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Evie and Emerald were just quiet. The former was looking at the side, trying her best to ignore Michael. In contrast, the latter was busy capturing Evie's elusive gaze so she could bat her eyelids at her.

There was silence for a moment before Michael smiled and said, "That's right." He didn't deny it. There was no point. It was apparent they would become enemies as soon as they found the Boss.

"Your group has two Orcs while we have one Swordsman and a Fencer." Michael's smile widened when his eyes stopped at Evie. "You have a Blue Mage and a Hunter while our side has a Green Mage and Red Mage. I think we're about even . . . that is . . ."

Michael purposely hung his sentence. He had a penchant for mischief, and his tone was slow and deep, adding to his charms which made Emerald fall for him all the more.

Unfortunately for her, Michael's attention was on Evie. A random girl that Michael saw for the first time and got star struck. While she, a woman who had been with him since high school, was still in the friend zone.

Michael beamed and added, "You're afraid of our little group?"

Roxy's lips twitched before she laughed. "If you're not afraid of us, then fine." She looked at Ragnar and Evie. "Is that okay with you two?"

Ragnar nodded while Evie was biting her bottom lip. She had second thoughts again, but it was already too late to back out and enter another group. Everyone was already leaving left and right, and it seemed like her fate was worse if she joined the other parties.

Evie sighed and nodded in silence. How she wished that she could be strong enough to solo everything.

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Michael's smile was so wide while Emerald's face crumpled into a pout. At the same time, Lyka pulled her group to the side in an attempt to change Michael's mind toward joining Roxy's group.

Though her endeavor didn't bore fruit as Michael had already made his decision. And if they still insisted, they were free to leave. He was apparently smitten with Evie, and it was the first time that he felt that way towards a woman. He couldn't explain it. It was like he knew her from somewhere. Feeling like they were connected. And he would do anything to get close to her.

Lyka could do nothing and looked at her friend in dismay and anger. Emerald pursed her lips and didn't react anymore. Michael knew that she liked him, but the man neither denied nor accepted her. She was in between. He was always leading her on and never really rejecting her advance. The feeling was like they were an item but never officially.

But Emerald was okay with that since she could be with Michael. But with the sudden appearance of a new girl, Emerald felt that everything would change.

While Gilbert could do nothing but shake his head and force a laugh. He told a joke to disperse the tense atmosphere between them. But only he was laughing, a dry laugh that eventually hurt his throat.

In comparison, Roxy and Rox were planning their strategy with Ragnar and Evie. Since it was their first time partying together, they needed to assign roles to each one of them so they wouldn't mess up in the time of battle.

"Since we don't have a Tank, I will take up that role," Roxy said, "Rox is our DPS, and Evie will support us from the back. While Ragnar . . . you'll be the second Tank, but for the meantime, your role is to protect Evie and Rox and watch for any potential group that KS our kill. Is that okay with the both of you?"

Evie and Ragnar nodded.

"Good. Now, since I'm not a Tank, everyone could OT the monsters in there if you're not careful with your damage," Roxy said it more to her younger brother than to anyone else, and Rox let out an awkward laugh.

"If that happened, Ragnar will immediately cast [Taunt] so the monsters will come at you. Understand?"

"Understood."

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The group talked more about their positioning next and items before they set out into Illusion Forest.

Everyone held their breath as they took their first step inside the forest. No one had ever been there except for the few who told their tales. They said that the forest was alive and that . . . be careful of trees.

Whatever that meant.

Evie momentarily forgot about Michael and the piercing stares at her back when they entered the forest. In contrast with the brightness outside, the inside was blanketed in ever perpetual shades of grey. The air was cold as it was foggy, and the only light illuminating the surroundings was the will o wisp floating in random spots.

"Be careful. Don't touch the wisps. They won't attack you if you leave them alone," warned Roxy.

"I heard the fog in this early part of the forest is thinner than in the middle. You can easily get lost in here," said Rox. Didn't know if he was encouraging or scaring them.

He then looked at Evie and flashed a toothy grin. "Don't worry, Evie. As long as I am here, everything is going to be okay. I'm a hunter, after all."

Roxy sighed and wanted to hit her brother's head. She wished that he was that attentive when it came to her.

At their back, Gilbert snickered. "A hunter who doesn't have his pet yet."

Rox's forehead crumpled. "I have [Perceive]. That at least put us away from traps. You're welcome by the way. You're also safe from the dangers of stepping or falling to your doom. Thanks to me."

Gilbert was about to say something when Michael elbowed him. The former yelped and rubbed the side of his ribs while shaking his head and grumbling under his breath.

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"Don't worry. As soon as we reach the area where the thick fog is located, we'll get into the circle formation like as planned. And we should be alright," assured Roxy before she muttered under her breath, "I hope . . ."

Evie understood the uncertainty in Roxy's voice. According to her research, every group who faced the dense fog ended up separated from each other no matter what they did.

Even if they held hands or shouted, to let the others felt their presence, it was useless. It was like the forest always found a way to separate them. And once they were all alone, that was when every beast and monster picked them one by one.

Evie gulped at the thought, and her hands shook a little.

"Scared?"

Evie gasped when out of the blue, Michael's voice was near her right ear. When she looked to her right, the smiling handsome face of Michael dominated her view.

Others would surely swoon at the sight because he was a fine-looking young man with a cute smile, but Evie found it creepy and downright annoying.

Michael should have gotten the cues about now that she wasn't interested, and by that, he should have respected her decision and leave her alone. Pushing himself on her only made her feel like he was a stalker.

Evie ignored Michael and continued walking ahead, but the guy's persistency was a force to reckon with.

"My full name is Michael Abalon, by the way. You probably heard of me. The Abalon chain of hotels and the shipping conglomerate? Our family is also into renewable energy, space exploration, and real estate. We're also looking into mining and technologies. If you're interested"

"I'm not interested," Evie cut in, face impassive, and her voice was as dead as her expression.

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At the side, Ragnar smirked over his fist. He knew of the Abalon, but he never once saw Michael. He must not belong to the main branch of the family. Ragnar thought.

Michael wasn't the least bit offended and he was about to say something again when suddenly . . . they heard rattling sounds that didn't come from the wet leaves they stepped upon.