One piece: Without a system, I have to survive!

The dust was still settling.

I pushed myself up, my muscles aching from the fall.

The jungle around us was eerily silent—as if the entire world was holding its breath.

The tomb was gone.

Buried beneath tons of rubble.

But its secrets... they weren't gone.

They were inside me now.

I could still hear the Keeper's words.

I could still see the vision.

That battlefield.

That version of myself, standing among the Watchers.

No.

I refused to let that be my fate.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

Shira's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Ardan... are you alright?"

I turned to her.

She looked exhausted, her face streaked with dust and sweat.

I nodded, even though I wasn't sure if I was telling the truth.

"We should move," I said. "The tomb wasn't the only thing down there. Something—someone—was watching us."

The Elder didn't react.

As if he already knew.

The Unseen Threat

The jungle was too quiet.

No birds.

No rustling leaves.

Just... silence.

Shira noticed it too. Her grip tightened on her dagger.

Something wasn't right.

I glanced at the Elder.

"You knew this would happen."

He simply stared at me.

Then, in his usual calm, detached voice, he said:

"Nothing is ever truly buried."

My chest tightened.

Before I could respond—

A shadow moved.

Fast.

Silent.

I spun around, my instincts screaming—

But nothing was there.

Shira's eyes darted around, scanning the trees.

"We're not alone," she whispered.

And then—

The first attack came.

An Enemy from the Dark

A blur shot toward me.

I barely had time to dodge.

A clawed hand slashed through the air where I had been standing a second ago.

I rolled back, my heart pounding.

A figure stepped out from the shadows.

Tall.

Wrapped in dark robes, just like the Keeper.

But this one was different.

Its face was covered in scars, its eyes glowing with an eerie blue light.

A Watcher.

A hunter.

And it wasn't alone.

More figures stepped out from the trees, surrounding us.

Five.

No—seven.

Each one radiating that same, unnatural presence.

Shira cursed under her breath.

The Elder remained calm.

I took a deep breath, forcing my fear down.

Then, the first Watcher spoke.

"You should not have survived."

His voice was wrong.

Like it was being spoken through multiple mouths at once.

I raised my fists.

"Well, that's too bad," I shot back. "Because I did."

The Watcher tilted his head.

Then, without warning—

They attacked.