The fragment didn't stay.
One moment—
It was there.
Floating beside Zael, faintly glowing, reacting to something beyond the mountain.
The next—
It flickered.
Dimmed.
And vanished.
Gone.
Like it had never appeared at all.
Returned silently to his inventory.
But—
It was too late.
Because they had seen it.
—
Below, the three figures had stopped.
Not moving.
Not speaking.
Just staring.
At the place where the fragment had been.
The one on the left was the first to react.
"…Did you see that?"
The third didn't answer immediately.
His gaze remained fixed upward.
Sharp.
Focused.
"…I did."
A pause.
Then—
"…That's not possible."
The female in the middle narrowed her eyes slightly.
"…It is."
Her voice was quieter now.
Less certain than before.
"…But it shouldn't be."
Silence stretched between them.
Because all three of them knew what they had seen.
Or at least—
What they thought they had seen.
The third let out a low breath.
"…A Watcher's Key fragment?"
The words sounded wrong even as he said them.
Like speaking them made them more real.
More dangerous.
The one on the left shook his head slowly.
"…No."
"…That doesn't just appear in the hands of some low-level human."
Another pause.
"…It can't."
The female's gaze didn't waver.
"…And yet it did."
That ended the argument.
Because denial didn't change reality.
They had seen it.
Even if only for a moment.
Even if incomplete.
Even if faint.
They had recognized it.
And that—
Changed everything.
—
The atmosphere shifted.
Subtly.
But completely.
The casual air.
The detached interest.
The slow, deliberate pursuit—
All of it vanished.
Replaced by something sharper.
Colder.
Focused.
The female spoke first.
"…We confirm it."
The one on the left exhaled slowly.
"…And if we're wrong?"
A pause.
Then—
"…We won't be."
The third smiled faintly.
But there was no amusement in it now.
"…If that really is a fragment…"
His gaze lifted slightly.
"…Then it doesn't matter how he got it."
Another pause.
"…He doesn't get to keep it."
The female nodded once.
Decision made.
"…We take it."
Simple.
Direct.
Absolute.
No more curiosity.
No more observation.
Just intent.
—
Above—
Zael felt it.
Immediately.
The shift.
It wasn't subtle.
It wasn't hidden.
It hit him like a blade against his back.
Sharp.
Focused.
Targeted.
His steps slowed for just a fraction of a second.
"…What—"
Then he understood.
Not fully.
But enough.
Their attention—
Had changed.
Before, they had been watching.
Now—
They were locked onto him.
Specifically.
Zael's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Why me?"
He didn't say it out loud.
Didn't need to.
The answer wasn't clear.
But one thing stood out.
That moment.
That fragment.
That reaction.
His gaze flickered briefly.
Not outward.
Inward.
To his inventory.
"…That thing…"
He didn't know what it was.
Not really.
He hadn't even thought about it in a long time.
But now—
Now it felt different.
Important.
Dangerous.
Aurelia slowed slightly beside him.
"…You felt that."
Not a question.
Zael didn't deny it.
"…Yeah."
Auralis glanced between them, then back down the steps.
Her grin hadn't disappeared—
But it had changed.
Sharper now.
"…They've stopped playing."
Zael didn't respond.
Because she was right.
He could feel it.
That pressure wasn't broad anymore.
Wasn't general.
It was focused.
Like a spear.
Pointed directly at him.
Behind them—
The wave of beasts surged harder.
Faster.
More aggressive.
But even that—
Felt secondary.
Because now—
There was something behind it.
Driving it.
Guiding it.
Hunting through it.
Zael exhaled slowly.
"…So that's how it is."
He didn't understand everything.
Didn't know what they had seen.
Didn't know why it mattered.
But he wasn't stupid.
Their reaction—
Told him enough.
Whatever that fragment was—
It wasn't normal.
And now—
It had put a target on his back.
A big one.
Zael's grip tightened slightly on his blade.
His pace increased.
Not by much.
But enough.
Because now—
This wasn't just about reaching the top.
This was about getting there—
Before they reached him.
Aurelia's gaze shifted slightly toward him.
"…You have something they want."
Zael let out a short breath.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…Figured."
Auralis chuckled softly.
"…Then don't die before we find out what it is."
Zael shot her a look.
"…Helpful."
She grinned.
"…Always."
Behind them—
The mountain trembled slightly.
The distance—
Was closing.
Faster now.
Much faster.
And for the first time—
Zael felt it clearly.
This wasn't pressure.
This wasn't a trial.
This was a hunt.
And he—
Was the target.
The mountain didn't stay bare.
Halfway up—
The terrain changed.
Abruptly.
One step, it was black stone and crushing pressure.
The next—
Trees.
Tall.
Twisted.
Their trunks were dark like burnt wood, their branches stretching unnaturally, weaving together to form a canopy that blocked out whatever passed for light in the Abyss.
The pressure didn't disappear.
It changed.
Less direct.
More… suffocating.
Like something was watching from every direction at once.
Zael slowed slightly as he stepped into the forest.
"…Great."
Aurelia's gaze moved across the surroundings, sharp, calculating.
"…This isn't natural."
Auralis snorted lightly. "…Nothing here is."
That wasn't the point.
They all felt it.
The moment they crossed into the forest—
The connection to everything outside dulled.
Not gone.
But distorted.
Senses didn't stretch as far.
Sound didn't travel cleanly.
Even presence felt… muted.
Like the forest swallowed it.
Zael's grip tightened slightly.
"…This is worse."
Because now—
Tracking worked both ways.
—
Below—
The three figures reached the forest edge.
They didn't rush in immediately.
They stopped.
Observed.
The one on the left let out a quiet breath.
"…It's interfering."
The female nodded slightly.
"…Of course it is."
The third tilted his head, faint amusement returning.
"…Makes it more interesting."
A pause.
Then—
The female spoke.
"…We split."
No hesitation.
No debate.
"…The fragment reacted to him. It won't stay hidden if we get close enough."
The one on the left nodded.
"…First one to find him—"
"—Keeps it."
The third finished with a grin.
No objections.
No arguments.
Because none of them planned to lose.
The next moment—
They moved.
Three directions.
Three paths.
Three hunters.
—
Inside the forest—
Zael stopped.
Not fully.
But enough.
"…Something changed."
Aurelia didn't look at him.
"…They split."
That confirmed it.
Zael exhaled slowly.
"…Of course they did."
Divide.
Cover more ground.
Corner him faster.
Simple.
Effective.
Auralis rolled her shoulders slightly, her grip tightening on her hammer.
"…Good."
Zael glanced at her.
"…You really don't get tired of this, do you?"
She grinned.
"…Not when it's interesting."
Zael looked away.
"…Right."
Aurelia stepped forward slightly.
"…We need to adjust."
Zael frowned faintly.
"…We?"
A pause.
Aurelia didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"…If we stay together, we're easier to track."
Auralis raised a brow.
"…And if we split?"
"…Harder to pin down."
Zael understood instantly.
Smaller targets.
Less attention per person.
Better chances.
But—
Also riskier.
Much riskier.
Auralis clicked her tongue lightly.
"…Fine."
She looked at Zael.
"…Don't die."
Zael let out a quiet breath.
"…You too."
Aurelia's gaze met his briefly.
"…Head toward the peak."
"…Obviously."
No more words.
No dramatic pause.
They split.
Three directions.
Just like the ones hunting them.
—
Zael moved alone.
Faster now.
Quieter.
Every step controlled.
Every movement measured.
The forest made it harder.
Roots shifted underfoot.
Branches blocked vision.
The ground wasn't stable.
But—
It also gave him something.
Cover.
For the first time since the chase began—
He wasn't completely exposed.
"…Better."
Not safe.
Never safe.
But better.
He slowed slightly.
Just enough to listen.
To feel.
To sense.
Nothing immediate.
No beasts rushing him.
No pressure closing in.
For a moment—
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Zael's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…I don't like this."
His instincts didn't relax.
Didn't ease.
If anything—
They sharpened.
Because silence here—
Meant something.
Then—
A step.
Not his.
Behind him.
Zael moved instantly.
Void Step—
He vanished—
Reappeared ten meters to the side.
Turned.
Blade already mid-swing—
Stopped.
Because there was nothing there.
No—
Not nothing.
A figure stood where he had been.
Calm.
Still.
Watching.
Zael's eyes narrowed.
"…You're one of them."
The man tilted his head slightly.
"…That obvious?"
Same presence.
Same pressure.
Same wrongness.
Zael didn't respond.
Didn't waste breath.
His stance lowered slightly.
Ready.
The man glanced around briefly.
"…Nice place."
A pause.
"…Shame it won't help you."
Zael's grip tightened.
"…You followed me."
The man smiled faintly.
"…No."
A small pause.
"…I found you."
That was worse.
Much worse.
Zael's mind moved quickly.
If one found him—
The others wouldn't be far behind.
Time—
Was limited.
The man's gaze sharpened slightly.
"…Let's make this simple."
A step forward.
Slow.
Deliberate.
"…You have something that doesn't belong to you."
Zael didn't move.
"…And?"
The man's smile widened just a fraction.
"…You give it to me."
A pause.
"…And I might let you die quickly."
Silence.
Then—
Zael exhaled softly.
"…Yeah."
His stance shifted.
Weight balanced.
Energy gathering.
"…That's not happening."
For a brief moment—
The forest stilled.
Then—
The man laughed.
Low.
Amused.
"…Good."
His presence flared slightly.
Just a fraction—
But enough.
The air tightened.
The ground cracked faintly beneath his step.
"…I was hoping you'd say that."
Zael didn't wait.
He moved first.
Because this—
Wasn't a fight he could afford to drag out.
And deep in the forest—
Hunter and prey finally met.
Only—
Neither planned to stay in that role for long.