Leo and his team slept soundly through the night, the tension that had gripped him for days finally lifting. With Fiona back and the wolves keeping watch as always, there was nothing to fear.
For the first ti in days, he didn't wake up in the middle of the night, his mind restless and full of worry. The gnawing unease that had accompanied Fiona's absence had finally disappeared.
Now, he could breathe.
As the first light of morning filtered through the broken blinds, Leo stirred. He shifted slightly, groaning softly at the lingering aches in his body.
The fight with the tree had left him battered, and even though his [Regeneration] skill had done most of the work, he still felt sore all over.
It was the kind of exhaustion that clung to his bones.
He was just about to stretch when he noticed sothing.
Soone was watching him.
His instincts kicked in, and his muscles tensed as his eyes shot open.
And there she was.
Tatiana.
Standing beside his bed with a smirk on her lips.
Leo let out a long, suffering sigh and ran a hand down his face.
"Tatiana… on this world, we have sothing called privacy. You can just knock on my door, and if I'm awake, I'll let you in."
Tatiana's smirk only widened. "Privacy?" she echoed, as if the concept itself was laughable.
She took a step closer, tilting her head.
"You lost your privacy the mont the Off-worlders started arriving."
Leo frowned. "What's that supposed to an?"
Tatiana chuckled. "It ans you can be seen right now through these walls. You can be heard from miles away. Even if you whisper, there's an Off-worlder out there who will hear every word."
She crossed her arms, eyes glinting with amusent.
"So, do you really think you still have privacy?"
Leo exhaled through his nose, the weight of her words settling in.
The Off-worlders weren't just stronger. They had abilities beyond what he could comprehend. If they could track him that easily, then…
His mind imdiately went to his final evolution requirent.
His stomach twisted.
"Now, I'm really worried about how I'm going to complete the last requirent," he muttered. "With all these advantages, beating an Off-worlder is going to be near impossible."
Tatiana's smirk didn't fade. In fact, it widened.
"Indeed, it's going to be," she said. "But no need to worry. That's why I'm here."
Leo narrowed his eyes. "You're planning sothing."
Tatiana gave a mock gasp. "? Planning sothing? Perish the thought."
Leo's expression remained flat. "Tatiana."
She chuckled. "Fine, fine. I have an idea on how you're going to defeat an Off-worlder, but first, you need training. And for that—"
Her eyes glead with sothing almost sinister.
"Elda will be your trainer."
Leo tensed slightly at the na.
Elda. Her bodyguard?
Leo felt that this was going to be worst than fighting the Evolved Rank tree.
Tatiana continued, "But before you ask—not now. First, you need to heal completely. That fight with the tree left you closer to death than you think. You wouldn't last an hour in real training."
Leo didn't argue. His body still ached like hell. He wasn't about to rush into another fight when he could barely stand without wincing.
Tatiana seed satisfied with his silence.
"Well then, that's all I ca for," she said, brushing imaginary dust off her sleeve. "See you later, Leo."
With that, she vanished, leaving Leo alone in his room once more.
He stared at the spot where she had been.
She was up to sothing. He knew it.
But for now, he had to focus on recovering.
Leo pushed himself up and stretched, wincing slightly at the stiffness in his muscles. Even if he wasn't going anywhere today, he refused to just lie in bed like so fragile invalid.
An hour passed.
Everyone else had left the building to continue training, and even Fiona was gone again, out leveling up with the wolves.
The apartnt was quiet.
Leo sat near the window, enjoying the silence.
And the next mont, he felt a chill ran down his spine.
A presence.
Not Tatiana's. Not anyone that he was familiar with.
Sothing else.
His instincts scread at him.
Leo didn't move. He didn't turn. But he knew.
He wasn't alone in the room anymore.
He inhaled slowly. "Are you going to introduce yourself, or are you just going to keep standing there?"
A voice—smooth, lilting, amused.
"Clever."
Leo turned his head slightly—and his breath caught.
A woman stood near the far side of the room, near the door.
Tall. Elegant. Ethereal.
She had long, silvery-white hair that cascaded like flowing silk, and piercing violet eyes that seed to glow faintly in the dim light.
She was dressed in a long, flowing white and green dress, its delicate fabric shifting slightly despite the lack of wind.
But the most prominent part of her was her long, pointy ears and green eyes.
Elf?
Leo thought to himself.
She smiled slightly. "I was wondering when you'd notice ."
Leo's fingers twitched. He didn't reach for Nightshade—not yet—but he was on edge.
"Who are you?" he asked.
The woman tilted her head, the movent eerily smooth.
"An admirer," she said.
Leo frowned.
"Not an answer."
She chuckled softly. "I suppose not."
She took a step closer, moving with a grace that didn't seem natural. It was almost like she glided.
Leo forced himself to stay still.
"I've been watching you," she admitted, her gaze sharp. "Since your battle with the mantis."
Leo's jaw tightened. "Why?"
Her eyes glead. "Because you are different."
She let the words settle before continuing.
"You are not like the others on this world. You stand against creatures far beyond your level, and yet, you win. You adapt. You survive."
She smiled.
"And that makes you… interesting."
Leo inhaled slowly. "What do you want?"
She clasped her hands behind her back. "An alliance."
Leo blinked.
She watched him carefully. "You and I… we could help each other."
Leo narrowed his eyes. "And how exactly would that work?"
The woman's expression didn't change.
"You have potential," she said. "I can make sure you survive the tournant. I can make sure you thrive."
Leo's fists clenched. "And in return?"
"You serve ."
The words were smooth. Effortless. Dangerous.
Leo let out a sharp breath.
"Yeah, that's gonna be a no."
She smiled, but there was sothing cold behind it. "I expected as much."
Still, she didn't look disappointed. If anything, she looked amused.
"You are stubborn," she mused. "But that will only take you so far."
She turned slightly, as if preparing to leave.
"Think carefully, Leo," she said. "The tournant is unlike anything you can imagine. You will face beings beyond your understanding."
Her violet eyes locked onto his.
"And if you aren't ready, you will die."
With that, she vanished—just like that.
Leo exhaled sharply.
His entire body was tense.
He didn't know who she was. He didn't know what she wanted.
But one thing was clear.
The tournant was going to be an avenue for a tides of blood to flow and he must prepare himself, and other if he wants to survive.
"Sigh... Why can't soone just have so monts of peace without thinking about this tournant."
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