"Hey, hey, calm down! I’m Yuri," the figure claiming to be Yuri said, stepping back with a flustered expression.

"Bullshit!" Jeff snarled, drawing his bow and aiming squarely at "Yuri." He slightly narrowed his eyes. "You lied. That massage parlor has no beastmen—beastmen are banned. Yuri, a regular there, would *know* that!"

So this was a sting operation! Realizing it, "Yuri’s" face twisted. His features shifted; his body shrank, growing shorter…

Jeff and the team leader gaped, stunned into silence.

Rough skin gave way to smooth, delicate texture. Burly arms turned slender. "Yuri" had transformed into a young girl.

Silvery-white hair cascaded like a waterfall. Her exquisitely beautiful face held no expression—as if the earlier panic had never existed.

"Who are you?!"

Though shocked, the two kept their guard up. This was far too eerie.

"Who am I…?" the girl murmured softly. Then, a joyful smile bloomed on her face.

"Jeff! It’s me—Yuri!"

Her behavior was absurd, almost like split personality—but the absurdity sent chills down their spines.

It wasn’t Yuri’s face, yet her mannerisms, tone, and voice were *exactly* his.

"W-what *are* you?!" Jeff stammered. So unnatural—he couldn’t even call her human.

"This… is human emotion? Was that just now… happiness?" she whispered dreamily.

Jeff and the leader exchanged a glance. *Take her down.*

They lunged from opposite angles—

A cold gust brushed their necks, vanishing like a mirage. The seasoned adventurers shuddered, still processing nothing.

"You—"

Jeff tried to speak. No sound came. A crack spread from his neck.

*How…?* His final thought.

Nefu—the girl—watched the bodies fall. Her blade-like arms softened, returning to normal, hanging limply at her sides.

She bowed her head. In an instant, her body split apart.

Moments later, the alley was spotless. Not a single drop of blood remained.

"Not tasty…" Nefu’s verdict. These adventurers weren’t her preferred meal—*food*, of course.

Where could she find that food again? The kind those three humans once gave her?

She wiped blood from her lips, gaze locking onto the restaurant. Longing burned in her eyes.

Memories from consumed victims promised delicious treats inside. But storming the tavern? Too risky. Better to wait.

What *was* that food called? She couldn’t recall. Oddly, the "little prince"—her first meal—left crystal-clear memories. Others? Only shattered fragments.

No! Determination flashed across her small face. She simply hadn’t eaten *enough*. More adventurers were needed.

Spotting drunken adventurers stumbling from the tavern, Nefu licked her crimson tongue and strode toward them.

One week later…

Santiana City, built atop the Underground Labyrinth, buzzed with human adventurers. Their guilds formed the city’s backbone.

Today, nearly every top guild leader had been summoned to the Adventurers’ Guild. Grim faces all around—as if mourning a loss.

All gathered because of one shocking report.

Lord Ajax of Anlina, on the Labyrinth’s twentieth level, sent urgent word: nearly twenty percent of adventurers had vanished without a trace.

One moment present, the next—gone. Ajax deployed every resource, yet found no culprit.

To prevent panic, he suppressed the news and sent messengers upward for aid.

"Is everyone here?"

Elite adventurers encircled a central seat. An elderly man with snow-white hair and chilling authority sat there—clearly the convener.

Chairman Abbas of the Adventurers’ Guild.

"Chairman… one is missing," rumbled a bronze-skinned man seated below Abbas, eyes fixed grimly on an empty chair.

"Who?"

"President Ophelia of the Valkyrie Guild."

All eyes turned to the vacant seat.

A sullen-faced man let out a low, sinister chuckle. "Chairman… the second-ranked Valkyrie Guild defies the summons? Perhaps we should—"

He left it hanging. Everyone understood.

His Black Serpent Guild had long been trapped in third place beneath the Valkyrie Guild. They’d seize any chance to rise.

"Enough."

Abbas closed his eyes, breaking the silence. "You’ve seen the report."

"Yes. Strange—the missing are *only* adventurers. No civilians," an adventurer adjusted his glasses.

"Correct." Abbas sighed, scanning the room. "This is a targeted attack. I’ll be brief."

He rapped the table. Silence fell.

"This operation falls to the Ares Guild, Valkyrie Guild, and Black Serpent Guild."

He glanced at the bald brute beside him, then the sullen man. "I’ll inform the Valkyrie Guild shortly. You two—prepare."

"Yes, sir!"

Deep in Anlina on the twentieth level, most citizens remained unaware of the horror, thanks to Ajax’s swift cover-up.

In the central square, Ivan lounged on a bench—lazy posture, but his eyes darted restlessly. Anyone sharp would spot the danger.

He was a child trafficker. Hunting.

Frustration creased his face. Every child passed with an adult. No opening.

Then—luck. A petite girl with silvery-white hair stood before a roasted chicken leg stall, staring intently at the sizzling skewers.

*Perfect.* A smirk curled Ivan’s lips. He rose and walked toward her.