The Tiger Girl Won't Let Me In
The girl eyed me suspiciously, her grip on the reins firm.
Her tiger let out a low growl, its sharp yellow eyes locked onto me.
✔ She was clearly experienced.
✔ She wasn't buying any bullsh*t.
✔ And she had the advantage here.
"We don't let outsiders in without a reason," she said flatly. "State your business."
I sighed. "I'm just a traveler."
She raised an eyebrow. "A traveler? Crossing that mountain alone? With no supplies?"
Tch.
Smart a.
I rolled my shoulders. "What, you think I'm some kind of spy?"
She didn't answer.
"Look, I'll just leave, alright?" I clicked my tongue, pretending to be annoyed. "No need to keep staring me down like I stole your lunch."
Her glare didn't soften.
But she didn't stop me either.
Good.
I turned the horse around and started walking away.
---
Ditching the Horse – Time to Sneak In
I led my horse away from the gates, deeper into the forest.
✔ Somewhere hidden.
✔ Somewhere safe.
✔ Somewhere that tiger girl wouldn't find it.
I tied the reins to a sturdy tree. "Alright, buddy. Stay put."
The horse huffed.
I rolled my eyes. "Don't give me that attitude. You'll be fine."
It flicked its tail at me.
Tch. Even my f*cking horse was a smartass.
I sighed, took a deep breath—and activated my skill.
---
[Shadow Step: Activated]
Darkness wrapped around me, blending me into the shadows.
✔ No sound.
✔ No movement detected.
✔ Completely invisible in the dim light.
I smirked. "Let's see that tiger sniff me out now."
With one silent step forward, I vanished into the city.
---
Roaming the City – Time to Plan
Once inside, I stayed low, weaving through the alleyways.
The city was bustling with life.
✔ Blacksmiths hammering away at weapons.
✔ Hunters dragging in freshly killed monsters.
✔ Merchants shouting about enchanted gear.
This place was built for warriors.
And somewhere in this chaos was what I needed.
---
Remembering the Plan – Where's the Artifact?
In the game, the hidden artifact was inside a cave.
But not just any cave.
✔ A place filled with failed monster experiments.
✔ A labyrinth of tunnels, half-collapsed and dangerous.
✔ And at the very end… a relic that no one had ever truly identified.
I needed to find the entrance.
And to do that…
I needed information.
---
Final Thought – Time to Dig Up Some Secrets
✔ I successfully snuck into the city.
✔ Now I had to find the cave entrance.
✔ And something told me… this was going to be a pain in the a.**
I sighed, rolling my shoulders.
"Alright. Let's get to work."
The sword hummed. "This is gonna be fun."
I smirked. "For me or for you?"
It chuckled. "Both."
I sighed. "Of course."
With that, I stepped out into the bustling streets, blending in.
Time to start digging.
---
To Be Continued…