Ethan's senses were stretched to their limits, every nerve attuned to the slightest disturbance in the air around him. His instincts screamed of unseen threats, yet the forest remained eerily still—no flicker of movement, no telltale shimmer of stealth.
The tension hung thick for several heartbeats before dissipating, leaving no trace of the rogue or shadowblade he had feared might be lurking. Even the Apex Predators guild members had ceased their assault, their weapons lowered as if waiting for an unseen signal.
The obsidian ridgeback's health bar flickered weakly, its massive form now reduced to a sliver—barely thirty thousand hit points remained.
"Strategos, MelancholyEgg—now!" GapInDefense's voice cut through the silence like a blade.
Ethan reacted instantly, muscles coiling as he dropped into a defensive stance. For a split second, he thought they had spotted him—that they were halting their assault on the beast to eliminate him first before he could interfere.
