Nicolas and his team went through several intense firefights with other teams. One by one, Ophelia and Oscar were eliminated.

Eventually, Declan also got hit. "Stay sharp, Nicolas," Declan said before leaving. "There's someone out here who's different—way more skilled than the rest."

"Got it," Nicolas replied, giving Declan's shoulder a firm pat. "Go get some rest."

Declan nodded and headed off. Now, only Nicolas and Noelle remained on their team, facing off against two other teams with a total of five players left.

"Alright," Nicolas said, gently tapping the back of Noelle's head. "You can let loose now." Since Noelle's takedown of the champion team, Nicolas had asked her to hold back to avoid drawing too much attention.

Noelle glanced into the shadowy depths of the forest, her expression lighting up with curiosity. "Nick, there's someone here who's really good. Can I take him out? The one who got Declan."

Nicolas asked, raising a brow, "Declan wasn't an easy target in most hunts. He and I were the last ones standing. But this time, Declan was eliminated early?"

"Yep," Noelle said, nodding. Her tone turned serious. "Whoever it is, he's a pro. Judging by his movements and style, I'd say he's an assassin from Eagle Blades. Still, he's not at my level."

The mention of "assassin" made Nicolas tense. He studied Noelle's face for any hint of exaggeration. "You're saying the person who took out Declan is an assassin, huh?"

"Definitely," Noelle said confidently.

Nicolas's expression darkened at the thought of an assassin blending into the hunt.

Before he could respond, his left earpiece crackled to life. Declan's urgent voice came through. "Nicolas, the hunt's over. Get back now."

"What happened?" Nicolas asked, his tone sharp.

"Someone's dead," Declan said grimly. "The staff found a body stripped of clothes at the base of the mountain. The killer has likely mixed in with the players. We don't know who his target is. You and Miss Anderson need to return immediately."

"Understood." Nicolas turned off the radio, his face growing serious. A sinking feeling settled over him. If the assassin was here for him, he wasn't sure how he'd handle another encounter without his bodyguards or proper weapons.

Lost in thought, he suddenly felt a small, soft hand slip into his. Startled, Nicolas looked down to see Noelle's bright, innocent face gazing up at him with a sweet smile.

"Nick," she said softly, "don't worry. With me here, no one's going to hurt you."

Her words, so simple and sincere, made Nicolas's chest tighten for a moment. He let out a quiet laugh, the tension easing ever so slightly. The idea of a young girl protecting him was almost absurd, yet strangely comforting.

"Elly babe, you mentioned you're better than that assassin," Nicolas said, regaining his composure. "Have you run into him before?"

"Huh?" Noelle tilted her head, blinking in surprise. "Wait a second, did you just call me 'Elly babe'?"

"Yeah," Nicolas said with a lazy smirk. "Is that a problem?" He bent slightly, his tall frame leaning just enough to meet Noelle's eyes. The gesture was elegant and effortlessly charming. "You call me Nick. It's only fair I get to call you Elly babe, right?"

Noelle, already enchanted by his good looks, froze for a second. Now, he was this close and casually calling her such a sweet, intimate nickname.

In her entire life, no one had ever called her anything like that. It felt wonderful. Incredibly wonderful. Her chest felt like it was filled with fluff. Her eyes sparkled as she leaned in closer to Nicolas, nodding vigorously, almost like a bobblehead.

"That's fair! Nick, I love it! You should call me Elly babe from now on."

Nicolas chuckled. Noelle's complete lack of subtlety was almost endearing. She was so straightforward that it was hard not to smile. Normally, Nicolas didn't care for overly simple or naive people, but somehow, Noelle felt like an exception.

With the nickname settled, they circled back to the assassin.

"I don't know this assassin," Noelle explained, "but I used to be part of the Eagle Blades assassination group. I can tell his style right away."

"You said his skills are average," Nicolas said, clearly intrigued. "What about you? What rank were you in Eagle Blades?" He was fully engaged in Noelle's story. It was as if he believed she had been an assassin.

Noelle grinned smugly, placing her hands on her hips and tilting her chin up like she'd just won an award. "Top tier, of course," she said. "Eagle Blades ranks assassins from levels one to twelve. That guy's maybe a level four. Me? I started as a level one."

"Wow. That's impressive," Nicolas said, sounding genuine as he clapped lightly.

Encouraged by his lack of skepticism, Noelle continued enthusiastically, "Of course! Whatever I do, I always aim for the top. Assassin, mercenary, whatever—I'm always the best at it."

"Besides being an assassin and mercenary, what else have you done?" Nicolas asked.

"Well…" Noelle started, but before she could finish, her expression shifted in an instant. A faint sound came from the left.

Without hesitation, she tackled Nicolas to the ground. A bullet ripped through the air, embedding itself deep in the trunk of a tree where Nicolas had been standing just moments earlier.

"Nick, don't move. I'll handle this," Noelle said firmly, lying on top of him. She was so light that it felt like a breeze could blow her away. As she adjusted herself slightly, her lips brushed his ear, her voice steady and quiet.

Then, without another word, she sprang to her feet and disappeared into the dark forest.

The assassin, codenamed Shadow, was a level four operative from Eagle Blades. His mission was simple: eliminate Nicolas. Blending into the participants of the hunt, Shadow had been lying low, waiting for the right moment to strike. He hadn't expected the young girl to interfere just as he had Nicolas in his sights.

At the last second, she pushed Nicolas out of harm's way like she'd known the bullet was coming. Shadow believed that it had to be a coincidence. There was no way a random girl could sense his presence, let alone anticipate his shot.

After all, only one person in the history of Eagle Blades had that kind of perception: Diamond, the top-ranked assassin who'd left the organization. Diamond had been a legend, a prodigy who reached the pinnacle of the group while still a child.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Shadow refocused. However, Nicolas and Noelle had vanished during his brief distraction. He quickly found Nicolas again, but this time, Noelle was nowhere to be seen.

No matter. The mission came first. Shadow steadied his aim and prepared to fire again. But before he could pull the trigger, a shadow flickered across his vision—something impossibly fast, like a phantom.