Chapter:18-Shadows in The Forest(2)

Chapter 18: The Ambush

The cave's damp air clung to Edwin's skin as he crouched near the entrance, eyes fixed on the twisted forest beyond. His breathing had steadied, his heartbeat a slow, deliberate thud in his chest. Each death had been a lesson—cruel and brutal, but necessary. Every failure sharpened him. And now, he had a plan.

Eliza leaned against the rough cave wall, her bow gripped tightly in her hand. Her gaze was sharp, calculating. "So... what's the plan?"

Edwin swallowed, his voice low but steady. "They're trained. Coordinated. But the way they move... it's like they don't expect resistance. They want us panicked, scattered."

"Obviously. What are you getting at?"

"We turn that against them. They're expecting prey, not hunters." His fingers traced the hilt of his knife, the memory of cold steel cutting into him still fresh. "The first attacker always comes from the left. Fast and precise. You need to be ready."

Eliza's eyes narrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line before she asked. "How do you know that?"

Edwin thought for a while.

Should he just tell her he can die eternally?

Can he even tell her?

He decided to take a shot.

"I..can #%#%&@&#"

Edwin was shocked by the distorted words that came from his mouth.

"What?" Eliza asked in confusion.

"I..." Edwin was puzzled for a bit.

Since,apparently he cannot talk to anyone about this he decided to tell a lie.

"They have been pursuing me for a while.. " Edwin lied.

Eliza wasn't exactly convinced fully but she didn't sense any evil from Edwin so she decided to trust him.

"Fine..just continue explaining"

Edwin took a breath before sayinb."There's at least one more. Maybe two. They hang back, waiting for the first to draw our attention. Once we're distracted, they go for the kill."

Her expression darkened. "These guys must have been stalking you for a while."

"Yeah." His voice was steady, but the truth of the situation weighed heavily on him,he didn't usually lie. "We use the environment. You take the one on the left. I'll handle the others."

Eliza hesitated before nodding. "Alright. But if this fails, I swear I'll haunt you even after I die."

He cracked a dry smile. "Deal."

They waited.

The forest was silent. Too silent. The usual hum of insects and rustling leaves was replaced by a suffocating stillness. Edwin's fingers tightened around his knife. His heart pounded, a brutal reminder that he was still alive—for now.

Then, the silence shattered.

A shadow burst from the trees, lunging toward the cave entrance with a gleaming dagger raised high.

"Now!" Edwin shouted.

Eliza's bowstring snapped. The arrow cut through the air, striking the figure's thigh with a sickening thud and whimpers of pain could ne heard. The body crumpled, momentum stolen by Eliza's perfect aim

But there was no time to celebrate.

Edwin dashed forward, only for the world to shudder as if reality itself rejected him. A familiar, searing pain stabbed into his head, cold and absolute.

[You Died.]

Edwin's eyes snapped open.

The weight of the dead wolf on his back. Eliza's voice in his ears. The Guild's endless greed.

Again.

"...If we do it ourselves, we get the full reward," Eliza was saying.

Edwin clenched his fists, the truth of his situation slamming into him. He couldn't afford to make the same mistakes. Not again.

He leaned closer to Eliza, his voice a hurried whisper. "Use your senses. Check our surroundings. Now."

She frowned, but didn't hesitate. Her eyes narrowed, scanning the forest with the precision of a predator. Her expression darkened. "There's something... A faint silver glimmer in the distance. To the left."

"Run."

"What—"

"Run!" Edwin barked.

Eliza didn't argue. She bolted, moving impossibly fast even with the weight of the wolf on her back. Her feet barely made a sound against the forest floor.

Cursing under his breath, Edwin activated the [Rune of Enhancement]. Magic surged through his veins, his vision sharpening, his muscles coiling like springs. Even then, he could barely keep pace with her.

Branches whipped at his skin, the cold air biting at his lungs. His legs screamed with pain, but he didn't slow down.

They dove into a trench-like depression, chests heaving as they pressed themselves against the dirt.

"Care to explain what the hell that was?" Eliza hissed.

"No time. They're coming."

He reached for his bow, his fingers shaking as he nocked an arrow. Eliza mirrored him, her gaze hardening as they peered over the trench's edge.

Shadowy figures flitted between the trees. Their movements were swift, almost playful. Edwin's arrows sliced through the air, but they dodged with unnatural ease, their reactions mocking his attempts.

"Damn it!" Edwin growled, frustration threatening to consume him. "They're too fast."

His anger boiled over. Before Eliza could stop him, he tore himself from cover, sprinting into the open.

"Eliza, cover me!" he yelled, his voice raw and desperate.

"Are you insane?!" she screamed, but he was already moving.

His hand reached for the black, straight single-edged blade in his inventory. As soon as it materialized in his grip, he activated [Rune of Enhancement] and dashed his way in.

The world slowed. His body surged with power, his senses sharpening to a painful clarity. He moved like a shadow, the blade slicing the air with a hungry hum.

A figure lunged from the side, arm drawn back to throw a knife.

Edwin's eyes locked onto his target. This time, he was ready.

He charged, his blade carving a vicious arc through the air. Blood sprayed, and the figure's head toppled from their shoulders, their body collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut.

But there was no time to revel in his victory.

Four more figures emerged from the darkness. They spread out, weapons gleaming with lethal intent. Their movements were calm, measured. The [Rune of Enhancement] pushed his body to its limits, but even then, they moved like phantoms.

Edwin's heartbeat pounded in his ears. His limbs burned, exhaustion threatening to consume him.

A blade tore through his chest.

The pain was absolute. His vision blurred as the world faded away.

[You Died.]

Edwin's eyes flew open.

The weight of the wolf. Eliza's voice. The suffocating familiarity of failure.

Again.

His breathing quickened, but his mind remained sharp. Each death taught him something new. His enemies weren't just skilled; they were toying with him, learning his patterns just as he was learning theirs.

He needed more information. He needed to understand them. Their movements, their patterns, their weaknesses. To do that, he would have to die—over and over, until he had every piece of knowledge carved into his bones.

A small, twisted smile crept across his face. Whether it was desperation, madness, or sheer determination, he couldn't say.

But if death was the only way forward, then he would march through it until victory was the only thing left.

End of Chapter