Chapter 13: Evolution and Deception

A cool breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the lingering scent of blood and steel.

The battlefield had long since gone quiet, the corpses of fallen warriors and Scorpion assassins left to rot beneath the unfeeling sky.

Amid the silence, a single tree stood tall, its thick branches casting a protective shade over the survivors.

Beneath its canopy, Haru lay on his back, his arms resting behind his head, his body sore but alive.

Rhaelynn, the centaur archer, lay curled beside him, her equine lower half folded neatly as she used his chest as a pillow.

Her rhythmic breathing and the occasional twitch of her ears were the only signs that she wasn't fully unconscious.

Haru didn't mind—after all, the warmth of her body against his was surprisingly comfortable.

A bit farther from the group, Aryan sat with her back against a rock, sharpening her daggers with slow, deliberate motions. Unlike Rhaelynn, she kept her distance, though she occasionally shot annoyed glances in their direction.

Standing at the edge of the clearing, as still and unshakable as a statue, was Shira, the silent Blue Oni warrior. She held her massive Buster sword across her back, her piercing crimson eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger. Even when resting, she never let her guard down.

For the first time in a long while, Haru allowed himself a moment of peace. His body ached, his mind was exhausted, but he was still alive. And more importantly, he was getting stronger.

**[Ding! System Notification]**

**Congratulations! You have leveled up.**

**Haru: Level 18 → Level 22**

**"Lady Killer" Skill Rank Up! (Level 2)**

Haru opened his eyes, feeling the rush of power surge through his body. His limbs tingled, his mind felt sharper, and his system's interface glowed before him, displaying the updated stats.

**Shira: Level 50 → Evolution Available**

**Rhaelynn: Level 40**

**Aryan: Level 36**

He blinked at the last notification.

**Shira can evolve?**

That was new. Haru had heard of some high-ranking monsters and creatures being able to undergo transformations, but this was the first time he had seen it happen firsthand.

"Shira," he called out.

The Blue Oni turned her head slightly, acknowledging him but not speaking—she never did. Instead, she simply placed a hand over her chest and nodded.

**[Ding! System Notification]**

**Shira has met the requirements to evolve into a higher form. The process will take three days. During this time, she will be unable to fight. Do you wish to proceed?**

Three days… That was a long time in a world where survival was never guaranteed. But if she evolved, her power would increase exponentially.

He tapped 'Yes.'

A soft blue glow surrounded Shira's body, her crimson eyes briefly flashing with an ethereal light. She let out a low breath before taking a step back, as if bracing herself.

The glow intensified before her form slowly faded, her body disappearing into Haru's **Pocket Dimension**, where she would remain until the transformation was complete.

He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. Losing Shira's raw power for three days would be a disadvantage, but the benefits would be worth it.

At his side, Rhaelynn stirred. She blinked her golden eyes open sleepily before stretching, her equine body shifting slightly beneath her.

"Mmm… you're warm," she murmured, nuzzling against his chest.

Haru coughed awkwardly. "You're using me as a pillow."

"And?" she replied, smirking.

Aryan scoffed from a distance. "Disgusting." She didn't look up from her dagger, but her tone carried its usual venom.

Rhaelynn merely rolled her eyes before pulling away, stretching her arms above her head.

"Well, I suppose we should get moving. We still have unfinished business in the city."

Haru nodded. "Yeah. But first…"

Another notification flashed before him.

**[Ding! Special Item Acquired]**

**You have received: Abyss Key**

**This key grants access to a hidden dungeon filled with untold treasures and dangers.**

That was definitely something to look into later. But for now, he had a different task.

He glanced at his team. "I'll be heading into the city alone for a while. You three rest inside the Pocket Dimension."

Aryan scowled. "What? Why?"

"It's better if I go in alone. We don't want to draw unnecessary attention, and you two—" he looked between her and Rhaelynn "—aren't exactly subtle."

Rhaelynn smirked. "Oh? You wound me, Master."

Aryan folded her arms. "Fine. But if you get into trouble, don't come crying to me."

He smiled. "Wouldn't dream of it."

With a flick of his wrist, his familiars disappeared into the Pocket Dimension, leaving him alone in the quiet clearing.

Now… time to play survivor.

---

The city of Vance was alive with its usual blend of chaos and order.

Merchants peddled their wares, adventurers exchanged stories of their exploits, and the air was thick with the scent of grilled meats and fresh bread.

Haru walked with a purposeful stride, his hood pulled up to obscure his face. He had a plan—one that required a delicate balance of truth and deception.

As he stepped into the Adventurer's Guild, all eyes turned toward him. Murmurs spread through the crowd.

"He's back?"

"I thought his party was wiped out…"

"No way… Did he actually survive a fight with Scorpion?"

Haru ignored the whispers and approached the guild receptionist, a sharp-eyed woman named Elira. She raised an eyebrow as he placed a bloodstained token on the counter.

"This belongs to my party," Haru said. "We were ambushed by members of Scorpion. They… sacrificed themselves so I could escape."

That was a half-truth. His old party hadn't sacrificed themselves for him—they had been slaughtered. But the Guild didn't need to know that.

Elira's expression softened. "I see… I'm sorry for your loss."

Another adventurer scoffed. "Hah! More like he ran away and let them die."

Haru didn't react. He simply waited as Elira documented his report.

After a few moments, she nodded. "Your report will be reviewed. In the meantime, you are entitled to your party's remaining rewards."

She handed him a small pouch of gold and a letter. "And… be careful. Scorpion doesn't like loose ends."

Haru took the reward and turned to leave, but as he stepped toward the exit, he felt eyes burning into his back.

--------

In the dark underbelly of the city, beneath a ruined chapel long abandoned by the people, Scorpion gathered.

Torches flickered along the damp stone walls, casting eerie shadows as over a dozen figures stood around a long, bloodstained table.

These weren't mere criminals or mercenaries—these were Scorpion's Twelve Leaders, the ruling force behind the guild's most dangerous operations.

Damos leaned against the wall, arms crossed, waiting as the last of the members arrived.

Their leader, a man known only as Blackfang, sat at the head of the table, clad in dark steel armor, his long fingers tapping idly against the wood. His eyes, cold and predatory, flickered toward Damos.

"You called this meeting, Damos. Speak."

Damos exhaled slowly. "It's about the Haru situation."

One of the leaders, a broad-shouldered woman with red tattoos covering her arms, snorted. "The hell is a 'Haru'?"

Damos smirked. "A loose end. One we should've cut already."

He pushed off the wall and stepped closer to the table, his smirk fading as he turned serious.

"We sent an execution squad to wipe out his party. And yet, he's alive. Not only that, but he survived alone. Something doesn't add up."

Another leader, a thin, masked man called Requiem, tilted his head. "One weakling surviving doesn't concern me. We have more pressing matters."

"It should concern you," Damos said sharply. "I checked the guild records—his party wasn't filled with nobodies.

They had two rare-talented players, and we killed them. But somehow, he lived. Either we got sloppy, or he's hiding something."

Blackfang raised a hand, silencing the murmurs. "Continue."

Damos nodded. "I did some digging. Before he joined that party, Haru was nothing.

Talentless, weak, practically useless. But now? He's different. He's moving with purpose. He's hiding his real strength."

Another leader, a towering beast of a man known as Gorefang, let out a gravelly chuckle. "So what? You want us to squash some cockroach because he got lucky?"

Damos grinned. "Not just that. I say we use him as bait. If he's gotten stronger, he had to get it from somewhere. Maybe an item, maybe an ability we don't know about."

The room went quiet.

Blackfang steepled his fingers. "You want to use him to lure out more potential threats."

"Exactly," Damos said. "We've been hunting small-time parties, picking off the weak to send a message. But that's not enough."

He placed a blood-stained list onto the table.

"We've already eliminated five lower-ranked parties. It's time we start moving up."

1. The Iron Wolves

2. The Crimson Dawn

3. The Arcane Reapers

4. The Silver Saints

5. The Midnight Howl,

Damos smirked, tapping the list. "Each of these parties has at least one player with a Unique Talent. If we take them out, not only do we remove potential threats, but we also gain access to rare abilities and loot."

Gorefang cracked his knuckles. "You want to hit them all at once?"

Blackfang's gaze darkened. "No. We take our time. Isolate them. Break them. Make examples of them."

Requiem's voice was almost amused. "And what about Haru?"

Damos leaned forward, his grin sharp. "We let him think he's safe for now. But when he least expects it… we crush him."

The torches flickered as the room filled with quiet, deadly anticipation.

The hunt had begun.

----------

Meanwhile – Days later to Haru

As Haru stepped out of the guild hall, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He glanced over his shoulder, scanning the crowd.

For a second, he could've sworn someone was watching him.

I need to be careful.

He tightened his grip on his coin pouch. He had money now, but more importantly—he had a dungeon key.

If he wanted to survive, he had to level up fast.

He took a deep breath.

Time to find out just how deep this rabbit hole goes.