Knock! Knock! A soft, delicate sound resonated as Zara knocked gently on the door of Nox's room, waiting patiently. There was no answer. After a few moments and a couple more knocks, she slowly pushed the door open. It creaked softly, revealing the dimly lit interior of his chambers, bathed in the pale silver glow of moonlight streaming through the tall arched windows. Her beautiful, blue gem-like eyes scanned the room. Everything was still. Unchanged. The books he had left on the table, the polished gauntlets resting neatly atop the small dresser, even the half-folded cloak draped across the back of the chair—it was all exactly the same as it had been that morning. Zara stepped in quietly, her footsteps nearly silent on the marble floor. "He's still not back, huh?" she murmured to herself, arms folded. "Is he planning to spend the night in the Ancient Forest?" Her expression tightened with a mixture of worry and frustration. She knew Nox was powerful—far more than most—but something about the Red Zone always made her uneasy. For her father to strictly warn the citizens, it could only mean that whatever entity resided in the marked area was no joke. Why do I have the budding feeling that idiot will probably approach that area? If there was one thing Zara had learned about Nox, it was that he was very stubborn. She sighed a moment later, then moved across the room, intending only to tidy up a few things, when her eyes landed on the bed—specifically, the slightly rumpled sheets where he had lain earlier. For a moment, she hesitated. Then, before she could stop herself, her hand reached out and brushed over the fabric. She inhaled softly, a faint, warm scent rising from the bedsheets. "...Mmn..." Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. The scent was unexpectedly... comforting. Masculine. Faintly minty with a hint of something darker—like wild pine mixed with cold steel. It was strangely calming and yet made her heart race. Her fingers curled into the sheets unconsciously before she realized what she was doing, and her eyes widened in shock. "What am I doing?!" She immediately stood up straight, backing away from the bed as if it had just burned her. She covered her face with her hand, her ears tinged pink. "I'm going crazy," she muttered, clearly embarrassed. "Absolutely crazy." With one last glance at the window, hoping to see Nox returning, she sighed and made her way toward the door. Yet, before exiting, she looked back over her shoulder. "Just come back safe, idiot." Then the door clicked shut behind her, leaving the moonlight to keep watch over the empty room. --- In the Ancient Forest, under the moonlight... Ding! Ding! [You've received experience points!] [You've received experience points!] [You've received experience points!] [You've received experience points!] [You've received experience points!] [You've received experience points!] "Hahahaha hahaha!" Nox's maniacal laughter filled the night forest as he continuously stabbed a creature. The sight was extremely gruesome, and his entire attire was soaked in blood-red. His expression was that of a psychopath. His once calm and calculating gaze was now glazed over with a mix of exhaustion and fervent madness. Nox had not taken a single break in the last couple of hours—nor had his pets—but they were relentless. He had a target in mind. No matter what, he must reach Level 70! [Ding! You've reached Level 63!] Nox jumped up from the monster after confirming the kill. He staggered, barely standing on his feet. He didn't have a moment of respite because surrounding him were dozens of beast-type creatures with gleaming red eyes that glowed dangerously in the dark. "Come on then..." Nox muttered, lifting Oblivion Edge, mana swirling faintly around him. He spat to the side, a line of blood trailing from the corner of his lips. "If you want to eat me... then try it!" Although he was drenched in blood from head to toe, none of it really belonged to Nox. It belonged to the numerous beasts that lay around him. The newly arriving monsters noticed this and became hesitant to attack. But sensing Nox's exhaustion, they pounced on him all at once. However, before they could reach him, Nox activated [Runic Dominion], one of his low mana consumption skills. Dozens of crimson runes spiraled outwards from him in an instant, forming intricate sigils in the air. Each rune sparked to life—and in a heartbeat, blood-red weapons burst forth, forming a deadly constellation of blades, spears, and jagged scythes floating around Nox like the wrath of a blood god. His eyes glowed faintly, and he whispered, "Slaughter them all." The air trembled. Then—chaos erupted. The forest was filled with the painful cries of beasts from all directions. After slaughtering all the creatures in sight, Nox dropped to the ground, his stamina dangerously low. [Stamina: 10/100%] Nox wanted to push himself forward, but his body gave way, and he collapsed. However, before he passed out, he had called Thirteen back to watch over him while he rested. --- Meanwhile, deep inside the Ancient Forest, Nox's pets—Fluffington, Solora, Astralux, Blazy the Supreme Spirit Wolf, the Rock Golem Granite Colossus, and Zul'gor the Orc Shaman—continued to carve through any monsters that stood in their path, dyeing the forest floor blood red. Nox had strictly told them to avoid the marked perimeters beforehand, as he didn't want to lose any of his pets to the unknown force that dwelled there. Even as he slept and his stamina slowly regenerated, several notifications continued to ring in Nox's mind. After several hours of relentless hunting, he leveled up once more. Although he was unconscious, a subtle smile couldn't help but appear on Nox's bloody face. While he was peacefully asleep, Valkor, the Inferno Dragon Prince, slashed down a bear. The ground around him was littered with the bodies of beasts numbering in the hundreds. Wiping a droplet of sweat from his brow, the Inferno Prince glanced in the direction where loud cries of beasts echoed from. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from his spot in a burst of purple light, appearing at a clearing where a single orc was massacring the beasts that lived in the Ancient Forest.