CHAPTER 176: SURROUNDED

I appeared right beside Ariel, and the first thing I saw was her feet dangling, her body thrashing weakly as an armored goblin’s massive hand gripped her throat. His aura was suffocating—dense, cold, and heavy enough to press against my skin.

The goblin turned, his golden eyes locking onto mine, calm yet predatory. I didn’t wait. Instinct took over. I swung Gravefang in one swift motion toward his arm, aiming to sever it and free Ariel.

But he was fast.

He withdrew just in time, leaping back with frightening precision. My blade sliced through the empty air where his arm had been, the impact throwing up dirt.

Ariel fell, coughing and gasping, and I caught her before she hit the ground.

Her body felt limp—cold—and I could tell her mana had been completely drained. I placed her down gently and pressed my palm to the ground, marking a seal just in case.

Then I looked at him again and used [Analyze] to confirm if he was truly who I suspected him to be.

And the brief sight I caught of his profile confirmed it.

I didn’t linger too much on it, instantly activating [Leap].

Ariel’s safety meant a lot.

The world blurred, and in the next instant, we were back inside the tent I had just left.

I appeared beside Talia with Ariel in my arms, the air rippling from the sudden shift. Talia stumbled back in panic, landing on her butt, her voice trembling.

"What is happening?"

I ignored her and lowered Ariel to the ground. My mind was already racing as I opened the system shop and bought a healing potion. The vial appeared in my hand, warm to the touch. I uncorked it and tilted Ariel’s head gently, pouring the liquid between her lips.

She coughed violently, her body jerking, then slowly steadied. The tension in my chest eased as her breathing evened out, faint but stable.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

Her voice came weak and breathless:

"No... I almost died."

"No," I corrected quietly, my tone flat. "We almost died."

That truth stung more than I wanted to admit. I had been careless—letting her take on Ingrid alone without thinking it through. Our lives were linked; her death would’ve meant mine. If she had fallen, I wouldn’t have had a chance to react.

It was reckless. Stupid.

I looked down at her—still trembling, still fragile—and the weight of that mistake settled heavy in my chest.

Even with all my so-called broken SSS-rank skills, I would’ve died—just like any ordinary beast. No second chances, no heroic comeback. One squeeze from that monster’s hand, and everything would’ve ended. The thought alone sent a cold ripple down my spine.

That was... unsettling. Truly unsettling.

I glanced at Ariel. Her breathing had steadied, but she still looked drained—fur matted, eyes dulled. For a moment, I just looked at her, realizing an uncomfortable truth. Whether I liked it or not, she was my weakness—my kryptonite. Her pain was mine, her death would be mine. I exhaled slowly, shaking my head. "Shit," I muttered under my breath.

"Rest up," I said, rising to my feet and tightening my grip on Gravefang. "Watch this bunch. I’ll be right back."

Ariel’s head shot up immediately. "Don’t go!" she shouted, her voice sharp despite the fatigue.

I turned to her, brows narrowing. "Why?"

"There are more Chosen," she said quickly, fear flickering in her tone. "I sensed them before you appeared. If you go now, you won’t just face the chief—you’ll face them too."

Her warning hung heavy in the air.

So, there were more of them gathering. That explained the strange pulse I’d felt earlier—the faint disturbances in mana flow near the edge of the forest.

It might be too much for me to handle... or at least that’s what she believed.

I doubted it. With my abilities, numbers had never really mattered. Whether it was one or a hundred.

Still, her concern wasn’t misplaced. After all, my life was hers as well.

"I’ll be fine," I said, ready to go.

But Ariel’s voice cut through the air again—louder this time.

"Don’t let him touch you!" she shouted, her tone sharp enough to stop me mid-step. "He consumes anything he touches. That’s why I lost."

I paused, meeting her gaze for a moment. There was fear in her eyes—not the kind born from pain, but from knowing exactly what that goblin could do.

I gave a short nod:

"Noted."

No more words. No hesitation. I activated [Warp], and the world bent around me. The space folded inward for a split second, then snapped back, and I was standing once more in the forest clearing where I had placed my seal.

The air here felt heavier—darker. The faint hum of mana that lingered in the soil was tainted, like the ground itself had absorbed the residue of battle.

I crouched low, letting my senses expand outward. Shapes moved between the trees—figures cloaked in armor and malice.

I counted:

Seven of them.

Each one radiated a sharp, deliberate presence; they weren’t ordinary goblins.

Every one of them was a Chosen.

But my eyes kept scanning past them, searching for something... someone.

The one I’d come for. The chief.

But he wasn’t there.

"Where is he?" I asked, my voice low, cutting through the tense air. I wasn’t speaking to anyone in particular.

One of the goblins—a tall one with jagged armor and a grin that showed too many teeth—stepped forward, amusement flashing in his eyes:

"The chief?" he said, almost mockingly. "He left us to deal with you while he went to... fix up the graveyard."

My heart skipped.

The graveyard.

Then the realization hit like a punch to the gut.

He was heading back to his clan’s heart. And that path led straight toward where I had left Ariel. There was a chance he’d check on those who were left, especially his daughter.

My stomach tightened. If he saw her, he wouldn’t hesitate. He’d kill her knowing we were associates, and that would be it for both of us.

I couldn’t let that happen.

Without a second thought, I triggered [Leap] and space bent.

But...it didn’t complete.

A sharp vibration rattled through the air, and instead of vanishing, nothing happened.

Then the system’s cold chime echoed in my ears:

[You have been caught within a Movement-Restricting Barrier]