Preparing for an great Chase

“Can you give me a hand here?” asked Venetia, her voice laced with frustration as she struggled to craft rope from the tough fibers in her hands.
Draco glanced over and saw her fingers fumbling with the coarse strands.

It had been three days since their fish had been stolen by a thief, and every hour since felt like a painful reminder of their failure.
They still had the fruits and herbs but losing the fish had left a gaping hole in Draco’s pride.

He moved over to her, taking the fibers from her hands and showing her a firmer grip. “Like this,” he murmured, twisting the strands with a practiced motion.
She watched him for a moment, then nodded and followed his lead, their hands working together in a silent rhythm.

They were crafting the rope for a reason. After hours of planning and discussing every possible angle, they had come up with a plan.
They would build multiple traps throughout the forest, hoping to lure the thief back out of hiding.

The plan was simple: they would catch another bunch of fish and use it as bait.

But this time, they would be ready when Yuki returned to take it.

They would control her path, using attacks from both of them, steering her directly into a carefully constructed trap.
The rope in their hands would be crucial for this, acting as the capture mechanism for the traps.

Draco’s jaw tightened as he thought of Yuki slipping through the trees with their fish in hand, her mocking laughter echoing in his mind.
This time, she wouldn’t get away so easily. They needed answers, and she was the key to finding them.

“If we can catch her,” Venetia said, breaking the silence, “we can ask her about the shadow-cat village.”

Draco nodded, his eyes narrowing with determination. The village was a mystery, concealed by powerful shadow magic.
They had only heard of it and Yuki might confirm its existence.

If he wanted to fight the light he needed allies, and they could be useful.

They might finally learn its location.

“Once we have her, we’ll find out everything we need to know,” Draco said, tying a final knot in the rope. “She won’t be able to run from us forever.”

Venetia looked at him, her eyes serious. “Are you sure about this, Draco? She’s elusive, and she knows this forest better than we do.”

“We don’t have a choice,” he replied, his voice resolute. “If we want to find that village, she’s our best chance.”

They continued their work, setting the traps and preparing the bait.
They would catch Yuki, and they would make her show them the way. The forest was vast and full of secrets, but this time, they wouldn’t let her slip away.

Catching Yuki had also another purpose: Information.

While Venetia had lived in this forest for years, her knowledge of the world beyond was limited.
She had a good understanding of the forest but almost zero on the continent, or the world itself.

Her magic, though impressive for someone entirely self-taught, was still basic compared to what Draco believed was possible.
If they wanted to reach their full potential, they needed access to established knowledge.

Yuki, on the other hand, likely knew much more than she let on. As a member of a nomadic culture, she must have navigated the land extensively.
She probably knew the locations of dungeons - potentially rewarding them with powerful artifacts, ancient magic, and other treasures.

Those could be essential for Draco’s growth in power.
Beyond that, exploring dungeons could provide the experience and challenges he needed to push his abilities further.

Another thing that intrigued Draco was the potential knowledge held by Yuki’s tribe.
If the Shadow Cats could conceal an entire village with their magic, they likely had other valuable secrets.

Capturing Yuki was just the first step.
The next one would be to conquer their tribe and make them subservient to him.

Draco also couldn't ignore his curiosity about the ancient civilization,
that had been mentioned in the description of the dungeon core during his creation process.

The Core was fitting for the Dark, so it was natural that the civilization it stemmed from also fought for the same side.
If the civilization it came from had fought for the dark, that meant in their ruins could be artifacts,
made specifically for champions like him.

Capturing Yuki had another reason behind it—Draco found her incredibly attractive.
His mind wandered, indulging in a vivid fantasy of making her his partner, expanding his harem with her and Venetia by his side.
The thought of having both women, each unique and beautiful in their own way, ignited his desires and fueled his ambition.

He imagined Yuki and Venetia hunting together, being a team ready to defeat anything.
He pictured them both naked, their skin glistening with sweat, their moans filling the air as he pleasured them.

The sun was setting as Draco returned to the cave, his backpack full of fish.
“Tomorrow, I’ll get you, Yuki,” he said to himself with determination.