Akira's eyes widened as soon as she sensed the presence of someone nearby, and the pace at which her heart pounded against her chest accelerated—so loudly that she could hear the sound.
There was a sacred rule the Valkyries had followed for eons: no male was ever allowed to set foot on their land. In order to mate with their betrothed, Valkyries would travel to their chosen mate's kingdom.
After consummating the union, if their offspring happened to be a girl, she would be taken back to Valhalla, where she would awaken the holy paladin class and train in the ways of their ancestors.
This ritual occurred only once every five years, ensuring that the Valkyrie race did not go extinct. The males chosen to be their mates were not ordinary humans. Instead, they were powerful beings with pure and formidable bloodlines—the giants, rumored to be direct descendants of the gods.
Even these giants were forbidden from stepping onto Valkyrie soil. In fact, the exact coordinates of Valhalla were unknown to outsiders, hidden by powerful ancient magic. The Valkyries believed that a male presence would not only distract their warriors but also taint their sacred land.
Once upon a time, a group of male explorers had mistakenly stumbled into Valhalla, and the warriors of that time had slain them all under the guise of keeping the kingdom's location a secret.
And yet… here was Nox.
Not Erin, Akira's breath hitched. Erin is very strict and has a strong dislike for males. If she sees him here, she'll definitely report him to the council, and if that happens... if that happens...
Akira didn't want to think about what would happen. She was slightly surprised at herself because she wanted to protect Nox at all costs when she had only known him for a few hours at most.
Akira's heart squeezed a bit because she could see the shadow of Erin slowly making her way toward the lake. The only reason her eyes hadn't fallen on Nox yet was because it was dark.
But Akira could see she was only a step away.
Just then, as she was panicking in her heart, Nox's lips curled up into a smirk. That smile oozed confidence and assurance, which made the beautiful grey-haired girl perplexed.
Suddenly, at that moment, he whispered in a low voice:
[Phantom Cloak Description (Ultimate Skill): The user becomes completely invisible for up to 5 minutes. While in this state, they gain a +10 increase in Agility and can pass through solid objects; they also gain the ability to turn any object invisible. MP Cost: 20 MP to activate, plus -5 MP per second activated. Cooldown: 3 minutes.]
Akira's eyes widened in shock as the boy standing in front of her vanished into thin air in a millisecond.
"Was that a skill?" she mumbled to herself in a dazed voice.
"Princess, I have been looking for you… so this is where you are," said Erin, the leader of the hunting group, as she approached the water's edge.
Erin was 6'3, clad in gleaming silver armor, with jet-black hair and a pair of piercing, deep-set emerald eyes. They were fierce and possessed a certain wildness about them.
Erin was not someone to be trifled with. Her aura radiated strength and discipline, and her presence alone felt heavy—like a seasoned warrior who had seen countless battles, which was not far from the truth.
As Erin walked forward, she felt a strange sensation, as if passing through something unseen. She knitted her brows together but dismissed the feeling as it lasted only a split second.
"I felt a bit sticky, so I came to wash myself," Akira responded cheekily, dipping herself into the water and acting as if she was washing her body.
Erin narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze sweeping the surroundings. Something felt off; the air didn't seem right.
Erin narrowed her eyes as she asked in a suspicious voice: "Is everything alright, Princess?"
"Yes, everything's fine," Akira replied, forcing a smile. "Just needed a quick refresh."
Erin remained unconvinced, her instincts telling her there was more to the situation than met the eye.
"If you say so," Erin said slowly, her eyes lingering on the spot where Nox had stood moments before. What was this strange scent in the air?
Akira's heart pounded heavily against her chest as she hoped that Nox remained hidden and that Erin wouldn't probe further.
"Shall we head back?" Akira suggested, trying to divert Erin's attention.
Erin hesitated but finally nodded. "Very well, Princess. Let's return."
As they walked away, Akira couldn't help but glance back, wondering where Nox had gone and if he was safe. Before she focused on the front though, Nox materialized and winked at her, making the cheeks of the Valkyrie heat intensely before he turned invisible again.
"Level 100," Nox mumbled to himself, staring at Erin's powerful back. Then a smile broke out on his face as he thought, I've never fought a level 100 Awakened before.
Back in the Valkyrie camp, the night was still young. Most of the women were inside resting while a few remained outside, looking out for any beasts. From time to time, the guards outside would switch positions.
But even with their experience, they failed to notice the outline of a figure moving through their midst. The outline moved with purpose, as if it knew what it was doing, before it came to a stop in front of a particular tent. The outline slithered into the tent and gently tapped on the shoulder of a beautiful girl who was sleeping with a peaceful expression.
The girl jolted awake, summoning her sword and about to attack the intruder, but the intruder hastily held her weapon hand and placed a hand over her mouth.
Naturally, the figure was Nox, and the one before him was Akira. He removed his palm from her delicate lips and said in a serious voice:
The next day, Erin rushed out from Akira's tent, her face twisted in anger as she shouted at the top of her voice:
"The princess is gone!"
She had arrived at this conclusion after asking all the warriors present, and they had all said they didn't see her. Just as she was pacing back and forth with a furious expression, one of the women stepped forward.
"General, I think I might know what happened to the Princess."