I made sure to peel off her skin and ripped those pretty ears off and ate them. I broke her and beat her until I made her my pet, but I was unsatisfied, so I left her there and ordered her to eat herself little by little," he lies, his voice dripping with malice.

"You heartless monster!" Saelin explodes in anger, disbelief and horror mingling with her resolve. In a swift motion, she pulls out a spear from her pouch, the ground cratering under her as she launches herself at him with all her might.

"Saelin, what the fuck! You're supposed to follow the plan we made!" Caelir's voice cuts through from a tree, his tone laced with frustration and worry over the abandoned strategy.

-

Meanwhile, across the forest, in a tranquil grassland adorned with a waterfall and the melodic chirping of birds, Taelia stretches out on the ground, rolling in the soft grass. 'Hmm... this feels so good... I would help Lúthien, but I have no idea how to find her, and I still need to take care of this guy, his body is in a paralyzed state,' she contemplates, her worries momentarily pushed aside by the serenity of her surroundings.

"This is the life..." she muses with a contented yawn, letting a vine nearby move at her command, feeding her grapes directly into her mouth. 

-

'Because of their connection to nature, I heard young elves tend to have emotional dysregulation. Looks like it's true, to think a simple lie would have her react like this...' Ri contemplates, a flicker of intrigue crossing his face as he prepares to intercept the incoming spear. Surprisingly, just as his fingers nearly grasp it, the spear artfully maneuvers around his hand, piercing his shoulder and propelling him backward. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he halts a few meters away, a mixture of shock and curiosity in his eyes as he notes the hole in his shoulder. 'Elves have spear arts? I've never heard of anything like that. The damage is minimal, but... It evaded my grasp with such speed... interesting,' he muses, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Dammit girl, why are you making this difficult for us!?" Uda's voice cuts through the tension, her frustration palpable. Unfazed, Ri advances, his focus solely on Saelin. "Let's test out your defense," he mutters, dismissing the others as he closes the distance with blinding speed, materializing in front of Saelin in an instant.

Saelin's eyes widen in alarm, 'When did he get—' BOOM! Her thought is cut short as the ground beneath them erupts, shattering into massive chunks. Uda staggers, blood spilling from her lips as her hastily conjured spell crumbles under Ri's assault. "Stop fucking up, Saelin!" she gasps, her words a desperate plea.

At the epicenter of the destruction, Saelin remains unscathed, her determination steeling her resolve. 'I have to control myself,' she thinks, her fists clenched tightly as she envelops her body in a vibrant shroud of mana. With a deep exhale, she summons several magic circles around her, the wind responding with fierce intensity.

"Hmm... artificially applying your martial arts," Ri observes, his interest clearly piqued. Spreading his arms wide as if to embrace the challenge, he taunts, "Come at me. All of you at once," his smile widening into a malicious grin.

"Haaaaa..." Olivier groans under his breath, perched atop the highest tree conceivable, his eyes dancing over the unfolding drama below. A smirk plays on his lips, betraying a mischievous glee. "I can try any potions as long as I don't hurt the others..." His hand dips into his pouch, rummaging. "What to choose, what to choose~" he muses aloud, finally drawing forth a potion the size of a baseball. Inside, a sinister blackish-green liquid swirls ominously. He spins it in his hand, humming a tune, "Hmm hm hmm hmm hm hmm," a melody of impending chaos. 'This is one of my favorite creations,' he boasts silently, pride swelling in his chest.

With the finesse of a practiced alchemist, Olivier lobs the potion downwards, his voice cutting through the tension, "Back up!" Saelin heeds the warning, leaping back with agility, but Ri, with an arrogance born of unmatched power, snatches the potion from the air. "If you plan on using a potion... don't let your opponent notice it," he chides, locking eyes with Olivier, a smirk curling his lips.

Olivier's grin widens, unfazed. "Oh... yeah maybe you're right, but you know... maybe you're not." The potion cracks upon Ri's grasp, the liquid seeping over his skin. 'What is this? I don't feel any different, is it a hoax?' Ri puzzles, his gaze flickering upwards, searching for answers in Olivier's smug expression.

"Don't ignore me!" Saelin's voice pierces the moment, her attack renewed with fervor. Ri raises his hand in defense, 'Will I be able to predict it?' Yet, to his astonishment, instead of maneuvering as expected, the spear strikes with such force that Ri is compelled to kick Saelin away, creating a shockwave that ripples through the air. He examines his palm, eyes widening at the sight of a new hole, blood oozing from the wound. "This is new..." he mumbles, peering through his injury at Saelin, a realization dawning. 'If I hadn't kicked her away, she would've struck my head next... I'm not using any mana, but regardless of that, an attack like this shouldn't be able to pierce my palm. It has to be her spear arts. I might be able to find out why exactly I'm so weak to elven arts today,' he muses, a smirk playing across his lips, anticipation for the unfolding mystery kindling within him.

"How... I used so much energy to strike him and it only made a small hole!?" Saelin gasps, her hands quivering as she fights to control them. 'I can't fight for very long, my family's technique is meant for precise, quick attacks, similar to assassins. I won't be able to last much longer at this rate,' she thinks, her mind racing. As Ri hurls trees at her, she leaps back, her body flipping gracefully through the air.

"Dammit, you should've just followed the plan!" Uda yells, frustration evident as she rubs her forehead. With a swift motion, she casts magic chains that shoot out of the ground, wrapping themselves around Ri in an attempt to restrain him.

"Kid, you're a bad match for me," Ri mumbles dismissively, breaking out of the chains with brute force. He appears in front of Uda in an instant—Boom! He punches at her, and all nearby trees shatter into pieces. Uda coughs up blood. "Not bad, a reflection spell and a transfer spell? A decent combo, more effective than a magic shield," he analyzes, his voice laced with reluctant respect. 'This kid's casting speed is incredible,' he admits silently.

Uda glares back, venom in her gaze. "I don't need a compliment from a dog."

Bang! Talen's dagger shatters as it strikes Ri's neck. "H-how? That was perfect..." he stammers in disbelief. Ri rubs his neck, pondering. 'His scent disappeared earlier, as well as all sounds he made. I could vaguely sense him around but couldn't pinpoint his exact location,' he muses.

As he attempts to calmly grab Talen, the young man jumps back. "Boy, are you from an assassin family? Or a hunter family?" Ri inquires, a hint of curiosity piercing through his otherwise stoic demeanor.

Talen grabs Uda and they retreat into the dense forest. As she's carried away, Uda sticks her middle finger out. "Fuck you, dog," she spits venomously.

Ri's eyes widen, caught off guard. "W-what is this?" For the first time, a sense of urgency creeps into his voice. He grabs his throat, a sudden thirst overwhelming him. 'I need water, I'm thirsty... the potion... the potion is drying me up,' he realizes, his gaze darting around in search of any water source. 'Shit, the nearest water source is 8 miles away.'

"You're not going anywhere!" Saelin grits her teeth, summoning every ounce of remaining mana for a burst of speed and power. She spins her spear, gathering momentum, her mind focused on the critical impact to come—'this better get h—' But her thoughts scatter as Ri coldly turns to face her, his body finally shimmering with a coating of mana.

"I don't have time to play with you," he states icily. With a dismissive flick of his hand—BOOOM!—he sends her hurtling through the air, a shockwave flattening the area and pushing back anyone in its path. Trees snap and earth upheaves in her chaotic flight, her body limp and nearing a perilous state of unconsciousness.

Ri hisses, pain flaring as a glowing white tattoo suddenly appears on his wrist. 'Dammit, I accidentally activated the seal... I need water right now!' His mouth parches further with each passing second. Ignoring the searing pain from the reemerging seal, he blasts through the forest, running at full speed toward the nearest water source.

Upon arrival, he plunges his face into the water, gulping desperately. "Cough, cough, cough!" He chokes, water splashing chaotically around him. "Why!? Why am I still getting thirsty!?" Panic sets in as his body grows skinnier, his once muscular frame wasting away. He attempts to drink more, but it has no effect, his body continuing to wither. "W-what is going on!?" he grips his head, disbelief etched across his features.