Dila's hand trembled slightly as she wrapped her fingers around the cold metal knob. The door creaked as it slowly turned, the sound echoing unnaturally in the silence behind her. Her breath came out in shallow wisps, fogging faintly in the chill air that seeped from the darkness beyond.

As the door swung open, a black forest stretched before her, tall, gnarled trees twisting into the shadows, their outlines barely visible in the dim light. The wind whispered through the branches, carrying a faint, eerie rustle that made her skin crawl. Every step she imagined taking would crunch on invisible leaves, yet the forest remained ominously silent.

Dila's voice barely rose above a whisper, shaky and uncertain. "Nari… why… why is it a forest? Last time… it was a corridor…"

From the staff, Nari's voice chimed softly, almost hesitant. ☆ I… don't know, master… ☆

The shadows shifted subtly, as though the trees themselves were watching, leaning closer with each heartbeat. Dila hugged the staff closer to her chest, the pink glow from Nari's core casting a trembling light on the forest floor, just enough to show the twisted shapes of roots curling like grasping hands. Her pulse quickened, and her feet felt like they were sinking into unseen mist as she whispered again, voice shaking, "This… this isn't real… it can't be… my mind is just playing tricks again."

The darkness seemed to pulse around her, heavy and watchful, and even the soft hum of her staff did little to break the suffocating silence. Every instinct screamed for her to run, yet she was frozen at the threshold, caught between fear and the faint, fragile hope that Nari would guide her through whatever nightmare this forest had become.

The moment Dila took her first hesitant step out, her barefeet pressed against the cold soil, damp with unseen dew. The air felt heavier here.... too still, too cold. Then suddenly....

THUD!

The door behind her slammed shut with a violent force, echoing through the silent forest. Dila jumped, clutching her staff tight against her chest. "Eeeekk!" she yelped, her voice trembling as her heart skipped a beat.

For a second, everything went completely quiet again.... until a shrill fluttering broke the silence. From the tangled trees above, a storm of bats burst out, their wings slicing through the night air in a wild frenzy.

Dila's eyes widened, reflecting the faint pink light from Nari's core. The wind rushed past her face, sending her silver hair whipping around her shoulders. The fluttering of hundreds of wings filled the forest, drowning out every other sound. She instinctively ducked, pressing her back against the now-closed door, her grip tightening on her staff.

☆ Easy, easy master! They're just bats! ☆ Nari said quickly, her delicate voice echoing through the glowing orb.

Dila looked up with wide eyes, trying to steady her breathing as the swarm vanished into the endless darkness above. "Just bats…?!" she muttered shakily. "They almost gave me a heart attack, Nari..."

☆ Hehe, well… at least they didn't bite! ☆ Nari teased softly.

Dila sighed, her shoulders relaxing just a little. The forest around her swayed again under the faint touch of the wind, shadows stretching across the ground like moving veins. She whispered, "This place… it really feels alive…"

And somewhere deeper within, something unseen moved.... watching.

The silence lingered like a held breath. Dila's pulse was still racing, but she tried to laugh it off. "Ahh... hahaha... there's nothing to be scared o—"

Before she could even finish, a deafening slam ripped through the air. Something massive struck the door behind her with the force of an explosion.

BANG!

The wooden frame shattered into glowing dust, vanishing completely as if erased from existence. A burst of pressure tore through the clearing, sending dirt and leaves flying in every direction.

Dila gasped, her eyes wide in pure shock. Before she could react, an invisible force crashed into her back—

THOOM!

Her body was hurled Forward, but in that instant, a translucent blue shield flared to life around her like a second skin. The Cascade Barrier activated automatically, crackling with lines of glowing runes.

The impact still threw her through the air. Branches snapped, leaves scattered, and she slammed against a thick tree trunk before tumbling onto the damp ground. Her staff slipped from her grasp, spinning away and landing several meters ahead.

"Haaah... ahhh..." she coughed, wincing as the echo of the impact faded.

A faint hum flickered in her ears—then the familiar system voice pulsed through the air.

☆ Cascade Barrier integrity: 90%. ☆

Dila groaned softly, rubbing the back of her head. "Ow... what even was that..."

The staff, lying a few meters away, suddenly twitched and began to levitate, faint pink light pulsing from its core. Nari's voice emerged, worried yet still keeping that gentle tone.

☆ Master, are you okay?! That was a strong hit! ☆

Dila blinked through the haze and forced a small smile. "Y-Yeah... I'm okay... but it still hurts..."

The barrier around her flickered faintly, fading as her body adjusted. The forest around them had gone eerily still again, only the faint rustle of leaves breaking the silence. A thin mist drifted between the trees, and the smell of wet earth filled the air.

Dila's fingers curled slightly, her voice trembling. "That... thing... what was that, Nari?"

But before Nari could answer, something in the shadows moved again—slow, deliberate, and watching.

The mist swirled faintly under the pale moonlight, curling around Dila's ankles as she steadied herself. Her breath came in slow, tense draws. As the staff levitate stabilizing... pink light spiraling from its core.

Nari's orb shimmered, floating toward Dila with gentle, flowing motion. The light flickered as she settled softly into Dila's right hand, her warmth pulsing through the elf's skin.

☆ Master... I think this one's powerful... what could it be...? ☆

Her voice carried a faint tremor, half curious, half uneasy.

Dila kept her eyes ahead, scanning the dark outline between the trees. "I don't know... You're the system, Nari. You should scan it and tell me."

The forest responded only with faint rustling. A shape moved among the treetops—leaping soundlessly from one branch to another. Its silhouette was massive yet fluid, almost blending with the dark. Each movement made the shadows ripple, like ink stirred in water.

Nari's voice came again, quieter now, as if hesitant.

☆ I... I can't scan it, master. We're in the dream state. My data readings aren't functioning properly. Only you can perceive it... and even then, not fully. I can't comprehend what it is... ☆

Dila's gaze never left the shifting darkness. Her fingers tightened around the staff's smooth grip, heart pounding in her chest. "Me neither... I don't know what it is. Even in this dream... it doesn't feel like part of me."

Nari's tone turned somber, her pink glow dimming slightly.

☆ That's because... the enemy isn't from your dream, master. It's from the Archaic Conductor—the unknown classification you used before. It's still leaking fragments of energy... and this thing... must've slipped through. ☆

Dila's eyes widened slightly at the realization, then softened with resolve. She lifted her staff and took a slow step forward, her bare feet brushing against the cool dirt. "So it's not just a nightmare..."

Her expression hardened as the wind picked up, whispering through the branches. She drew in a breath, magic flaring faintly at her fingertips.

"Right... no matter what this is... I have to fight it."

The forest darkened even more as if the world itself responded to her words. Nari's core glowed brighter in her staff, pulsing with rhythm like a heartbeat.

☆ Then I'll back you up, master... let's end this nightmare together. ☆

Dila nodded once. The air thickened, filled with the quiet hum of power. From deep within the darkness... two faint red lights blinked back at her. Eyes. Watching. Waiting.

The wind howled softly through the black forest, carrying with it the whisper of unseen things. Dila's grip tightened on her staff, her pulse echoing through her fingertips. The blue glow from the staff's orbiting shards shimmered faintly, reflecting in her determined eyes.

She raised it high, then pressing the crystal end to the ground. "Earthrea... I summon you!"

The ground beneath her trembled. Cracks spidered across the dirt, glowing faintly blue as the soil began to bulge and twist. Then, with a heavy rumble, two towering golems rose from the earth. Dust spilled from their shoulders as their rocky bodies took form—thick stone arms, carved runes flickering along their surface, and eyes that flared with a steady, cold blue light.

The creatures let out a low mechanical growl, stepping forward and taking their stances beside Dila. Each movement shook the ground slightly, making the fallen leaves flutter.

Dila's hair brushed across her face as she exhaled, her voice barely above a whisper. "Good... now let's see what you can do."

Nari's voice echoed softly in her mind, warm but tinged with concern.

☆ Careful, master... you shouldn't use too much of your magical power. Remember, we're both still recovering. If you push too far, it'll cause strain... even if our mana looks full. ☆

Dila sighed, her gaze fixed on the dark outline shifting through the trees. The red eyes were still there, darting between the shadows. Her heart pounded faster, but her tone was dry, a bit teasing despite the tension.

"Yeah, yeah, Nari... I understand."

The golems' blue light pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat. The forest grew still again—too still. Only the faint hum of mana and the whispering leaves filled the air as Dila steadied her staff, the earth itself waiting for her command.

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