*Flashback...*

Moments before Emanuel's devastating attack, tension filled the air, thick as the gathering storm clouds. Gabby, her voice tinged with confusion and concern, called out, "Kaya, wha—"

But Kaya interrupted, her voice chilling and without remorse. "The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed."

Gabby, undeterred, tried to approach her sister, desperation in her voice.

"Kaya, listen—"

Sam intercepted her, blocking her path with a firm arm. His voice was serious, a hint of anxiety etched within it. "Wait, Gabby. I suddenly got a really bad feeling. I don't know what it is, but stay put for now."

Gabby's frustration boiled over. She snapped her head toward Sam, her voice a mix of anger and fear. "That's all the more reason to help her! I don't know what happened to her, but—"

Sam's turned his head to her and his voice remained steady, though he can't hide the raging emotional turmoil within his eyes completely. "I know you're worried about Kaya, but trust me on this. Please, Gabby."

For a moment, Gabby said nothing, her mind racing. Finally, she relented, her voice filled with a deadly promise. "If anything happens to her, I'm going to kill you, Sam. I promise that."

Jason silently moved closer to them, his voice a low whisper but filled with urgency. "So what's the plan? We're not just standing here, I assume?"

Sam clicked his tongue, a gesture of frustration rather than annoyance. "Of course not! We can't be passive in times like these, that's just inviting bad luck into our house."

He glanced at his companions, gauging their readiness. "Before I can think of a plan, what's your status?"

Jason responded first, his voice steady. "I'm all good and ready to go."

Gabby followed, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "I can't do much for now. My mana is almost exhausted, and I can't use any skills. At best, I can only rely on my speed." She sighed deeply, frustration clear in her eyes.

Sam nodded, processing the information quickly. He turned to Jason. "What's your class, Jason? I know you started as a warrior, but what did you evolve into?"

Jason's voice held a note of pride. "I'm a Knight of Vow. As the name implies, I'm a knight who uses vows to achieve various effects. It's pretty versatile."

Sam pressed on, his tone inquisitive. "What's the main skill you got from that class?"

Jason explained, "There are two noteworthy skills: Knight's Vow and Binding Vow. These skills require me to offer something in exchange for their effects. Knight's Vow is temporary, while Binding Vow is permanent."

Sam interrupted, his mind working quickly.

"Let me guess: the first one is low risk and probably the one you frequently use, while the latter is extremely high risk due to what you have to exchange and you basically can't take anything you exchanged back?"Jason nodded, slightly stunned by Sam's accurate deduction.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it. Wow, your guess is scarily acc—" A loud boom interrupted him, the ground shaking as Emanuel crashed down from the sky.

The three of them tensed, their faces grim. Silence fell, heavy and oppressive.

Sam broke the silence, his voice filled with wariness and fear. "Jason, can you use one of your vow skills right now?"

Jason nodded immediately. "Yes, I can. What do you want me to do?"

Sam's response was quick and decisive.

"Can you sort of increase your defense capability using that vow thingy?"

"Of course," Jason replied. "Leave it to me." As he began to chant, Sam cut in again.

"Good, do it now and use it to protect Gabby."

Jason hesitated, confused. "But why only—"

Sam turned his gaze to Jason, his eyes filled with seriousness.

"You have to protect Gabby, understood?" His voice was stern, leaving no room for argument.

Seeing the determination in Sam's eyes, Jason simply nodded. He softly muttered under his breath,

"By the strength of my spirit and the sacrifice of my lifeblood, I pledge my very essence to become an unyielding shield. Let my life force flow into this sacred vow, fortifying my defenses to protect those in need. In this sacred Knight's Vow, I offer my vitality to block the blow and ensure their safety. As long as I breathe, I shall become their unyielding fortress."

Jason completed his chant, "I'm done. Now what?"

"Keep your eyes on that guy," Sam instructed, "and be ready to protect Gabby at all costs."

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He then turned to Gabby, "And you, get ready to hide somewhere in the forest to the best of your ability when things somehow went awry."

Gabby, feeling upset by Sam's insistence on her protection, spoke up, her voice irritated. "I don't need protection. I can—"

Before she could finish, a blur appeared in front of them. Sam, caught off guard, barely had time to react. "Fuc—"

Emanuel struck with a powerful force, sending Sam flying into the forest. Gabby, shocked and surprised, couldn't react fast enough to the incoming attack. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact, but it never came. Jason appeared in front of her, his shield absorbing the blow, the clash producing a booming shockwave.

BOOM!!!

*Present Time...*

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale, ghostly light over the forest, its beams filtering through the thick canopy. The night was alive with the sounds of battle. Sam, battered and bleeding, moved with desperate resolve through the shadows. His rifle felt heavy in his hands, the familiar weight offering scant comfort against the relentless assault of his enemies.

All of their eyes glinting with the thrill of the hunt. Sam’s breath came in ragged gasps, his body screaming in protest with every step. Blood oozed from a gash on his forehead, mingling with the sweat that dripped down his face.

His vision began to blurred from time to time, but he forced himself to stay focused, to push through the pain.

An enemy lunged at him, his sword gleaming in the moonlight. Sam pivoted, the movement sending a sharp jolt of agony through his side where an arrow had embedded itself earlier.

"Parry this you bastard!!"

He fired his rifle, his bullet hit the enemy dead in the head, the gunshot echoing through the forest. The man immediately crumpled, but before Sam could catch his breath, a mage hurled a fireball towards him.

He barely had time to dive behind a thick tree, the bark splintering and igniting as the fireball exploded against it.

The heat singed his exposed skin, the smell of burnt flesh mixing with the earthy scents of the forest.

"Damn it! This is fucking hurt like a bitch!" Sam cursed under his breath.

Even though Sam can heal himself thanks to his Warrior Spirit skill, it doesn't mean he can't feel any pain.

The feeling of his skin burning was ungodly painful, he grit his teeth, ignoring the searing pain, and rolled to his feet. An arrow whistled past his ear, embedding itself in the tree behind him.

He spun around, sighting the archer in the distance. He raised his rifle, but a rogue darted out from the shadows, blades flashing.

"Missed me with that shit!"

Sam swiftly swung the butt of his rifle with great force, catching the rogue in the jaw with a sickening crunch.

But there was no time to celebrate the small victory. Another mage began chanting, the air crackling with arcane energy. Noticing this, there's no way in hell Sam going to let him finish his chanting.

Sam aimed and fired, the bullet tearing through the mage’s throat, cutting off the incantation mid syllable. Yet, as he lowered his rifle, an arrow found its mark, piercing his shoulder. He staggered back, a cry of pain escaping his lips.

His vision swam, the world tilting precariously. He sought refuge behind a fallen log, his back pressing against the rough bark as he tried to catch his breath and give his skill some time to heal his wounds.

Blood seeped from his wounds, staining the forest floor. He could hear his enemies closing in, their footsteps a haunting chorus of impending doom.

Sam’s mind raced, seeking any advantage. He noticed the thick vines hanging from a nearby tree. With a grimace of determination, he grabbed one and used it to pull himself up, ignoring the agony that lanced through his body.

From his higher vantage point, he spotted another group of enemies approaching. He fired off a few shots, taking down two more enemies, but his movements were slowing down, his strength began to waning.

A rogue managed to leap up, slashing at his leg. In retaliation, Sam kicked out as hard as possible, sending the rogue tumbling, but the effort left him dizzy.

He swung the rifle around, firing into the darkness where he could make out the dim shapes of his attackers. But then, another arrow grazed his side, and a fireball exploded nearby, the force of the blast throwing him to the ground.

He lay there, staring up at the stars, the canopy swaying above him. His body was a mass of pain, every breath a struggle. But he could still hear them, still sense the danger. He couldn't give up. Not now.

Summoning the last of his strength, he pushed himself up, one hand clutching his rifle, the other pressing against a wound to staunch the flow of blood.

The enemies closed in, a final, deadly circle. Sam's finger tightened on the trigger, his eyes fierce despite the weariness. He would fight to his last breath, every shot a defiance, every heartbeat a testament to his unyielding will. The night would bear witness to his struggle, the forest a silent, stoic observer of his final stand.

Suddenly, Sam's head snapped up, eyes blazing with a fierce light.

"Is this all you've got fuckers?" he shouted, his voice echoing through the trees.

"Come on! I will show you the embrace of death!!" His defiance seemed to stun his enemies for a moment, giving him a precious few seconds.

He immediately fired again, taking down another rogue who had dared to come too close. Sam's mind was a whirlwind of pain and strategy. He noticed a rocky outcrop to his left and made a desperate dash for it, his legs threatening to give out with every step.

Arrows flew past him, one nicking his arm, another embedding itself in his thigh. He stumbled but kept moving, using the last of his strength to dive behind the rocks. The archer who had hit him advanced cautiously, not wanting to rush into a potential trap. Sam steadied his breathing, focusing through the haze of pain. As the archer crept closer, Sam sprang out, tackling him to the ground. The struggle was brief but brutal, ending with Sam smashing the archer's head against a stone until he stopped moving.

He couldn't afford to rest. He could hear the mages chanting again, their spells lighting up the forest with an eerie glow. He rolled behind another tree just as a bolt of lightning struck where he had been moments before, the ground sizzling from the impact.

Gritting his teeth, he loaded his rifle with trembling hands and aimed at the closest mage. The shot was true, the mage collapsing in a heap of robes and blood.

But there were still too many. The remaining enemies closed in, sensing his exhaustion. Sam's vision was tunneling, darkness creeping in from the edges. He fired another shot, then another, each one taking down an enemy, but it was clear he was running out of time.

A warrior with a massive axe charged at him, and Sam barely managed to parry with his rifle. The impact jarred his whole body, nearly disarming him. The warrior swung again, and Sam ducked, the axe embedding itself in the tree trunk. Sam used the opportunity to launch a powerful left hook into the warrior's side, a loud and disturbing crunch filled the air.

He then continue to furiously strike the warrior with everything he got, a desperate, primal scream escaping his lips everytime he struck.

Finally, the warrior fell, but as Sam turned, an arrow pierced his side, sending him to his knees. He looked up, seeing the last few enemies closing in.

Summoning the last of his strength, he stood his ground while holding his rifle, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.

"Square the fuck up you if you have the balls motherfucker!," he gasped, "What a bunch of cowards! Come on! I didn't hear no fucking bell!" Sam roared in defiance.