Chapter 19: Enjoying the Beautiful Views.

"A short stone sword," said Daniel calmly, and the sword materialized in his hand. Serafina's eyes widened.

"How did you... I see, so you really did kill them all," Serafina muttered to herself with slight shock.

"Apparently so," Daniel replied indifferently. "However, don't expect me to share it with you."

"I don't need it. I've never held a sword, so I'll be even more useless with it than without," she said.

"So you're useless in combat," said Daniel coldly. Serafina frowned.

"That's a hasty conclusion. I expected you to be the burden, but it seems your combat skills are acceptable. I know the basics of several martial arts, but I feel most comfortable with firearms."

"Hmm, the way of the bullet then," Daniel said, indifferent. Serafina's face took on an even more somber and gloomy look.

"Exactly. If I had a core, I would choose the way of the bullet... Obviously, in your case, it would be the way of the blade."

"Obviously," Daniel repeated in a calm tone.

Daniel and Serafina were born Hollows - people without a core. Most of the Empire's population consists of the Hollows. Those who form a core at fifteen become Light Legionnaires to fight against the monsters from the Kingdom of Darkness. Upon joining the ranks of the Light Legionnaires, everyone must choose one of three paths: the Path of Flesh, the Path of the Blade, or the Path of the Bullet.

"Perhaps if we survive, we'll get to do that," Daniel added indifferently.

"What does that mean?" Serafina shot him a fiery glance.

"You don't know?" Daniel wondered to himself.

'I thought all players knew. But apparently only the first five saw the message.'

"Know what?" Serafina frowned even more.

"If you survive, you'll find out," Daniel answered indifferently. Serafina sighed.

The girl fell silent for a moment. Abruptly raising her hand and slightly bending her wrist, she looked at her palm, then shifted her gaze to the sun hanging above the horizon. Her eyes also briefly darted over the shadows of the trees.

"Just don't tell me you can determine north and south by the position of the sun or something like that. Besides, we don't need it right now; you've seen the map."

"I can. However, at the moment, that's not what I'm doing. I'm trying to determine the approximate time."

`What normal person, especially a Hollow, would know how to determine time by the position of the sun?! This girl is clearly weird as hell.`

"Approximate time – twelve noon. Approximate time until the sun hides behind the horizon – nine hours. It's not much, considering that besides surviving in the western territory, we also need to find a Safe Zone."

"Won't your skill make this task easier for us?"

"The skill has limitations. One of them is that it's unable to detect Safe Zones. Apparently, because this place is protected by a system, my skill doesn't see what's inside the Safe Zones, only the surface landscape."

"I see. Then we really should hurry."

Serafina nodded. She moved forward, and Daniel followed her. They left the Safe Zone.

Daniel tightly gripped his short sword. Moving through the tropical forest, Serafina and Daniel felt the air becoming increasingly humid and heavy. Dense growth began to limit their visibility more and more. The tension became tangible: every shadow could hide danger, every rustle could herald an attack. Initially, Daniel followed Serafina with caution; of course, he remembered the girl's scanning ability, but he still looked around, soon, though, his attention was diverted.

Serafina's bare buttocks before his eyes were the embodiment of perfection. Smooth, delicate skin, excellently highlighted by taut muscles, created a mesmerizing picture. The curves of her buttocks seemed sculpted, and their gentle movements as she walked were hypnotizing. Her legs, slender and graceful, emphasized the overall harmony of her figure, and each step was full of grace. Daniel almost forgot about the surrounding dangers, losing his vigilance under the influence of this enticing sight.

The curves of her body, the grace of movement, slender legs — all this embodied harmony and strength. But his gaze did not escape Serafina.

She stopped and turned to him; her eyes were cold and piercing. Briefly and confidently, she said:

«Until we reach the western territories, I won't activate my skill. So stay on guard.»

In her eyes, one could see a brief flash of contempt. Her words, like a cold shower, brought Daniel back to reality.

`She didn't use her skill, but still somehow noticed that I was ogling her. Does she have eyes in the back of her head, or how did she know? But she's right, as hard as it is to look away from that butt, if I don't, I won't live long.`

Daniel nodded, and they moved on, delving deeper into the forest, trying to avoid shadows and potential monster hiding places. But even so, everything around them presented danger. However, Daniel gradually felt the temperature and climate give way to pleasant coolness, becoming more moderate and comfortable. Everything around slowly began to change. It was not what Daniel saw when he flew here in ghost form.

Serafina and Daniel's visibility was reduced to a minimum. Plants began to reach their knees. Daniel knew that Serafina was worse off than him, because unlike him, she was without shoes, which greatly hindered her movement.

"Stay closer," Serafina said in a slightly anxious tone. Her hand touched him; she took his wrist so as not to lose him in this dense tropical forest. Daniel felt chills down his spine at her touch; her skin was icy, like that of a corpse, though there was no time now for unnecessary thoughts and emotions.

"Are you sure it's safer here?" he whispered, looking around at the undergrowth.

"No," Serafina responded, her gaze full of determination. "But in the other options, the likelihood of our death is higher."

They continued to make their way through the undergrowth. Every sigh of the wind in the forest seemed a threat, every branch underfoot a warning. Daniel, following Serafina, felt the tension intensify. Although his eyes were still covertly glancing at the same bare butt, he managed to stop himself from getting carried away by the process.

Approaching the western territories marked a strange change in the landscape. The vegetation became even more lush and diverse. Some plants took on almost fantastic shapes.

There were huge flowers with petals that shimmered in all the colors of the rainbow, next to towering trees with twisting trunks and leaves that looked like flames. The trees grew to incredible heights, their branches intertwining to form arches studded with strange flowers of unknown colors. Some of them pulsated with light, like twinkling stars in the night sky. Vines hung from branches, and unknown lizards with iridescent scales scurried along the ground.

The ground underfoot became softer, almost yielding to each step, as if there was another life hidden within its depths. The air filled with the sweet aroma of exotic fruits, and the noise of the forest mixed with unclear voices emanating from the depths of the jungle. The wind in the western territories behaved strangely, creating whirlwinds and streams that made sounds like distant whispers.

Daniel felt that the land ahead was drawing him in, as if a creature with an unearthly power of attraction. This land seemed alive, breathing, ever-changing. Every new step revealed something new, making you forget what had been seen before. Serafina stopped.

"We have approached the border," although the girl tried to hide it, Daniel could catch a slight, thin fear in her voice.

'Well, after all, she's a girl and nearly died. That's normal, I think. Though for some reason I'm not particularly nervous. Maybe because my sense of desire is already at 79%? I don't have much to lose. I'll either die here, or go insane, although I am of course hoping for some kind of saving third option.'

Serafina finally realized that she had been holding Daniel's wrist all this time. She jerked her hand away sharply.

"I didn't mean to do that. Don't think that it's..."

"Don't worry. Everyone shows fear in their own way." Serafina frowned, and irritation flared in her eyes.

"It's not fear. I just noticed how your gaze repeatedly slides to certain parts of my figure. I just wanted to make sure that you were able to focus on our path. It seems that our priorities differ somewhat. Some of us strive to survive; others find beauty in the surroundings."

"Beauty in the surroundings? Is that how you assess your buttocks?"

"Obviously. But I can't blame people who enjoy beautiful views, although I would prefer you to concentrate on real problems. We are in a place where any carelessness can be fatal. There's no time for idle talk and distracting moments," Serafina replied with a cold look.

"I understand. It's my mistake, and I was obviously wrong in this situation. Don't worry about it, it won't happen again," Daniel responded indifferently. Serafina crossed her arms, her tone softening slightly:

"Very well. I hope you are truly a man of your word. It might not only depend on your life."

"Then maybe I should go ahead," Daniel calmly suggested. Serafina raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know the exact path, and besides, you don`t have my skill. It makes more sense if I'm ahead. Otherwise, you'll expose yourself to unnecessary risk," she objected.

"Even better. I will be more focused than usual. Besides, I'll be in your sight all the time, and you won't be afraid to be left alone," Daniel said calmly, smirking inside.

"I wasn't afraid..." Serafina began to frown but then sighed, "Do what you want. You bear responsibility for your actions. If something happens to you, it's obviously your fault."

"Obviously," Daniel echoed her, notes of irritation appeared in Serafina's eyes, but she suppressed them.

The girl looked towards the western territories, unconsciously touching her side, where she had once been left with a severe wound. She shook her head.

"Are you ready?" Daniel turned.

"Stay alert to the very end," Serafina nodded and followed Daniel.