The hunt resumed with renewed intensity. Now that most of them possessed a css and a basic skill, a fragile structure began to emerge within the group. They were no longer nine terrified individuals, but an improvised survival unit, learning to coordinate against a common enemy.

  The fights against the Spectral Monkeys became almost routine, though still dangerous. Haru, with his Keen Perception, often spotted them before they attacked. Goro, using his Defensive Stance and makeshift shield, managed to draw their attention and absorb the initial chilling attacks. Kenta, armed with the rusty sword, and Haru, with his daggers, waited for the window of vulnerability signaled by Renji to strike. Renji himself, thanks to his Minor Stealth, could sometimes slip to the fnks to finish off a distracted creature. Aiko used her Guiding Light to illuminate the shadowy areas where the monkeys liked to hide, reducing their advantage. Misaki, although her Spiritual Soothing had no direct effect in combat, stayed near potential casualties, offering moral support and a reassuring presence, while Junichi continued to give tactical directives based on his life experience and retive calm. Even Daichi, though still petrified with fear, managed to stay with the group and not hinder their movements.

  XP continued to accumute. Kenta, Goro, and Haru, the most active in combat, were the first to feel the pulsing of their marks again, reaching level 3. The notifications dispyed further stat increases, mainly Strength and Endurance for Kenta and Goro, and Agility for Haru. No new skills were acquired at level 3.

  Level 3... We're progressing. But is it fast enough?Renji thought, observing the others.Level 5 still seems far away. And these monkeys... they give little XP now.

  As if answering his thoughts, their routine was brutally interrupted. As they crossed a particurly dense area of gnarled trees, a different hiss than the spectral chuckles echoed, lower, rougher. It wasn't in the air, but on the ground.

  “Watch out! Something’s approaching!”Haru shouted, his eyes fixed on a thick bush from which the hissing emanated.

  What emerged was not a monkey. It was a serpentine creature, about two meters long, entirely composed of shifting shadows, simir to the monkeys', but denser, darker. Two ruby-red points glowed where its eyes should be, fixing the group with cold predatory intent. A Shadow Serpent. It slithered across the ground with disconcerting fluidity, its triangur head swaying slowly.

  “New...”Aiko murmured, her Guiding Light sphere flickering slightly.

  “Stay together! Goro, front!”Junichi ordered.

  Goro raised his shield, adopting his Defensive Stance. The Shadow Serpent hissed louder and struck with surprising speed. Its head shot forward, aiming for Goro's leg. He parried the attack with his shield, but the impact was heavier than the monkeys'. A sinister crack was heard, and a rger fissure appeared on the already damaged wood.

  “It hits harder!”Goro grunted.

  Kenta tried to strike the serpent with his sword, but the creature was fast and agile, slithering to dodge the blow before attempting another attack on Goro. Haru tried to fnk it with his daggers, but the solid shadow seemed more resistant than the monkeys', the bdes merely sliding off without penetrating.

  The fight was different. The serpent was less elusive than the monkeys, remaining tangible, but it was faster on the ground, more resistant, and its blows seemed more powerful. The group struggled to adapt.

  Renji, observing the scene, felt a surge of adrenaline mixed with intense frustration. The usual tactic wasn't working as well. They needed something else. A weakness. He focused intensely on the unduting creature, searching for any clue. At the same time, he felt a familiar tingling on the back of his left hand, where the spectral mark was engraved. It was an echo of the initial pain, a sensation that sometimes seemed to intensify when he focused on threats. Instinctively, he linked his concentration on the enemy to this sensation in his mark. Suddenly, as if the mark responded to this dual focus, fleeting information imposed itself on his mind:

  Shadow Serpent - Lvl 4 | HP: 80/80 | MP: 20/20

  Renji held his breath, surprised by this unexpected mental information. Stats? He could see the enemy's level and health points. The information disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, but the revetion was astounding.I can see their stats? How? By focusing on them and the mark? That's... incredibly useful. But... can the others do it? Or is it reted to my Assassin css?He decided to keep this discovery to himself for now, quickly analyzing the implications. Level 4. Higher than the monkeys, which expined its resistance. 80 HP. Not huge, but more than they had faced.

  As the battle raged, Kenta and Goro struggling to contain the serpent, Haru trying to find a weak spot, and the others supporting, something unexpected happened. Yuki, who had remained silent and motionless as usual, took a step forward. Her left hand rose, her mark glowing faintly. She murmured a word no one understood, a guttural, ancient sound. A small dart of pure, barely visible shadow shot from her palm and struck the Shadow Serpent's fnk.

  The creature hissed in pain, a much more pronounced reaction than to previous blows. It writhed in pce, disoriented for a precious second.HP: 72/80 fshed briefly in Renji's mind.

  “Yuki?!”Kenta excimed, surprised.

  Taking advantage of the opening, Goro struck with his shield and Kenta drove his rusty sword into the momentarily disrupted shadow. The serpent convulsed and began to dissipate, slower than the monkeys, leaving behind an acrid burning smell.

  XP Gained: +40

  The mental notification confirmed this creature was worth more. Then, Yuki's mark pulsed with a brighter light, signaling her level-up to the others, while the details imposed themselves on her own mind:

  Stats Updated:HP: 80 -> 90 (+10)MP: 90 -> 100 (+10)STR: 4 -> 5 (+1)AGI: 9 -> 10 (+1)END: 7 -> 8 (+1)INT: 11 -> 14 (+3)SPR: 10 -> 12 (+2)Level Up! Level 2 Reached!Css Unlocked: WarlockSkill Acquired: Minor AfflictionMinor Affliction: Inflicts a very weak shadow DoT on a target. Very low MP cost.

  All eyes turned to Yuki. They had seen her mark glow, they knew she had leveled up, but they didn't know the details of her css or skill. Where did this dark magic come from? Yuki, however, showed no particur reaction. She simply lowered her hand, her face returning to its usual neutral expression, as if nothing had happened. The group, though surprised and intrigued by her action and silent level-up, was mostly relieved by her decisive intervention. One more offensive ability, however minor and mysterious, was welcome. They accepted it pragmatically, without asking questions for now, Yuki's mysteries could wait in the face of the need to survive.

  Yuki's level-up added a new yer of complexity and mystery to their situation. But they had no time to dwell. They had to keep hunting, keep leveling. The road to level 5 was still long, and the discovery of this new, more resilient monster made the goal even more daunting.