The morning light filtered through the cracks in the wooden shutters, casting soft streaks across the floor.
Amina pulled her boots on slowly, adjusting the strap as Zashirmiq checked his sword's edge.
"In a few days," she said, glancing up, "we'll be heading deeper into the zones."
"Yeah," he replied without looking up.
She hesitated. "After Ayesha's story… you still think we should go with a team?"
Zashirmiq shrugged. "Hard to say. Going as a duo means we'll struggle against stronger Hollowed—especially the advanced ones."
"But a bad team?" Amina muttered. "That could get us killed faster than any mutant."
He nodded. "True. One wrong call, one weak link…"
"Or one traitor."
Silence lingered for a beat.
"We've worked well together so far," she said. "But scaling up... it's a risk either way."
Zashirmiq gave a short sigh. "Let's just get through today. Gather what we need. We'll figure the rest out after."
"Yeah," Amina stood and stretched, rolling her shoulders. "Task first. Worry later."
Moments later, they stepped out into the morning haze—joined by the twins at the gate.
Later that day, the group moved steadily through rocky terrain and scattered underbrush, gathering herbs and ore where they could. They'd already found more Burnleaf, Bittercap, and a small pocket of Dustiron. Progress was steady—until mid-afternoon.
Just past a dried streambed, they reached a grove tangled with sharp vines and pale, bone-colored stalks.
Hira stepped forward—and froze. "Thorneleaf," she whispered. "Fully matured."
Amina's eyes widened. "You're sure?"
"Positive," Hira replied, already crouching to confirm. "And there's a full patch."
"This is rare," Hina added, joining her. "With this, and what we already have—we can make full batches of revitalization potions."
"Collect quickly," Zashirmiq said, scanning the treeline. "Let's not get caught out here."
The twins worked fast, snipping and lifting roots with practiced care. Amina inspected the stalks, checking for rot or corruption.
They were halfway through the patch when Zashirmiq suddenly straightened, body tense.
A sound—low, dragging.
Then a growl.
He turned sharply. "Look out!"
The foliage behind them exploded.
A mutated dog burst through—twisted, massive, malformed.
Its shoulders bulged with corded muscle, broken bone plating ran down its back. One socket burned crimson. The other was hollow and smoking.
It didn't bark. It just charged.
Zashirmiq didn't hesitate—he grabbed Hira and pulled her behind him, stepping between the beast and the group.
"Get ready!" he called out, sword already in hand.
He'd already activated Insight—a glance told him enough.
"Level twenty… and its hallowed" he muttered, jaw tightening. "This one's gonna be rough."
Hina raised Earth Guard mid-air between the group and the dog—too slow. The beast slammed into it with a crunch, shattering the stone shield like brittle clay. The shockwave forced all three girls back a step.
Amina reacted first, launching a Firebolt that sizzled against its hide—but the flames barely left a mark.
"Scatter!" Zashirmiq shouted.
The group split instinctively—Hira veering right, Hina left, Amina vaulting over a low branch.
Zashirmiq blinked forward, reappearing near its flank. His blade flashed low—a clean arc through the rear leg's muscle. Blood sprayed.
The beast didn't even flinch.
"It's ignoring pain," he muttered.
It twisted mid-charge—fangs bared—straight toward Hira.
She threw up Water Guard. The translucent barrier caught the brunt of the hit—but cracked like glass. She screamed as the impact hurled her back into a rock. Her breath wheezed out on impact.
"Hira!" Zashirmiq blurred again—appearing by her side.
He pulled a Grade 3 potion from the system and uncorked it, pushing it to her lips. She winced but drank. The swelling on her arm already looked wrong.
"Stay low," he said, then turned.
Across the clearing, Hina roared, summoning a wave of Earth Spikes beneath the beast's feet. They rose sharp and fast, striking its underbelly and legs. It howled in pain—but even as blood poured, its muscles pulsed with black veins, and it surged forward again.
Zashirmiq jumped high—teleporting mid-air—sword down for the spine.
Crack.
The hit connected, deep. He felt resistance—bone fracturing.
But the beast whipped around, faster than expected. Its shoulder smashed into him mid-fall.
The impact sent him flying.
He hit the ground hard—slammed against a jutting root. Pain burst along his ribs.
He groaned, coughing—blood spilling down his chin.
Still dazed, he forced himself up, blinking away the red haze. Not now.
The beast lunged—this time at Amina.
She launched a Firebolt and tried a side-dash. But the beast clipped her mid-movement.
The hit launched her ten meters—straight into a tree.
The crunch echoed.
Zashirmiq's stomach dropped. "Amina!"
He blinked beside her, kneeling. Blood trickled from her mouth. Her ribs were bent inwards. She was conscious, barely.
He bought another Grade 3 healing potion from the system. Opened it. Held it to her lips. "Drink."
She choked, then drank, shuddering. Her eyes fluttered open. "I'm... fine," she lied.
"Not yet. Stay behind cover," he said, rising again.
The beast turned now—toward Hina.
She tried to raise Earth Guard again, but the wall wasn't strong enough. The impact cracked it, and she took the backlash full to the chest. She flew several meters, rolling twice before stopping face-down in the dirt.
Zashirmiq teleported again. Another potion purchased. He dropped beside her, rolled her over.
Blood on her lips. Bruising already spreading across her neck and shoulder.
He lifted her head. "Here. Take it."
She drank, coughing hard.
He stood—just in time.
The beast, wounded but rabid, lunged at him with wild force. He blinked to evade, but too late—its claw scraped across his already-broken ribs.
Pain exploded across his side.
He staggered, coughed—more blood.
Zashirmiq brought up the interface and bought another healing potion—this one for himself. He downed it in two gulps.
His legs steadied. Grip tightened on his sword.
"Time to end this."
Amina rose from behind a tree. Her side was still bleeding, but fire burned in her eyes.
She raised both hands. Two Firebolts. One after the other.
The first slammed into the beast's face—stunning it.
The second struck its chest—just as Hira launched a Water Bullet into its flank, knocking its stance sideways.
Earth Spikes erupted from below—Hina's doing.
The beast stumbled.
Zashirmiq blinked mid-air—his final strike.
Blade down.
He landed with full weight behind the thrust—driving the sword through the exposed skull, deep into its brain.
The mutated dog jerked. Twitched once. Then dropped.
Dead.
For a moment, no one spoke.
They stood in silence—shaking, bloodied, barely upright.
Zashirmiq swayed on his feet. Amina leaned against the tree, every breath shallow. Hira was crouched with a hand on her ribs. Hina knelt, one arm hanging limp.
They'd won.
The fight had pushed them to the edge—bones broken, blood spilled, breath stolen.
But no one backed down.
And because of that, the beast fell.
A soft chime rang in Zashirmiq's mind.
[Level Up]
Primal Energy: 15 → 16
Chaos Energy: 10 → 12
Cosmic Energy: 6 → 7
He exhaled, feeling the surge settle in his limbs.
The others didn't speak—but from their eyes, their stances… he knew they'd grown too.
Amina
Level: 19 → 20
Hina
Level: 12 → 13
Hira
Level: 12 → 13
With the mutated beast dead and the last of the Thorneleaf gathered, no one suggested pushing further.
Hina quickly stored the corpse in her ring.
They returned to the city early—silent, but relieved.
Outside Amina's house, Hira and Hina split off, heading to their own home to begin prepping materials.
"They'll need a few days," Zashirmiq said.
Amina nodded but said nothing.
Inside, she sank into her couch, expression flat—quiet.
Zashirmiq sat across from her, resting his sword against the wall. "That fight... was too close."
She let out a breath. "Yeah. I've had tough ones before, but that one? One second slower and I'd be gone."
"Same. We all would."
A silence stretched between them—not heavy, just real.
After a moment, Amina glanced at him. "Still planning to head deeper as just the two of us?"
Zashirmiq shook his head. "Not anymore. Today made it clear—too many unknowns. Too many ways to die."
Amina nodded. "Then we join a team. People we can actually trust."
She stood, stretching slowly. "I'll go take a quick shower first… then head out to meet Fatima."
Zashirmiq raised an eyebrow.
"She's the one I'd trust to have our back out there. If she agrees to team up, we'll be safer."
"Alright," he said, getting to his feet. "I'll head home too. Shower. Cook something."
Amina gave a tired smile. "Okay. I'll swing by your place later?"
"I'll wait," he replied, stepping toward the door.
They both paused there—just a second. Nothing more.
Then she turned toward the washroom.
He stepped outside.