Chapter 7: A Dangerous Alliance

The notification pulsed in the corner of Ethan's vision, drawing his focus as he stood frozen in his kitchen.

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New System Alert:

Nearby Dreamer Detected. Interaction Required.

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"Interaction required?" Ethan muttered, frowning. "That sounds… ominous."

Before he could even process what it meant, a knock echoed from his front door. His stomach sank.

"Nope. Nope, nope, nope," he said, backing away from the door. "No one's home! Try the next apartment!"

The knock came again, harder this time, followed by a voice. "Ethan Valen, open the door."

His blood ran cold. He didn't recognize the voice, but the way it said his name sent a chill down his spine. It was calm, controlled, with an edge that felt like a blade pressed to his neck.

"How do you know my name?" he called out, gripping the nearest object—a frying pan. It wasn't exactly his trusty metal pipe, but it would have to do.

The voice on the other side chuckled, low and mocking. "We're dreamers, Ethan. The Forge doesn't leave much to the imagination. Now, open the door before I get bored and let myself in."

Ethan hesitated. The system didn't give him much choice, and he doubted ignoring her was a winning strategy. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door, the frying pan held awkwardly in front of him like a shield.

The woman standing there was… not what he expected.

She was tall and lean, dressed in a sleek black jacket and combat boots that made her look like she'd walked out of an action movie. Her dark hair was tied back in a loose ponytail, and her sharp, angular features gave her an air of confidence—maybe even arrogance. But it was her eyes that unsettled him. They were cold and calculating, like she was already dissecting him, figuring out exactly how to break him if she needed to.

"Well, aren't you adorable," she said, smirking as she eyed the frying pan. "Planning to cook me breakfast, or is that your weapon of choice?"

Ethan lowered the pan slightly, scowling. "Depends. Are you planning to kill me?"

Her smirk widened. "Not yet."

"Comforting," Ethan muttered, stepping aside to let her in. "Come on in, mysterious stranger. Make yourself at home."

She walked past him, her boots clicking against the floor as she surveyed the apartment. "Cozy," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Let me guess. New to the Forge, barely scraping by, and already terrified out of your mind."

"Wow," Ethan said. "That obvious?"

"Painfully." She turned to face him, crossing her arms. "Name's Karis, by the way. And if you're smart, you'll listen carefully, because I don't waste my time on weaklings."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Karis, huh? Nice to meet you. I'm Ethan, professional weakling and amateur survivalist. What do you want?"

Her smirk vanished, replaced by a sharp glare. "Straight to the point. Good. What I want is simple: information."

"Information?" Ethan repeated. "On what?"

"The Alpha Ravager," she said. "The system flagged you. It said you killed it."

Ethan tensed. "How do you know that?"

"Because I was tracking it," Karis said, her voice cold. "I've been hunting that thing for weeks, and then you come along and steal my kill."

"Steal your—" Ethan stopped himself, his frustration rising. "Look, lady, I didn't ask for that thing to show up, and I definitely didn't kill it for fun. It was me or the giant murder wolf, and I chose me."

Karis took a step closer, her eyes narrowing. "You don't get it, do you? Killing an Alpha isn't just about survival. It's about power. That thing was worth more than XP—it was a key to unlocking new tiers in the Forge. And now, thanks to you, that power is gone."

Ethan frowned. "So… what? You're here to kill me and take my XP?"

Her smirk returned, but this time it was colder, more dangerous. "Tempting, but no. Killing you won't get me what I want. The system doesn't work that way."

"Good to know," Ethan said, gripping the frying pan a little tighter. "So what do you want from me?"

Karis tilted her head, studying him like a predator sizing up its prey. "For now? A partnership."

Ethan blinked. "You want to team up?"

"Don't get the wrong idea," she said sharply. "This isn't about trust or friendship. You're useful, that's all. You've got potential, even if you're green as hell. Stick with me, and I might just keep you alive long enough to figure out what the Forge is really about."

Ethan hesitated. Every instinct screamed at him not to trust her. She was dangerous, unpredictable, and clearly only looking out for herself. But at the same time, she knew more about the Forge than he did, and if there was any chance she could help him survive…

"Fine," he said finally. "I'll team up with you. But if you so much as think about stabbing me in the back, I'll—"

"You'll what?" Karis interrupted, smirking again. "Hit me with your frying pan?"

Ethan sighed. "I'll figure something out."

Karis chuckled, walking toward the door. "We'll see. Be ready tonight. The system's been ramping up lately, and if you thought the Alpha was bad, you haven't seen anything yet."

"Tonight?" Ethan asked, following her. "What's happening tonight?"

She turned, her smirk fading into a serious expression. "A raid. The system's gathering dreamers for a group quest. If we don't win… well, let's just say the Forge doesn't take failure lightly."

Before Ethan could respond, Karis stepped out into the hallway, disappearing down the stairs. He stood there for a moment, her words echoing in his mind.

A group quest. More dreamers. And higher stakes than ever.

"Great," Ethan muttered, closing the door. "This just keeps getting better."