I shook my head again, more forcefully this time, my vision swimming with tears and anger. “I would never,” I spat, my voice defiant despite the fear clawing at my chest.
Orion’s smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, replaced by a glint of frustration. His hand shot out before I could react, the slap landing hard against my cheek. The impact was jarring, sending me stumbling to the side. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I straightened, wiping at the corner of my lips with the back of my hand.
“Is that all you’ve got?” I hissed, staring him down even as my cheek throbbed with pain. Blood trickled down the corner of my mouth, but I refused to look away. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
His eyes narrowed, the cruel twist of his lips deepening into something darker. Slowly, deliberately, he reached into his jacket and pulled out a sleek, black handgun. The room seemed to grow colder as he raised it, the barrel pointed directly at me.
“How about now?” he said, his tone icy. He squeezed the trigger, and the deafening crack of the gunshot echoed through the room.
I flinched, instinctively twisting to the side, expecting the searing pain of a bullet. Instead, it grazed my arm, close enough that I felt the heat and the sting as it tore through the fabric of my sleeve. A thin line of blood welled up where the bullet had nicked me.
“Next time,” Orion said calmly, lowering the gun slightly, “I won’t miss.”
The weight of his threat hung heavy in the air, but something inside me snapped. Adrenaline surged through my veins, overriding the fear with a singular, primal instinct: survive.
Without waiting for him to make good on his promise, I bolted for the door. The room erupted in chaos as his guards sprang into action, moving to block my escape.
“Let her run!” Orion barked, his voice cold and commanding. “I’ll handle this little brat myself.”
I didn’t slow down. My legs pumped furiously as I weaved through the maze of hallways, knocking aside guards who tried to grab me. Each one fell with a satisfying thud as I struck out, my desperation giving me strength I didn’t know I had.
The corridors seemed endless, each turn blurring into the next. My lungs burned with exertion, but I didn’t dare stop. When I finally burst through a heavy door and into the open air, the sharp scent of the forest filled my nose. For a moment, relief washed over me. I had made it outside.
I didn’t get far before I collided with someone. My heart sank when I realized it was Lyra. Relief surged through me as I hugged her tightly.
“Lyra! How are you? Where are the others?” I asked breathlessly, pulling back slightly. But she didn’t respond. Something was wrong. Her silence was deafening, and her cold stare sent a shiver down my spine.
Before I could react, a sharp pain exploded in my back. My body froze as I realized the truth. She had stabbed me.
“W-why?” I gasped, my voice breaking as I struggled to stay upright. My hands flew to the wound, pressing against it as blood seeped through my fingers.
Lyra’s sneer cut through the haze of pain. “Tired, honey?” she mocked, her voice dripping with disdain. “You always were so easy to fool.”
Her words stung almost as much as the wound. I forced a bitter smile, despite the anguish racing through my body. I wouldn’t let her see me break.
Her laughter rang through the forest, a cruel and mocking sound that sent chills down my spine. “Oh, silly me—” she began, but her sentence was abruptly cut off as a bullet tore through her skull. The sharp crack of a gunshot echoed through the trees, and her body crumpled to the ground.
I stared in stunned silence, my breath hitching as her lifeless eyes remained fixed in an expression of shock. A part of me wanted to feel relief, but I couldn’t. The betrayal, the pain, the overwhelming exhaustion—it was too much.
“She talks too much,” Orion’s voice rang out, cold and unfeeling, as he stepped into view. His icy gaze pinned me to the spot. “It’s kind of irritating.”
I could barely stand, my body trembling from pain and adrenaline. The betrayal cut deeper than any wound, leaving me raw and exposed.
“I’ll give you thirty seconds to run,” Orion said, his tone casual, as if he were discussing the weather. “If you don’t, I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger.”
Something inside me shifted. The despair and panic that had gripped me moments before gave way to a cold, steely determination. I had nothing left to lose.
Orion’s smirk faltered as he registered the change in me. His overconfidence had been his mistake.
“Any last words?” I said, my voice steady despite the chaos in my mind.
His response was cut off as I lunged forward, grabbing a sharp branch from the ground. The fight that followed was brutal and desperate. My movements were fueled by sheer willpower, every strike and dodge a testament to my refusal to give up.
But I was at my limit. The forest seemed to spin as I stumbled backward, my injured leg giving out beneath me. Orion stood over me, his gun raised once more.
“This is the end,” he said, his voice laced with triumph.
I glanced to the side, my eyes landing on the edge of a ravine just a few feet away. The underbrush obscured the drop, but I knew it was steep—and my only chance.
“You don’t know me at all,” I said, defiance burning in my chest as I glared at him, my fists clenched tightly at my sides.
Orion’s eyes darkened, a flicker of anger crossing his face, but before he could react, I pushed off the ground and dove toward the ravine. My heart pounded in my chest as I hurtled through the air, the wind howling in my ears. I caught him off guard—my shoulder slammed into him with all the force I could muster. For a moment, I felt the solid impact of my attack. But he twisted at the last second, his movements swift and unyielding, and managed to escape my grasp. His sneer was the last thing I saw before the world tilted, and I plunged into the abyss below.
The darkness swallowed me whole. The rush of wind roared as I fell, the forest above shrinking into a distant memory of jagged treetops and fading moonlight. The cold air bit at my skin, and my stomach lurched as if the fall might never end. My mind screamed with panic, but there was no turning back.
Then, the ground rushed up to meet me. Pain exploded in my body as I slammed into the earth, the impact knocking the air from my lungs. I tumbled down the jagged slope, feeling every bruise, every cut, as rocks and dirt tore at my skin. When I finally came to a stop, my body lay crumpled at the bottom of the ravine, battered and bleeding. Darkness crept at the edges of my vision, threatening to pull me under, but I forced myself to stay awake, gasping for breath. Every part of me ached, but I was alive. Barely.
Far above, Orion’s voice echoed through the night, a promise laced with venom. “You can’t escape me, Anne. I’ll find you.”
I lay there, chest heaving, the cold earth pressing against me, its damp chill seeping through my clothes. Orion might have escaped this time, but I had survived, and as long as I was alive, I would fight. I wouldn’t let him break me.
Suddenly, footsteps approached. Panic gripped my chest—was it Orion coming to finish what he started? But then, a familiar voice cut through the darkness. “Are we too late?” It was Kairo, his voice filled with worry.
I tried to move, but my body screamed in protest. Mira’s voice followed, sharp and commanding. “We need medical help here, now!”
I managed a weak grin despite the pain. “You’re always late,” I rasped, my voice barely above a whisper.
Kairo knelt beside me, his face tight with concern, but there was a glimmer of humor in his eyes. “Maybe I am, but I’m here now.”
The group worked quickly, lifting me gently from the ground and moving me to a safer spot. Mira’s hands were skilled and steady as she treated my wounds, her expression focused. The days that followed blurred together. I drifted in and out of consciousness, waking to the sight of my friends watching over me, their faces a comforting presence in my haze of pain.
Weeks passed before I was strong enough to stand again. My body had healed, but the fear of Orion still haunted me, lurking at the edges of my mind like a shadow that refused to fade. He was still out there, somewhere. And I knew he wouldn’t stop until he had what he wanted. But this time, I wasn’t alone. I had Kairo, Mira, and the others by my side. Together, we were stronger than we had ever been.
One afternoon, I found myself on the balcony, staring out over the landscape. The wind stirred the flowers at my feet, their petals dancing in the breeze, but my mind was elsewhere. My thoughts were on Orion, on the battles we had fought and the ones still to come.
A sudden ping from my digital phone snapped me out of my reverie. My heart jumped as I glanced at the screen.
SYSTEM UPDATE!
I frowned, unlocking the device. The words on the screen sent a chill down my spine.
The system has been updated. Squad formations are now mandatory. Each squad must consist of 12 to 16 members. Competition will no longer be based on family rivalry but on the strength of each squad.
My pulse quickened. This changed everything. The stakes were higher now, the playing field broader. Orion’s family wasn’t my only concern anymore. Entire squads would be after us, and we needed to be prepared. I closed my phone and looked down at my friends below, waiting for me.
I took a deep breath. The battle wasn’t over. In fact, it was only just beginning. But this time, I wasn’t facing it alone. With my companions at my side, we would rise together, stronger than ever. And no matter what challenges lay ahead, we would be ready.
A fire burned within me as I turned to face the horizon, determination hardening my resolve.
This was only the beginning.
 
A/N: Thank you for joining me on the journey through Veil of Rivalry! The story of Anne, Kairo, and the rest of the team has just begun. Their fight isn’t over yet, and even greater challenges await them. Keep an eye out for Part 2, where new alliances, dangerous enemies, and unexpected twists will raise the stakes even higher. Stay tuned—this is only the beginning of an even more intense adventure!