The longer the fight dragged on, the more Fenrir felt the strain tearing through his limbs. His breathing was starting to grow ragged, and every swing of the staff was slower than the last.
Betty, on the other hand, looked like she was just getting started.
Her movements remained sharp and fluid, not a single bead of sweat on her brow. She smiled between strikes, as if this was nothing more than a pleasant evening stroll.
'Damn it. I should've brewed a stamina potion. That was a rookie mistake.'
Fenrir cursed internally.
He adjusted his footing and blocked another swipe of her claws, but the impact jarred his arms more than it should have.
The speed buff from his staff was helping him keep up—for now—but it wouldn't be enough forever. If this kept going, he'd drop before she even began to tire.
His eyes darted around the dungeon corridor. The path he'd taken was winding, but he remembered enough to get back to the others.
It was risky, but it was his only shot. He wouldn't be able to win in a prolonged fight—not against someone like her.
If he could just get close enough to the group again, she'd be forced to back off.
Even Betty couldn't go on a rampage in front of so many witnesses… probably.
Fenrir took a gamble and turned mid-fight, attempting to slip around her and bolt in the direction of the others.
Betty saw through it instantly.
She blurred forward and blocked his path with a sweet, eerie smile.
"Trying to run away from our date already? How rude."
"It's not a date. And if it is, then it's the worst one I've ever been on."
Fenrir gritted out.
Betty pouted and rested her clawed fingers against her cheek.
"You say that, but you're putting in so much effort just to keep up with me. You're making my heart flutter."
"You don't know what a real date even is. I'd bet good money you've never been on one in your life."
Fenrir snapped.
That struck a nerve.
Her smile twitched—just slightly—but it was enough.
"Oh? That's a bold claim. You think you know me so well already?"
She said in a voice too calm.
Before Fenrir could retort, the air around Betty shifted.
A pulse of mana flared outward, and suddenly she was no longer just using her claws.
Her fingers moved in a rapid, precise gesture, and with a flick of her wrist, beams of shimmering green energy erupted toward Fenrir.
He barely dodged the first one, his staff's speed enhancement saving him by a hair's breadth.
The beam slammed into the stone behind him and exploded with a loud crack.
Fenrir didn't stop to breathe—he weaved, ducked, rolled. More beams followed, faster and more erratic.
His legs screamed in protest, and his shoulders burned with every movement. But he forced his body to push on.
He couldn't get hit—not once. The staff's buff kept him moving, but he could feel the limit closing in. Every breath burned in his lungs, and his hands were starting to go numb.
Across from him, Betty looked exhilarated. Her eyes sparkled with sadistic delight as she hurled another beam his way.
"This is so much fun! You're really trying! You're making this date unforgettable!"
Fenrir couldn't afford to respond. All his focus was on staying alive.
His foot caught on a loose stone, and he barely managed to recover his balance before the next blast of energy ripped past his ear.
The shockwave from the detonation sent a jolt down his spine.
'I can't keep this up.'
His vision blurred around the edges. Muscles twitched involuntarily. Every part of his body screamed at him to stop, to collapse, to give in.
And then, suddenly—Betty froze.
Her body went still mid-motion, and her eyes snapped to the left, toward the direction of the main party. Her playful smile melted into a petulant frown.
"Tch…"
She muttered.
Fenrir didn't move. He couldn't. He was too busy catching his breath and trying to stay standing.
Betty turned her back on him without warning.
"Guess our first date got ruined. How annoying."
She grumbled, glaring off into the distance.
She turned just enough to glance over her shoulder at Fenrir.
"Don't worry, though. I'll come find you again. You're not getting out of this so easily. We've still got dessert."
Fenrir didn't have the strength to respond. He simply watched as she walked away—no, skipped away—like nothing had happened.
Only once her presence faded and the tension in the air lifted did Fenrir allow himself to collapse to one knee, gasping for air.
He was alive.
For now.
Fenrir barely had time to catch his breath when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the cavern corridor.
His body tensed on instinct, but the exhaustion weighed too heavily on him to rise again.
'Damn it… already?'
He thought, trying to reach for his staff just in case.
But the voice that called out was familiar.
"Fenrir!"
He looked up, eyes narrowed, only to see Dain rushing toward him with a look of alarm. Dain skidded to a stop beside him and immediately scanned the area, eyes sharp and searching.
"What happened?"
He asked quickly, gaze flicking to Fenrir's bruised arms and scratched shirt.
Fenrir took a breath and replied.
"Betty Rose. She attacked me. Then she just… ran off."
Dain's face twisted with concern.
"I saw it. I was trying to catch up as fast as I could."
He muttered.
That made Fenrir pause.
"You saw it?"
Dain nodded.
"From a distance. I saw the green beams and ran this way."
Fenrir didn't say anything more, but a small thought lodged itself in the back of his mind.
The terrain had twisted quite a bit. There'd been several turns, and the Moon's Cavern wasn't well-lit.
For Dain to have seen what happened… he must've followed Fenrir from the start.
Or he'd known something was going to happen.
Still, Fenrir didn't question it aloud. He had no right to poke holes in someone else's story—not when he was keeping secrets of his own.
"Come on. Let's get you back to the group."
Dain said gently, slipping an arm under Fenrir's to help him stand.
Fenrir nodded, wincing as he got to his feet. Together, they walked back toward the main corridor.
The moment they rejoined the club, Aiden Smith hurried over. The expedition leader's eyes swept over both of them and narrowed.
"You're back. Thank god. Have either of you seen Betty Rose?"
Dain didn't hesitate.
"She attacked Fenrir. I saw it. I think… she might be a criminal."
Aiden froze.
"What?"
"You heard me. She used her skill on him. I don't know what's going on, but she's dangerous."
Aiden cursed under his breath and immediately pulled out his device.
"Everyone, return to the meeting point. Stay alert. Betty Rose is hostile. Do not engage her alone."
The message was sent in seconds, and Aiden turned back to Fenrir.
"I'm sorry. We should've seen this coming. I'll file a report the moment we're out of here."
Fenrir gave a faint nod but said nothing. His body still ached, and his thoughts were slower than usual.
Still, something nagged at him. A chill down his spine. Even as Aiden took control of the situation, Fenrir couldn't shake the feeling that it was already too late.