**Chapter Eight: The Game of Shadows**
As the girl's sharp words echoed through the cave, Rhein didn't feel fear—he saw an opportunity. Fear was a response to the unexpected, but Rhein had anticipated this very moment.
With slow, deliberate steps, he emerged from the shadows. He didn't raise his hands in surrender—that would show weakness—but kept them at his sides, natural and non-threatening. The violet glow of the crystals illuminated his face, revealing a gaunt boy in tattered clothes, clutching a small sample bag. It was the perfect image of innocence and frailty—a mask he had mastered in his past life.
The girl's cold eyes remained fixed on him like a hawk's. His appearance didn't sway her. *"You're not just a lost rat,"* she said sharply. *"Rats don't make it this deep. Answer me—who are you?"*
*"My name is Rhein,"* he replied calmly, his voice eerily steady. *"And I am exactly as I appear. A low-tier farmer who accepted a shadow moss gathering quest from the mission hall."* He lifted the sample bag slightly as proof. *"Your sword's light drew me in. I thought it was an exit or treasure. I didn't mean to intrude."*
It was a lie woven with just enough truth. He *had* accepted the quest, giving his story a foundation of credibility.
*"His sword..."* The word seemed to catch her attention. She glanced at her massive weapon, then back at him. Slowly, she withdrew the blade from the black crystal.
Rhein watched closely as something remarkable happened. The frenzied pink energy radiating from the sword began to shrink and condense. The chaotic light folded in on itself, and the shape of the colossal blade shifted. Within seconds, the enormous sword had transformed into a sleek, slender black katana. Only a thin, deadly pink line running down the center of the blade and a faint whisper of suppressed power remained of its former might.
*"His weapon has two forms..."* Rhein analyzed silently. *"A massive form for absorbing and processing energy, and a standard combat form. This isn't just a spiritual weapon—it's a masterpiece."*
The girl sheathed the sword at her side, but her hand didn't stray far from it. *"A moss-gathering quest doesn't require you to bypass dozens of cave monsters and enter the deepest part of this cursed place."*
*"I didn't encounter any monsters,"* Rhein replied simply. *"They were all dead."* He tilted his head toward the direction he'd come from. *"Clean, frozen wounds."*
She realized he was referring to the monsters *she* had killed. That meant he had been tracking her for some time. Her gaze turned even colder. *"You have one minute to give me a single reason why I shouldn't kill you right now and ensure your silence forever."*
Here, Rhein decided to play his trump card. He didn't plead—instead, he looked directly at the black crystal, still pulsing erratically.
*"Because without me, you'll fail."*
Silence. His words were so bold they bordered on arrogance, especially coming from a boy of his level. Her eyebrow twitched slightly—the first expression to break through her icy demeanor.
*"Your purification process is unstable,"* Rhein continued, his voice gaining the confidence of an expert. *"You're drawing energy haphazardly, causing violent backlash. I saw the wave that erupted earlier. The next one will be stronger, and you might not be able to withstand it."*
She stared at him, searching for deceit. *"And how would a boy like you know that?"*
*"I don't see energy the way you do,"* Rhein said, revealing a small, calculated fragment of the truth. *"I see its flaws. I see where the chaotic energy gathers before it erupts. I can guide you—show you where to draw from the weakest points and avoid violent reactions."*
It was a massive gamble. He had exposed a glimpse of his unique ability, making himself too valuable to discard easily.
The girl stood in silence for several long seconds, assessing the situation. Her mind weighed his words. Was he a trickster? Or did he truly possess a strange talent that could help her complete her mission—one far more important than his life? The risk he posed as a witness versus the utility he offered as an assistant.
Finally, she gestured with her sword toward the crystal. *"If you're lying... I'll make your death slow and painful."* Then she locked eyes with him. *"And if you're telling the truth... prove it."
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