As they rushed away from the main hall, the tension from the confrontation still hung heavy in the air. Gareth struggled to process everything, feeling as if his mind was muddled, the weight of what he'd just seen pressing down like an unshakable shadow.
Every step they took across the icy Titan soil felt increasingly heavier—not from exhaustion, but from the gnawing ache of what they'd witnessed. The cold air seemed to crackle with an invisible charge, and Victoria Spencer's unruffled dominance haunted Gareth's thoughts, pressing against him like a physical force.
"So... that's the nine-tailed girl who didn't even glance at you?" Gareth blurted out, his voice cracking, breaking the tense silence. His eyes were still wide, struggling to catch up with his racing mind.
Russell nodded, a hard set to his jaw, clutching Emma a little tighter, as if squeezing her could somehow channel his swirling anger and unspoken ambitions. "Yeah. I was heading to The Crucible. She just took down a Juggernaut like it was nothing—and didn't even look my way."
The scene replayed vividly in Gareth's mind: the glacial spear, the fiery arrow, her effortless movement through the chaos as if she owned the very air. "Now… seeing her face Zack Vaultor down with barely a second thought… it all suddenly makes a terrifying kind of sense."
Gareth whistled softly, almost unable to believe it. "She… she made him back off? Just like that?" His mouth parted slightly, uncertainty echoing in his voice.
Russell's eyes narrowed, fire igniting within them. "One day, I swear, I'll be so powerful she won't even dare to ignore me." It wasn't just bravado anymore; it was a promise, a vow he carried deep within. Words felt heavy, like an anchor in his chest, fueling his relentless drive. Survival alone wasn't enough anymore. Outshining Victoria—getting her to notice him—had become an obsession alongside just staying alive.
Gareth gently patted him on the shoulder, bringing him back from his daze. "Alright, Mr Powerful, let's get moving on our mission before more trouble catches up with us. I've had more than enough excitement for today." His smile was strained, tense, but genuine relief was evident. Despite his cheerful facade, Gareth's heartbeat was quickening; he could still feel the lingering presence of Zack and his Hollows pressing in on him.
They checked their datapads; the route to the Blackwood Area was already marked. Russell studied the holographic map, noting possible choke points, uneven terrain, and areas with weak sensor coverage. They chose a shorter, less-travelled path to save time. It would be riskier, but every moment counted.
The landscape shifted swiftly. Titan's secure zones gave way to wild, untamed wilderness. Massive rock formations jutted like broken teeth, patches of ice reflected the faint sunlight, and frost-covered bushes crunched under their boots. Silence enveloped them, broken only by the sound of their steps and the distant, eerie howl of the wind over the empty hills.
To break the tense quiet, Russell asked softly, "So… what kind of skill tree are you focusing on? I'm going Molecular." His voice was quiet, careful, almost a whisper against the strange wilderness of Titan.
"Same here," Gareth replied, adjusting his quiver's strap with a small click. "Seems less risky than turning into one of those—" he glanced toward the horizon where Hollow activity had been recorded. "I'd rather make my arrows hit harder than try to grow claws."
Russell chuckled faintly, a short exhale of humour that helped ease some tension. "Yeah… you and me both." He adjusted the grip on Emma, feeling the leather strap against his palm, its familiar weight a grounding presence. He had trained for weeks for this, and yet the reality of stepping into a wild Hollow territory brought a humbling nervous energy.
Finally, they arrived at the edge of the Blackwood. Even from a distance, the forest looked alive with menace. The trees were a dense, oppressive wall of gnarled, black-barked timber, twisted and jagged as if Titan itself had suffered some violent injury in that region. The needle-like leaves rattled slightly in the constant wind, creating a chorus of whispers, groans, and occasional sharp cracks as branches shifted. The light from the sky barely penetrated the canopy, casting everything in a deep, gloomy twilight that seemed unnatural.
Their handheld scanners began to emit a soft, steady ping, confirming the anomalous energy readings that had brought them here. The hum of the devices was a reminder that danger lurked somewhere beyond the visible. Every small rustle or shift in the underbrush made both their senses spike.
"Alright," Russell said, his voice low, almost a growl. The vow to surpass Victoria was set aside; focus sharpened. Mission first. "You go left side, I'll go right. We can cover more area that way. Keep your comms open. Anything weird, you call it in immediately."
Gareth gave a firm nod. He crouched slightly, letting his posture tighten, turning his excitement into controlled readiness. "Got it. Don't do anything stupid, Russ."
Russell smirked faintly, the corner of his mouth twitching into a brief, wry expression. "Right back at you."
With that, they split up, moving into the shadows of the Blackwood. The dense foliage seemed to swallow them instantly. Branches clawed at their armour, forcing them to bend and twist with practised care. Fallen trees became obstacles they had to vault over, frost-covered rocks threatened to slip under their boots, and every distant sound—an owl's hoot, the snap of twigs, or the shifting of some unseen creature—made their nerves stretch tighter.
Russell's ears picked up the soft hum of energy from the Blackwood itself. He crouched behind a low, twisted trunk and ran his fingers along the edge of Emma's sheath. He forced himself to control his breathing, letting the rhythm of the forest become part of his awareness. He reminded himself of Zanshin and Maai, the lessons learned during relentless hours on the dummy. Each step into this forest was a chance to practice the principles that had nearly consumed his body in training: awareness, patience, and anticipation.
Meanwhile, Gareth melted into the shadows on the left flank. He moved with the precision of a hunter, calculating angles, distance, and cover. Each arrow he carried felt like an extension of his arm, a promise of force and accuracy. He tested his fingers on the fletching of his next arrow, the faint tactile hum of cold metal and taut string grounding him in the moment.
"Keep moving," Russell whispered into his comm, voice barely audible above the faint rustle of leaves. "Slow. Controlled. No sudden movements. Check your scanners every few seconds."
"Copy," Gareth replied softly. "I see something ahead… just a small reading. Could be a Hollow, could be a sensor glitch."
Russell tightened his grip on Emma. "Stay calm. Don't engage unless it's moving or shows hostility."
They pressed deeper, each step a careful negotiation with the unseen forest. Branches snapped behind them, sending both hunters pivoting instinctively, muscles coiling for instant reaction. A fallen log required Russell to drop to one knee and roll over it, Emma clattering softly against his armour. On the left, Gareth ducked low under a thick, spiny branch, firing a practice arrow to test trajectory, hitting the tree trunk with a sharp thunk.
The quiet mission had begun.
Every sound was amplified in the dense Blackwood: the soft hiss of shifting foliage, the creak of gnarled bark under the weight of unseen wildlife, the distant echo of Titan's wind. Every shadow was a question mark, every shift in light a potential threat. Russell and Gareth moved like two halves of a single, well-oiled machine—cautious, aware, but unbroken.
Russell's mind briefly flickered to Victoria Spencer and her icy spear. If I ever want to reach her level… this is the path, he thought. The vow to surpass her burned behind his eyes, but he pushed it into the background, letting focus and tactical awareness dominate. This forest didn't care about personal grudges or ambition—it only cared about survival.
Gareth, sensing the same tension, whispered into his comm: "Russ, sensors spiking again… very faint, but consistent. Could be Hollow traces. Let's stay sharp."
Russell nodded, though Gareth couldn't see him. He adjusted his stance, sliding into a low crouch, eyes scanning for any flicker of movement. Shadows shifted unnaturally in the half-light. A twig snapped to the side. Russell's reflexes kicked in, spinning on his heels, Emma ready to strike.
Nothing. Just the wind.
"Easy," he muttered. "Just wind… for now."
Both hunters knew better than to relax. The Blackwood had teeth. It had fangs, claws, and eyes they couldn't see yet. And yet, every step they took, every careful motion, was an affirmation of training, teamwork, and the raw will to survive.
The mission had begun. And in the silence of Titan's most dangerous forest, Russell Zodiac and Gareth moved deeper, their breaths slow, hearts steady, and minds razor-focused, each aware that the Blackwood would test everything they had learned—and more.