Level Up: Assassin.

"What's on your mind?" a familiar voice interrupted Alastor's thoughts.

He didn't need to look up to know it was E. The shadow looming over him was a clear giveaway.

"Oh, nothing much. Just thinking about the last fight," Alastor lied, glancing at E's shadowed face before fixing his gaze on the floor.

He couldn't explain what was truly bothering him. How could he explain about [Shadowsight] and the strange, spider-like creature it allowed him to see lurking above them in a shadow invisible to everyone else?

E hesitated for a moment, about to walk away, but then seemed to change his mind and leaned closer to Alastor.

"You can see those creatures, can't you?" he whispered. "I've noticed you watching them."

"WHA…" Alastor choked back a startled cry.

"What? You can see through the darkness too?" he asked, stunned.

Abilities related to enhanced vision were rare, so Alastor was shocked that E might possess one.

"Not exactly," E replied. "I have a sort of connection with energies. I can sense them coming from people and... other things."

Alastor nodded slowly. Sensing energies wasn't that unusual, but something about E's explanation felt incomplete. He suspected there was more to it, but he didn't press. After all, Alastor had his own secrets and understood the desire to keep them hidden.

"So, what should we do?" Alastor asked, shifting gears. "Inform the others? Get them ready for what's coming?"

E's face turned serious.

"I don't think so. From what I can sense, those creatures above us are probably peak two-star, like the worm and the Deathstinger we fought earlier. Maybe a bit weaker." He paused, his voice even graver. "What I'm really worried about is something I can sense much deeper in this place..." With that, he rose and headed back towards Kayla and the others, who were resting further inside the cavern.

Alastor watched him go, unsure what to make of the encounter. He couldn't even decipher E's intention in approaching him.

"[That boy is strange. Be wary of him]," a childish voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

"What do you mean by that?" Alastor questioned, surprised.

"[Not really sure. But there's a big, scary shadow hanging over him. It gives me the creeps]," the system replied.

Alastor frowned.

"You're a system, a super-advanced computer program. You don't have a body. You shouldn't feel 'creeped out'."

"[And you're a virgin and a moron. Just listen to me and stay the hell away from him]," the system retorted childishly.

"You!" Alastor started to yell, then stopped himself. Arguing with the system was pointless, he knew. He'd either be ignored or cooked.

'Why does the system sound more and more human every time we talk?' he wondered.

Their early interactions felt like talking to an AI, but now it was eerily lifelike.

'Is it adapting?' The thought sent a chill down Alastor's spine, but he pushed it aside and focused on the system's warning.

What had it sensed about E that he couldn't see? His eyes drifted towards E, who was sitting with Kayla and the others. As if sensing his gaze, E looked up and gave him a friendly smile.

'Yeah, better listen to the system on this one,' Alastor thought, a note of unease settling in his stomach.

Avoiding E shouldn't be difficult. They weren't close, and it was easy enough to maintain distance.

With a sigh, Alastor lay back and began circulating his energy, focusing on healing the lingering aches from the fight. The energy from the Abyssal Seed, refined and pure, was much more potent than anything he'd absorbed before.

-----

"Everyone, gather your things. We move in two minutes," Kayla's voice cut through the group's brief rest.

Alastor opened his eyes and joined the others as they prepared to venture deeper into the Abyssal Seed. He glanced at E, who seemed completely at ease, as if there was no danger at all. It was strange considering E had been the one to warn him of a looming threat.

Deeper they went, and soon enough, they encountered another obstacle. This time, it was a swarm of red-eyed rats. But unlike the previous horde of one-star creatures, this group was led by a massive king rat, a peak two-star beast.

The battle was fierce, but the group emerged victorious, albeit with some bruises. However, their respite was short-lived. Two giant worms attacked next, followed by another wave of Deathstingers, this time even stronger than before. Eighty in total, with ten at the two-star level and two at peak two-star.

It was the most grueling fight they'd faced since entering the seed. Casualties mounted on their side. Craig and Marcus were hit the hardest, both sustaining serious injuries. Molly poured her energy into patching them up. The others had their fair share of wounds, too.

Everyone except Alastor and E. Alastor apart from some exhaustion and minor tears in his combat suit from withstanding the pressure of his high-speed maneuvers, he was relatively unscathed.

Then there was E. He, too, seemed remarkably unharmed. No visible injuries marked his body, and he was still wielding his bow, his secondary weapon. It made Alastor wonder what kind of monster he was to be using a secondary weapon in such a brutal fight. He could only imagine the extent of E's true power if he unleashed his primary weapon.

'Why is he even on Kayla's team?' Alastor thought, bewildered. 'He doesn't seem like he belongs here.'

"This is messed up!" Molly's voice, thick with frustration, interrupted the group's recovery period.

"This is supposed to be a level two F-tier seed! Why are we encountering creatures this powerful?" she continued, her voice laced with dread.

"I'm wondering the same thing," Arthur interjected, his voice laced with barely suppressed rage directed at Kayla. "This is practically on par with a level three F-tier seed. I'm not even sure she did a proper reading before dragging us in here. I should never have trusted your judgment, knowing how incompetent you can be."

Arthur's anger stemmed from Marcus's near-death experience. The Deathstinger's stinger had pierced through his armor and chest, and if it wasn't for its exceptional durability, Marcus would be dead. Arthur blamed Kayla's supposed incompetence for putting his best friend in such mortal danger.

"Watch your mouth, you idiot!" Kayla retorted, fury radiating off of her. The temperature around her plummeted as she rose to her feet, ready to strike.

Just as things were about to escalate, Alastor stepped in, placing himself between Arthur and Kayla. He knew confronting Kayla now was a terrible idea, both in terms of their power difference and the current situation. They were about to face the seed guardian, and internal conflict would be disastrous.

"Now is not the time for blame or fighting," Alastor said calmly, his voice a beacon of reason in the rising tension. "We need to focus on what's ahead. We need to be united to face the guardian."

"How do we even know if we stand a chance?" Arthur spat, his fear and frustration evident. "So far, her screw-up has put us in danger at every turn. What if the guardian is a three-star creature? What are we supposed to do then?"

Alastor couldn't deny sharing Arthur's concerns, but now wasn't the time for panic.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," he said, forcing calmness into his voice. "Blaming each other won't help anything."

"I know, but... I'm scared, man," Arthur admitted, his voice tight with fear.

"I don't want to die! Not here, not like this!" Molly cried out, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"No one is going to die here," E's voice was firm yet reassuring. "We'll fight whatever comes. And the guardian might not be as bad as we think."

"He's right," Alastor agreed, though he knew E was just trying to ease their worries. "We don't know anything for sure yet. Let's just relax and stay focused. Like I said, we'll deal with the guardian when we get there."

The lie, comforting in its certainty, seemed to settle the group's nerves. Everyone gradually calmed down, the tension easing.

Alastor glanced at E, who offered a curt nod. However, Alastor noticed that E's earlier indifference had vanished. A grave expression now etched his features, his eyes distant. Perhaps, being closer to the seed's core allowed E to sense the powerful creature he had mentioned before, and the impending danger weighed heavily on him.

Leaving Arthur to collect himself, Alastor returned to his previous spot, his mind racing. While the others worried about facing the guardian, Alastor had a different concern. He couldn't help but glance at the ceiling, where two shadowy figures still clung, observing their every move.

'Why haven't they attacked yet?' he wondered, a shiver running down his spine.