It didn't take long before we were sitting cozily in the commander's room. We were both soaked, but the fire from the fireplace helped us dry off a little. Still, we had to undress, which made the night very awkward.

I tried not to look too much; we were both women after all, so it should not matter, yet respecting each other's privacy still felt important. I could feel her glances though, subtle but too frequent for me not to notice. I was not sure why, but the moment my clothes felt dry enough, I dressed as quickly as possible.

We soon fell asleep. There were a few hours left before morning, before someone would come for a report, or before another outpost noticed how silent this one had become.

That night, I once again entered the system's world.

[Would you like to challenge the trial again? You may reclaim your {Crimson Acupuncture Needles} if you pull every single one away from your opponent and defeat her using them in the fight. If you fail, you may attempt the challenge again tomorrow.]

I met her again. My clone stood exactly where she had been last time, and my acupuncture needles were hidden beneath her skin with eerie precision. No… not just hidden. This time they were sunk slightly into the surface, woven into the top layer like they had become a natural part of her body.

There was no blood, not even a hint of irritation. Her fingers curved as if she were preparing for close-range combat, sharp nails gleaming faintly, but I could tell the stance was only a distraction. It would be inconvenient as hell to fight with needles limiting how far your bones could bend, yet she made it look effortless.

I watched her for a while, studying every breath she took. Each inhale and exhale was slower than mine, steady and controlled, the kind of breathing meant for perfect combat rhythm. She did not move, allowing me to stare as long as I wanted, as if she were waiting for my first mistake.

But I didn't have all night. I had to reclaim the needles now. They were too useful to lose, and without them, my mid-range combat was crippled. I needed them back. I needed her techniques. And I needed to prove that I could overpower myself.

My fingers twitched, waiting for that same rush I felt when I tore through the man who kidnapped Elira. Inside my mind, the only path to victory seemed to be becoming that unpredictable creature again, the monster that didn't question or hesitate. But the feeling wasn't the same. Something refused to spark.

Maybe there was no catalyst this time, or maybe that moment had been a one-time awakening of the vampire inside me. Even so, I was halfway there now. I could taste the anger at the back of my tongue, the desire for blood lingering like a flavor I had not yet swallowed.

I moved fast, my nails stretching just enough to aim for her throat. A clean horizontal line, a quick flick of my hand, the perfect opening. I saw the target clearly, already imagining the needle-free future I would reclaim.

But then…

[You have failed your challenge. Please come back tomorrow]

It ended so fast I did not even register the moment of death. At least last time I managed to fight her for a while, but now she erased me in the blink of an eye. One movement, one mistake, and my body was gone.

My eyes snapped open. My lungs dragged the air in like I had been drowning. My palms were slick with sweat. I scanned the room, heart pounding, and found Elira still asleep beside the fire. Beelzebub was perched on my thigh, staring at me with a tiny confused frown, whiskers twitching. The little hamster actually seemed more energetic today, which was a relief after everything.

"Is it morning already?" I wiped my face with a shaky hand, forcing the last fragments of that world away. The sun was just beginning to rise outside, warm light crawling over the outpost walls. The clouds were gone, the sky clear. A perfect time to move.

I pushed myself up and gathered Beelzebub in my palm, stroking his fur with my other hand. He melted into the petting immediately, small body relaxing under my fingers, content and warm against my skin.

From the tall tower, I could see the path ahead and the countless outposts scattered across the hills. They formed a thin trail leading toward the towering mountain capped in snow. It looked magnificent, the tallest mountain I had ever seen with my own eyes.

I had never traveled far from my city in the past; the highest place I had ever climbed was a small mountain during a school trip when I was seventeen. It was around twelve hundred meters tall, if my memory was right. But this one, this giant ahead of us, had to be at least twice that height.

We would need to cross the entire mountain range to reach the Empire of the Holy Knights. There was a passage that cut through it, of course, but there was no chance we could safely use it, even in disguise. I would rather push my body to the limit and fight whatever beasts waited for us in the hills than risk walking straight into Hera's shadow. That woman never traveled without guards. Her beloved heroine had to be protected from every danger the world could offer.

But then you may ask, why go there at all? Why walk toward the enemy instead of the demon lands?

That is exactly the reason. No one would ever expect me to step into the heart of the enemy's land, not when everyone assumes I would flee to the demon region instead.

"Elira, wake up, we must move." I nudged her shoulder a few times, gentle at first so she would not panic. The sleepy princess answered with the kind of tantrum that made my lips twitch.

"Whaaat, it is still so early… just five… more… minutes…" Her voice dragged like honey, and she curled deeper into the blanket. So cute… I caught myself thinking, watching her melt back into sleep. But we did not have the luxury of five more minutes.

"Get up." I grabbed her ankles and gave a slow pull. "We have a long road ahead. Choose. Either I drag you down the stairs or you walk on your own."

"Alright! Stop!" she yelped, panic firing through her voice. I burst into laughter as she shot upright so quickly that every trace of sleep vanished from her face.

Moments like this made the world feel less cruel. Traveling with her would never be boring. It made me look forward to whatever waited for us next.

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