Round 2: A thieving cat!

After a long and chaotic food fight that left them both covered in remnants of breads and cream, Eli and the white-haired girl reluctantly agreed to team up. 

Despite their agreement to form a team, neither of them trusted the other.

Especially Eli, whose mind and stomach had finally settled down from the frenzy. Now, he could think clearly, and he need to careful around this illusion girl!

On the other hand, the white-haired girl, after being treated so roughly by Eli, would never trust him. She had initially been teasing, a harmless jest, but he had responded by shoving a cake down her throat.

The memory of gagging for breath while he showed no mercy was still fresh in her mind. 'This perverted bastard!' she screamed inwardly, fury boiling within her. She wanted to go her separate way, but she was acutely aware that her charm and illusion spells were ineffective against him.

Even more troubling, she couldn't sense any aura from his body. Like others, she thought he must be a master of mana, so she decided it was safer to keep him close rather than have him as an enemy.

They walked around in tense silence, each lost in their thoughts until Eli broke the quiet by asking her name. She didn't respond directly, simply stating,

"There is no need for introductions." Her tone was cold, final.

Eli shrugged nonchalantly, saying, "My name is El".

"..." She remained silent, offering no name in return.

As they continued their search, she couldn't help but glance at Eli from time to time. He was climbing a tree with the agility of a monkey.

"If a monkey sees this... they might attempt suicide," the girl thought, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite herself. His antics were oddly amusing, though she would never admit it out loud.

Suddenly, Eli leapt down from the tree and landed right behind her, shouting, "Cake!"

"HIIII!!!" The girl startled like a rabbit, spinning around to glare at Eli with pure hatred in her eyes.

"What is it?" she growled, her voice low and threatening, "What is cake?"

"I name you Cake," Eli said with a smirk, clearly enjoying himself. The smug expression made her twitch her lips in irritation, 'This man really knows how to piss me off,' she thought, her annoyance growing.

"I found the key," Eli announced with a triumphant smile.

"Not bad..." The girl nodded grudgingly and followed Eli to where he claimed to have found the key.

She glanced at Eli for a moment, a thought crossing her mind, 'Well, he doesn't seem like such a bad guy. I mean, even though he found the key, he still came back for me, right?' A reluctant smile adorned her face, though she quickly masked it.

Arriving at the spot, her lips twitched when she saw a group of people fighting fiercely over a red key that hovered tantalizingly in the sky.

"I thought you found the key?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

"Hmm?" Eli frowned, pointing toward the sky. "Don't you see that? Look, there it is."

The girl's lips twitched even more. "I can see that, you idiot!" she snapped, exasperation clear in her tone.

"Then?" Eli frowned, deciding to let it slide for now that she had called him an 'idiot.'

"Can't you see there's already a bloodbath for that key, and you want us to enter there?" she asked, incredulous. She really thought he was an idiot until she heard his next words.

"I mean... you could use your illusion on them, and we could just walk in the park," Eli said with determination, his eyes gleaming with a plan.

Hearing that, the girl's face suddenly flushed in embarrassment, 'I-it seems he thinks highly of me...' She gulped, feeling a strange warmth before mumbling quietly, "I-I can't cast an illusion on 8 people. The most I can do is 3, and pushing my limit, I could cast up to 4 people."

She was bracing herself for some haughty and degrading words from him, but to her surprise, Eli nodded and said, "Then put three under the illusion. I'll take care of the rest while you sneak in and steal it."

Hearing that, the girl had a surprised look before nodding, 'I suppose no one can judge others without knowing them,' she thought.

She asked him to create a diversion to get their attention.

Eli nodded, understanding the plan.

With a sudden, fierce motion, he hurled his pitchfork into the midst of the battlefield. The weapon landed with a clattering thud, causing a wave of startled reactions from the combatants around him.

"FUCK!!"

"What the hell!"

"Who is it?"

As the people shouted in confusion, Eli stepped forward, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, "Hello..." he said, his voice carrying an eerie calm that sent shivers down their spines.

He then clenched his lungs, and a hissing sound came from his clenched mouth as his eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. In the blink of an eye, he vanished, only to reappear a moment later, launching his assault with a speed and precision that left the others reeling.

The group he faced were novices, barely capable of holding their own against a common monster.

However,

"Fuck!! We need to deal with him!!"

"Let's group up for now!"

If they band together, a strategy that could spell trouble for Eli, who, despite his strength, was soulless and could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. That's why he needed the support of the white-haired girl, who observed from the shadows, her eyes calculating as she analyzed the battlefield.

Spotting the strongest among them, she quietly began to cast her spell. One by one, subtle enchantments wrapped around each of the participants, making it easier for Eli to fight back as he wielded his pitchfork with lethal efficiency.

The group didn't notice her actions, being fully focused on Eli's relentless attacks.

With a nod to herself, the girl sprang into action.

She bent down, mimicking the posture of a wild animal, and let out a guttural growl that echoed across the field.

"gggrrrrrr!!"

In a burst of incredible agility, she leapt from one head to another, using the participants' shoulders as stepping stones. Her sudden movements startled everyone, including Eli, who momentarily paused in surprise.

'This is not the plan... I told her to sneak not announce herself' he mumbled inwardly.

As she grabbed the key that had been hovering in the air, she disappeared into the dense forest surrounding the battlefield.

"Wait!!"

"The fuck was that!!"

The participants were dumbfounded, their confusion evident.

Even Eli was taken aback. 'Shit! She's running away!' he thought, panic flashing in his eyes. Without wasting a moment, he sprinted after her, determined not to let her slip away.

The forest seemed to close in around him as he pursued her, the trees a blur of green and brown. Eli's mind raced alongside his feet. He dodged low-hanging branches and leapt over fallen logs, the sound of his own breath harsh in his ears.

"CAKE!!!" he yelled, his frustration evident.

Ahead, the girl moved like a tiger, her white hair a stark contrast against the dark foliage. She glanced back, a sly smile playing on her lips, "Fuck off!" she shouted, showing him her middle finger.

"That bitch!" Eli gritted his teeth, increasing his speed as determination fueled his pursuit.

Meanwhile, the others were left dumbfounded for a moment before they started to follow Eli. Just then, a feminine voice that sent shivers through their spines called out,

"Hello, people"

Turning around, they saw a green-haired beauty looking at them with a smirk as her hands danced in the air. Suddenly, the colour drained from their eyes, replaced by a dull, obedient glaze.

Then she ordered, "Go and find the red key for me!"

Immediately, the others ran towards where Eli and the girl had disappeared, while a few began searching for any other areas.

'Sigh... Controlling more than 5 people is really taking a toll on my body,' she thought, deciding to sit down and wait for her puppets to finish their job.

She settled on a nearby rock, her eyes scanning the area for any potential threats.