Chapter 21– System Error

Golden sunlight streamed through the slightly open tent flap, casting a warm glow over the scattered clothes and rumpled bedding. Seraphina stirred, her body deliciously sore from the night before. The lingering heat of Caius's touch still ghosted over her skin, a reminder of how thoroughly he had claimed her.

She turned slightly, her gaze landing on the man beside her. Caius lay on his back, one arm draped over his forehead, his amber eyes barely open as he looked at her with a mixture of satisfaction and something unspoken. His bare chest rose and fell steadily, the scratches and marks she had left on him visible against his tan skin.

"You're awake already?" he murmured, voice husky from sleep.

Seraphina smirked, propping herself up on one elbow. "Unlike you, I have things to do."

Caius chuckled lowly, rubbing a hand over his face before reaching for her. In one swift motion, he pulled her back against him, their bodies molding together beneath the covers.

"You sure you don't have time for one more round, princess?" he whispered against her bare shoulder, his lips grazing her skin.

Seraphina felt the warmth pooling in her stomach, but she placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back with a teasing smile. "I'd love to, but I need to find the Obsidian Core before nightfall. And you need to make sure we don't get attacked again."

Caius sighed dramatically but released her. "Fine, fine. But don't get yourself killed looking for that thing. The battlefield isn't exactly a treasure hunt."

She smirked, slipping out of the blankets and grabbing her discarded clothes. As she dressed, she could feel Caius's gaze on her, heated and lingering.

When she turned back, fully clothed, she tilted her head at him. "Try not to miss me too much."

He scoffed, sitting up and running a hand through his disheveled red hair. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't expect me to come running if you get into trouble."

But the way his eyes softened for a brief moment told her otherwise.

---

Outside the tent, the camp was already bustling. Soldiers repaired weapons, others tended to the wounded, and the eerie silence beyond the borders of the battlefield hinted that the strange force had retreated—for now.

Seraphina opened her system window.

[Current Route: The Crimson General – Caius Draven]

[Obsidian Core – 0% Located]

[Relationship Rating: 78% → 85%]

[New Ability Unlocked: ???]

Her eyes flickered over the last notification. A new ability? But before she could inspect further, another window popped up.

[Choose Your Next Move:]

1. Continue the Battlefield Route – Investigate the Unnatural Force with Caius

2. Return to the Capital – Meet the Crown Prince

3. Visit the Arcane Tower – Seek Valen Astraeus's Guidance

4. Rest and Recuperate – Unlock a Hidden Event

Seraphina bit her lip, weighing her options. The Crown Prince intrigued her, and she needed to manage her standings with all of them, but something about the battlefield and the strange force didn't sit right with her.

And Caius… despite his rough exterior, he was keeping something from her.

She exhaled and tapped the first option.

[Route Locked – Proceeding with Caius Draven]

The system flickered, and Seraphina steeled herself.

Whatever was waiting in the depths of the battlefield, she would uncover it.

And Caius Draven? He wasn't getting rid of her just yet.

---------

Seraphina adjusted her gloves as she stepped through the bustling war camp. The air smelled of iron, sweat, and the lingering scent of magic—a clear sign that whatever had attacked them last night was not of this world.

Caius was already outside, fully armored, giving orders to his men. He looked sharp, his amber eyes burning with focus, but when he saw her approaching, his gaze softened for a fraction of a second before returning to his usual commanding presence.

"You're still here," he remarked, crossing his arms.

Seraphina smirked. "What? Did you expect me to vanish after last night?"

Caius's lips twitched upward. "Wouldn't be the first time a noble left the battlefield after getting what they wanted."

Seraphina stepped closer, lowering her voice so only he could hear. "I'm not like the others. I have unfinished business here."

She flicked open her system window discreetly, scanning her objectives.

[Quest Updated: Investigate the Source of the Unnatural Force.]

[Obsidian Core – 10% Located.]

Her gaze narrowed. How did the percentage go up already?

Caius was already watching her, his expression unreadable. "What exactly are you looking for?"

Seraphina hesitated. She couldn't tell him about the system. Instead, she settled for something close to the truth.

"There's an ancient ore buried somewhere around this battlefield," she said. "Something powerful enough to be linked to last night's attack."

Caius didn't respond immediately. His amber eyes studied her carefully, searching for any hint of deception. Then, with a sigh, he ran a hand through his messy red hair.

"If you're staying, I want you close to me," he said, voice gruff. "I don't trust whatever hit us last night. And I definitely don't trust you running off into the battlefield alone."

Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "Is that concern I hear, General?"

Caius scoffed, turning away. "It's called common sense, princess. Try using it."

But the way his hand subtly brushed against hers before he walked off told her more than his words ever could.

---

The afternoon sun hung low as Seraphina and a small unit of knights moved toward the outer edges of the battlefield. The land was scorched in strange patterns, blackened veins spreading across the earth, pulsing faintly as if alive.

"This isn't normal," one of the knights muttered.

Caius placed a hand on his sword, his body tense. "Stay sharp."

Seraphina crouched near one of the pulsating veins, carefully brushing dirt away with her gloves. The system flickered.

[Obsidian Core – 25% Located.]

Her breath hitched. It's here.

But before she could say anything, the ground trembled beneath them.

A dark mass burst from the earth, shifting and twisting like liquid shadow. Its form was ever-changing—limbs sprouted, then melted away, eyes flickered open across its body before vanishing again.

The knights reacted instantly, swords drawn, but Seraphina's system flashed another message.

[Unknown Entity Detected – WARNING: This foe cannot be killed conventionally.]

Caius cursed under his breath, gripping his sword tighter. "What the hell is this thing?"

Seraphina didn't have an answer. But as the shapeless entity lunged forward, she knew one thing—they weren't leaving this battlefield without a fight.

---

Clash with the Unknown

The entity lunged, a mass of shifting darkness surging forward. Its form twisted, growing grotesque clawed limbs before vanishing into mist and reappearing again.

"Formation!" Caius bellowed, already moving, his sword flashing in the fading light. The knights obeyed instantly, raising their shields.

Seraphina's heart pounded as she reached for her weapon. Normal attacks won't work on this thing. But they had to fight back—retreat wasn't an option yet.

The first knight to swing at it had his sword pass right through the creature, hitting nothing but air. Then, the entity struck back, tendrils lashing out and hurling the man aside like a ragdoll.

"Shit!" Caius snarled. He moved fast, grabbing the fallen knight by the collar and pulling him back. "Stay behind the line!"

The other knights barely held their ground. Every strike against the monster did nothing—it was like attacking smoke given form, only it hit back with solid force.

Seraphina dodged, twisting away from a shadowed limb. The system flickered.

[Combat Analysis: The entity is vulnerable to...]

[Error: Insufficient Data]

"Damn it," she hissed. That was not helpful.

Then, suddenly—the entity turned its full attention on her.

Seraphina's stomach dropped. The world slowed as it surged forward, all of its shifting limbs aiming straight at her.

Caius moved without hesitation.

"Seraphina!" His body slammed into hers, knocking her out of the way just in time. The shadowy mass grazed his shoulder, but Caius barely flinched—his arms wrapped tightly around her, bracing her against his chest as they hit the ground hard.

For a brief moment, all she could hear was his heartbeat.

"You okay?" His voice was rough, close to her ear.

Seraphina swallowed hard. "I—"

Before she could finish, the entity let out a horrifying screech, sending a shockwave through the battlefield. The knights stumbled, some falling to their knees as black mist began to spread—a suffocating presence weighing down on them.

Caius's grip tightened around her. "We're pulling back," he growled.

"But—"

"No arguments, princess," he snapped. "We can't win this fight yet."

Seraphina hated that he was right. But the way her system refused to give her any answers meant they weren't ready.

Caius was already giving orders. "Fall back! Get the injured inside the perimeter—NOW!"

The knights scrambled to obey. As they retreated, the entity didn't pursue, simply watching them with shifting, empty eyes before sinking back into the ground.

Seraphina shivered. It let us go.

But why?

---

Regrouping in the War Tent

The camp was tense. Inside the command tent, torches burned low, casting flickering light over the maps scattered across the table.

Caius leaned over them, shirtless, his muscular back and shoulders marred with fresh bruises. A medic had treated his wounds, but he looked more irritated than injured.

Seraphina sat across from him, arms crossed, her mind replaying the battle.

"I hate running," she admitted.

Caius snorted, rolling his shoulders. "You're not the only one."

She eyed him carefully. "You got hit."

Caius grunted, dismissing it. "I've had worse."

Seraphina's gaze lingered on him. He was always like this—unyielding, enduring, never complaining. Even now, his focus was entirely on the battlefield, not on himself.

"That thing isn't normal," she murmured.

"No shit." Caius ran a hand through his red hair, his jaw tight. "And it was watching you."

She stiffened. "You noticed?"

"Of course I did." His amber eyes locked onto hers. "The second it fixated on you, I knew we were in trouble."

Seraphina's fingers curled slightly. The system had reacted, but not fast enough.

Caius exhaled heavily. "We need a better plan."

Seraphina hesitated, then checked her system.

[New System Route Available.]

[Options:]

1. Strategize with Caius – Discuss a plan for dealing with the entity.

2. Rest and Reconnect – A private moment with Caius to ease the tension.

3. Seek Out Information – Search for clues about the entity in the war camp.

She glanced up at him. He was waiting, watching her like he knew she was thinking of something more.

And he was right.

---