Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

The air within Black Forest was damp and musty, heavy with the scent of rot and decay. The trees seemed to stretch up towards the heavens, their branches twisted and gnarled like claws reaching out to grasp at something just beyond reach.

The only sound was the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind, a reminder that there were dangers lurking just out of sight.

The ground was littered with fallen leaves and other debris, making it difficult to navigate without tripping or getting tangled in vines. The canopy blocked out most of the sunlight, leaving everything cast in shadows and muted colors.

In the middle of a small clearing stood two young women, one with long red hair and crimson eyes, the other with long black hair and green eyes.

The red-haired woman was named Scarlet, and she carried a long, curved sword strapped to her hip. She was a beauty that was both attractive and approachable, and she had an aura that made you want to trust her. Her face was gentle and kind, while her voice was soft and soothing.

She wore a red cheongsam that clung to her body, accentuating her curves and cleavage, and she had a shapely figure that was hard to ignore. Her breasts were large and perky, and her hips swayed seductively as she moved.

Next to her was a young woman with long black hair and emerald eyes, wearing a simple white robe with a blue collar and a gray sash around her waist. Her name was Cecil, and she held a short sword in her right hand, pointing it towards the darkness surrounding them.

Her green eyes scanned the trees, searching for any signs of danger, and she gripped her sword tighter whenever the wind blew. She was wary of every shadow and every sound, ready to defend herself and her friend at a moment's notice.

Scarlet felt her heartbeat quicken as she watched the shadows shift around them. The forest was filled with all sorts of dangerous creatures, and it wouldn't be long before something took notice of the two young women.

Cecil was also on edge, and she looked over at Scarlet. "Do you think we're going in the right direction?" She asked.

Scarlet nodded. "I'm pretty sure this is the way. We just need to keep going, and we'll find it."

As they stepped further into the woods, a twig snapped somewhere behind them, causing both girls to spin around, their weapons at the ready.

When nothing appeared, Cecil let out a sigh of relief and turned back towards Scarlet. "Let's hurry up and find what we came here for."

The ground beneath their feet began to change, becoming softer and wetter. Scarlet realized that they must have entered a swamp, and she glanced down at the map that the sect gave them.

"It looks like we should be able to get to the place where the herb is by going straight ahead, but the swamp makes things a bit complicated." Scarlet said.

Cecil frowned. "I don't like how the water moves. It seems too alive. I think it would be better if we crossed it sooner rather than later, so we could get back on dry land. We could try to go around, but that might take longer. What do you think?"

Scarlet nodded. "The quicker we get through this swamp, the better I'll feel. Let's try to get across as fast as possible, and then we can look for the herb."

They cautiously made their way onto the branches of the sparse trees growing from the water while a foul smell rose from the murky waters below.

Without wasting a moment, Scarlet covered her mouth and nose with her spirit essence as the stench assaulted her senses and continued jumping from one branch to another.

She stepped on the slippery tree branches as if she were dancing with the grace of a fairy, looking as if she wasn't carrying a single worry.

Cecil followed suit, keeping close to Scarlet as they traversed the swampy terrain.

The two girls soon found their way to firmer ground, and they let out sighs of relief as they got off the trees.

Cecil wiped sweat from her brow. "That was gross."

Scarlet wrinkled her nose. "Tell me about it. I didn't know such a terrible smell existed until now."

Suddenly a splash came from somewhere behind them, and the two girls jumped, spinning around to see what had caused the noise.

Scarlet brandished her sword, and Cecil held out her blade, ready to strike at whatever threat emerged from the fog that had settled on top of the swamp.

After a few tense moments, the cause of the splash revealed itself: a large crocodile Star Beast that had just captured its prey before submerging back into the water.

The girls exchanged looks.

"We better be careful," Scarlet said. "There could be more predators lurking nearby."

She adjusted her grip on her sword and continued walking.

"What kind of Star Beast was that?" Cecil asked as she fell into step beside Scarlet.

"It looked like a Crocoling. It was pretty big, though, so I'd say it was probably a higher level. It might have been a Rank 3 Star Beast, which is really strong for a monster living in this area." Scarlet replied.

Cecil nodded. "I'm glad we didn't have to fight it. I don't know if I would've been able to win against a monster like that without help since I am still at the Peak-Stage of the Spirit Foundation realm."

"Don't worry about it, as I had just made a breakthrough to the Initial-Stage of the True Spirit Realm before coming for this mission, so I am confident enough to at least defend against a Rank 3 Star Beast." Scarlet assured her with a smile.

"Congratulations on making another breakthrough, Scarlet; that is good news," Cecil replied, feeling happy about her best friend. "It will make this trip a lot easier with you being stronger now."

"Thanks, Cecil, but don't get careless. Just because I'm at a higher stage doesn't mean that you shouldn't stay vigilant. You never know when something else might appear that you have to fight off." Scarlet cautioned.

"I know. I won't let my guard down." Cecil responded with a determined expression.

Scarlet nodded her head with a beautiful smile on her lips, satisfied with her answer.