Ondira

Yiren raised a brow. (He knows her?)

Kazel, however, showed no hesitation. With a smirk, he took a step forward.

"I've been waiting for you to show up." His voice was calm, as if speaking to an old acquaintance. "I didn't get to see your face back at Old Pao's place."

The cloaked woman hummed in response. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, she lifted her arm from beneath her cloak—her skin a warm brown, her fingers resting lightly on her slim waist. Casual. Confident. Dangerous.

"You've got talent, kid."

Despite her standing taller than him, Kazel held his ground, his smirk unwavering.

"Thank you for the compliment," he said smoothly. "Coming from a master like you, it means the world."

The woman tilted her head. "I hope that's not sarcasm."

Then—she moved.

Before Kazel could react, she grabbed his right deltoid with her left hand and shoved him aside like he weighed nothing.

Kazel tumbled, his body rolling once before he caught himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He grinned, shaking off the impact.

(Such brute strength!) His heart pounded, but not with fear. (I like it!)

The woman exhaled, turning her attention to the fallen Shishi corpses. "These are mine. Both of them."

Yiren crossed her arms. "We found them first."

The woman met her gaze, unbothered. "And I hunted them down." She shifted slightly, her body relaxed but poised. "Of course, if you don't like that… you can fight me for them. All of you. At once."

Tension crackled through the air.

Then—Yiren moved first.

Behind her, the shadow of an enormous owl took form, its head twisting unnaturally as it stared, its golden eyes unblinking.

Saya clicked her tongue, recognizing the spirit beast immediately. (That woman... That's an Uncommon Spirit Beast! Owl Sage!)

Rui summoned his spirit beast next—a massive tortoise, its shell thick and layered like ancient stone.

Lina followed, the spectral form of her Two-Tusk Boar manifesting behind her, snorting aggressively.

And finally, Saya's own spirit beast took shape.

Kazel, watching it all unfold, raised a brow. "How is everyone doing that?" he muttered to himself.

No one answered him.

Because at that moment—the forest trembled.

Birds screeched and took flight, their wings flapping frantically as if escaping an impending calamity.

And then it appeared.

Behind the masked woman, a massive snake rose from the shadows.

No—not one snake.

Another head emerged.

And another.

And another.

Four sleek black serpent heads towered over them, each one moving independently, their forked tongues flicking as if tasting the fear in the air.

The woman stood still, unfazed.

But the others?

A shiver ran down their spines.

Goosebumps prickled their skin as they instinctively understood—this was not an opponent they could defeat.

The predatory gleam in those serpent eyes promised one thing.

Death.

"A Hydra..." Rui's lips barely formed the word, his voice wavering. "Impossible… A beast hunter at your level shouldn't be in this place..."

The masked woman scoffed, tilting her head slightly. "And why is that?"

Rui swallowed hard, but it was Yiren who cut in. "You're hunting a Shishi for a reason, aren't you?" Her gaze sharpened. "Don't tell me... it's just for Spirit Stones?"

The woman casually placed a hand on her hip. "And if it is?"

Yiren looked downright offended. "You? Short on stones? That's the dumbest thing I've heard today."

The woman shrugged as if it didn't concern her. "That's my business."

Saya, however, wasn't letting it slide. She took a step forward, folding her arms. "If you're going to rob us of our meal, at least give us something in return—like your name."

The masked woman chuckled, the sound low and amused. "No."

Saya narrowed her eyes. "No?"

"If I gave you my name, you wouldn't shut up about it." The woman smirked behind her mask. "You'd probably spend the rest of your lives bragging about how you met me."

That made Saya bristle, but before she could snap back, Kazel suddenly stepped forward.

All eyes turned to him.

The Hydra heads lowered, their forked tongues flicking as their glowing eyes locked onto him, their mere presence pressing down like a tidal wave.

It was a direct challenge.

A test of will.

A lesser person would've staggered under their piercing gazes.

But Kazel?

He barely even blinked.

Instead, he sighed dramatically, rolling his shoulders before looking up at the woman again. "Do you mind?" His voice was calm, yet carried weight. "I'm talking to the lady here."

For a moment, there was silence.

A very, very long silence.

Saya, Yiren, Rui, and Lina all visibly flinched.

( What the hell did he just say?! )

Even the Hydra paused, its deadly heads subtly recoiling as if momentarily thrown off.

And the woman?

She exhaled a short, amused chuckle.

A glint of curiosity flashed in her jade eyes.

Rui swallowed hard. ( This guy... does he even understand the situation? )

Lina tightened her grip on her spear. ( That's a damn hydra staring him down, and he acts like he's chatting with a merchant?! )

Meanwhile, Saya was gritting her teeth, resisting the urge to slap the back of his head. ( He's insane. He has to be. )

And yet, the masked woman—she chuckled.

A low, throaty chuckle that was neither mocking nor amused, but something in between.

She leaned forward slightly, looking down at Kazel as if evaluating him, then said, "You're not afraid?"

Kazel tilted his head. "Should I be?"

The hydra's heads loomed closer.

Any other person would have backed away. Any sane person would have felt their knees buckle.

But Kazel?

He smiled.

"I asked for a name, not an intimidation tactic," he continued. "Unless, of course, you're afraid of giving me that information."

The air grew heavier as the tension between them spiked.

And then—

The masked woman laughed.

A genuine, entertained laugh.

"You," she said, tilting her head. "You're interesting."

Kazel barely had a moment to react before a hand clamped around his throat.

His breath hitched.

A sudden force lifted him off the ground, his boots dangling inches above the dirt.

The world blurred for a moment as the masked woman turned away from the others, shielding what came next from their view.

But from behind, the scene was terrifying.

Kazel, the so-called conqueror, was struggling.

His fingers clawed at her wrist, his body twisting slightly, but no matter how much strength he exerted, it was like trying to break free from iron shackles.

"O-Oi…" Rui muttered, but the weight of the Hydra's presence kept his feet rooted in place. It felt like a mountain was pressing down on him.

"Damn it!" Saya gritted her teeth, trying to move, but her body refused to obey.

Lina clutched her spear, trembling. "Oh no… not again!"

"The gap between us… it's too much…" Rui whispered.

Then, everything changed.

A whisper, soft yet firm, slipped past Kazel's ears.

"Look closely."

His vision swam, but he forced himself to focus.

And then… he saw it.

A deliberate motion.

Her free hand slowly reached up to her face.

The mask came off.

And Kazel forgot how to breathe.

It was another level of beauty—beyond Salma, beyond any woman he had seen in this new life.

Her skin was sun-kissed, a warm brown tone that contrasted with the striking green of her jade eyes.

Her lips curved slightly, an almost playful smirk touching them before she leaned in—so close that Kazel could feel her breath tickle his ear.

Then, she whispered.

"My name is… Ondira."

Kazel's nose twitched.

A scent—fresh river water, crisp morning air, a trace of something wild yet calming.

And then—

She pushed him away.

Kazel hit the ground, staggering slightly, but his footing remained firm.

As he looked up, he caught the final glimpse of her face— a slight, knowing smile.

Then, in one smooth motion, the mask was back on.

Kazel dusted himself off, exhaling slowly.

"Fine," he muttered, his voice carrying a hint of resignation. "But…"

Without another word, he strode toward the lifeless Shishi.

A flick of his wrist—his blade flashed.

He cut a fair amount of its golden fur, weaving and tying it into two neat bundles—one wrapped with a red ribbon, the other with a blue.

Just before finishing, he did something curious.

He plucked a single strand from the blue bundle.

With deft fingers, he slipped it into the red ribbon's knot, a subtle yet deliberate gesture.

Then, turning back, he tossed the blue-ribboned fur towards Ondira.

She caught it effortlessly.

Her jade eyes studied the bundle with mild amusement. "And this is…?"

"The red ribbon is mine. The blue ribbon is yours," Kazel explained with a smirk.

Ondira tilted her head. "What's this supposed to be?"

Kazel's eyes gleamed. "The next time we meet, let's exchange them."

For the first time, Ondira seemed truly taken aback.

A pause.

Then, laughter. "Hahaha!" She threw her head back. "What? Why would I do that?"

"Come on, humor me," Kazel insisted, arms crossed.

Ondira shook her head, chuckling. "What makes you think we'll even meet again?"

Kazel's smirk deepened. "Once I set my eyes on something… eventually, it sets its eyes on me too."

Ondira stared at him for a moment.

Then she laughed harder, the sound surprisingly genuine. "Whatever, kid."

"Kazel," he corrected. "My name is Kazel."

She adjusted the fur bundle in her grip, her mask hiding any expression. But he could tell—she was smiling.

"Alright, Kazel," Ondira said smoothly, hefting the Shishi carcass onto her shoulder as if it weighed nothing. "Till we meet again."

And just like that—

She vanished.

A gust of wind swirled where she once stood, rustling the leaves and carrying away the lingering scent of river water.

The forest felt lighter.

The suppressing aura lifted, and the weight pressing down on them disappeared.

Everyone—Saya, Rui, Lina, and Yiren—exhaled simultaneously.

Relief.

For Kazel, this was a race against time.

The moment Ondira disappeared, he sprinted back toward the cave, leaving the others behind. His movements were swift, each step carrying a sense of urgency that none of them could quite understand.

"Kazel?!" Saya called out, confused.

But he didn't answer.

He burst into the cave and threw himself onto the broken throne, leaning back with a satisfied sigh.

In his palm, the red-ribboned bundle of Shishi fur.

His fingers traced the strands, his mind already working. "I need to conquer these two before she sells them at Old Pao's."

His heart pounded—not from exhaustion, but from exhilaration.

He had no time to waste.

Just as the others caught up, their curious gazes searching for answers, Kazel simply closed his eyes.

A smirk curled on his lips.

( This time… I take the first move. )