[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-born-as-a-witch":3,"chapter-born-as-a-witch-born-as-a-witch-chapter-293":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Born as a Witch",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1702440,2172,"Chapter 293: Waiting game","born-as-a-witch-chapter-293",293,"\u003Cp>The forest lay heavy with the scent of smoke and scorched earth. Serelyth hovered above the remnants of the battle, claws carefully tracing the edges of the debris. With a controlled exhalation of fire, she incinerated broken weapons, shattered shields, and the last of the enemy’s dark runes. Flames danced briefly before fading into glowing embers, leaving no trace of their clash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira crouched near a small stream, rinsing her hands and face, feeling the cool water wash away sweat and blood. Renkai was carefully checking his weapons, sharpening his blades with methodical precision. Thalanir, ever vigilant, scanned the surrounding forest, his eyes sweeping the shadows for movement, for any hint that another wave could be approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can’t stay here,\" Lira said quietly, looking at the clearing. \"If there are more of them, they’ll know something’s wrong if this area is too clean. They’ll come looking.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth nodded, transforming smoothly into her humanoid form, wings folding tightly against her back. \"We need to move before dawn. Rest where we’re unseen, but close enough to respond.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They slipped into the dense underbrush, each step measured and silent. Even Fluffy padded softly behind them, ears twitching with alertness. The forest seemed alive with whispers, leaves shivering under the lightest touch, as if the trees themselves were keeping their secret.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After walking carefully through twisting roots and over fallen logs, they found a small hollow in the forest, shielded by a natural wall of bushes and moss-covered stones. Lira gestured for everyone to settle, and they lowered themselves to the ground, careful not to disturb even a single twig.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This will do,\" Thalanir murmured. \"Hidden from sight, but near enough if we need to act.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai grunted, settling against a mossy tree trunk. \"I still don’t like waiting. I want to strike first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Patience,\" Serelyth replied, brushing dirt off her arms. \"We’re not fighting blind here. The longer we wait in safety, the more information we gather. If they move first, we’ll know who’s in command, where they strike next.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira leaned back, closing her eyes for a moment. Her mind replayed the glow of the unicorn and the way it had enveloped them. That light had healed them, reminded her of the stakes, and strengthened her resolve. \"We’ll rest,\" she said finally. \"A short rest. Then we plan. We can’t afford mistakes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fluffy curled into her lap, purring softly, a small comfort against the tension. Serelyth pulled a compact fire kit from her bag and ignited a subtle, smokeless flame, just enough to cook a small meal without revealing their position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They ate quietly, the only sounds the soft rustle of leaves and the occasional drip of water from the canopy above. Shadows moved in the distance, hints of movement that could have been the forest itself—or watchful eyes. Lira’s hand brushed over her potion satchel, knowing the ingredients she had gathered earlier could turn the tide if needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time the first hints of dawn began to lighten the sky, the team was alert, refreshed, and silent. Every sense stretched to the forest’s edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira whispered, \"If they come, we’ll know. And we’ll be ready.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth gave a slight nod, wings flexing just enough to feel the power in her muscles. \"Let them come. We’re waiting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forest held its breath with them, a tense quiet that promised a storm yet to come. And somewhere deep in the shadows, unseen eyes watched back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For days, Lira and her companions remained hidden, moving only when absolutely necessary, blending with shadows, sleeping in staggered shifts so someone was always alert. The forest around them seemed alive with quiet whispers—the rustle of leaves, the occasional snap of a twig—and every sound sent small spikes of tension through their bodies. Yet the patience paid off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the fourth day, just as the golden slant of morning sunlight filtered through the canopy, Renkai’s sharp eyes caught movement. \"There,\" he whispered, crouching behind a moss-covered boulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lone scout emerged from the underbrush. His movements were careful, deliberate, eyes scanning every shadow, every branch. Lira froze, holding her breath, feeling the pulse of her elements heighten in response to the danger. The scout paused near a small clearing, crouched for a moment, then began moving again, slipping into the deeper forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t lose him,\" Thalanir murmured, barely audible. \"This could be our only chance to find where they hide.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth shifted to her humanoid form, just enough to make her lighter on the ground, and nodded at Lira. \"We follow, but quietly. No risks unless absolutely necessary. If he senses us, it’s over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The team melted into the shadows, moving as silently as the forest allowed. Fluffy padded behind them, tail low, ears twitching to pick up every sound. The scout’s path was winding, through thickets and over roots, but he seemed determined, almost oblivious to the dangers behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours passed. They kept their distance, circling through the foliage, crouched low, eyes never leaving the scout. Lira’s heart pounded—not from exertion, but from the thrill and danger of tracking an enemy so close. Every snap of a branch underfoot made her flinch, but they moved with precision, shadows among shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the scout came to a halt near a small, hidden ridge. He glanced around, then slipped behind a thick wall of hanging vines and disappeared completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is it,\" Lira whispered. \"This is where we start to see their camp... their organization.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They paused, taking a moment to scan the surroundings. The ridge overlooked a hidden valley, partially shielded by trees and mist. Below, they could see movement—faint, shadowed figures preparing supplies, setting up tents, and quietly communicating. It was a dangerous vantage point, but it revealed the scale of the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renkai clenched his fists. \"We’re close. Too close. But we can’t attack yet. Not from here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir’s eyes narrowed. \"We watch. We learn. Every gesture, every patrol pattern—this is how we survive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth flexed her wings, her tail flicking with barely-contained excitement. \"And when the time comes, we strike with everything we’ve got.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of what they were about to face. \"We’ll need everything—potions, strategies, teamwork. They hunt multielement users. We cannot afford mistakes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The forest settled around them again, a tense silence. From their hidden perch, they watched the scout rejoin the others, slipping through shadows like a ghost. The path was dangerous, the enemy vigilant, but now they had a direction—a way into the heart of the enemy’s lair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as the sun climbed higher, casting light through the mist, Lira whispered to her friends, \"We move carefully, but we move. This is our chance to stop them before they strike again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The companions nodded in unison, eyes locked on the shadows below, ready for the next step of their perilous journey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group moved cautiously through the thickening forest, keeping low among ferns and moss-covered roots. The air was heavy with the scent of earth and mist, and the quiet hum of the woods pressed around them. Renkai glanced over his shoulder, his fox ears twitching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re heading into the old Kitsune clan lands,\" he said softly, almost reverently. \"I left this place when I was a child... most of my kin were hunted down. Not many of our kind remain, and those who do are scattered and secretive.\" His amber eyes darkened with memories. \"But I know a few signs, old trails, and hidden marks that will help us move safely. Follow me closely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group nodded, following Renkai through the underbrush. The forest seemed older here, thicker, the trees towering like silent sentinels. Occasionally, Renkai paused, sniffing the air or brushing his hand across the bark of a tree, noting subtle symbols left by Kitsune ancestors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here,\" he whispered after some time, pointing to a nearly invisible opening at the base of a rock formation. \"An old cave system. It hasn’t been used for decades, but it’s hidden from plain sight. We can rest here, and keep watch for any enemy scouts.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, the caves smelled of damp stone and earth. The walls were rough, with faint etchings—old Kitsune markings, protective symbols, and forgotten stories carved into the rock. Lira’s fingers brushed one symbol, and she felt a faint pulse of elemental energy, almost like a whisper of the land itself acknowledging her presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They settled near the deepest chamber, forming a tight circle. A fire flickered in a small stone hearth, and the shadows danced along the walls, giving the cave an almost alive quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Someone always needs to keep watch,\" Renkai said, crouching near the cave entrance. \"Enemy scouts could appear at any time, and we don’t want to be caught off guard.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thalanir took the first watch, his keen eyes scanning the forest outside the cave, bow ready and ears alert. Renkai sat close to him, his tails curled around his body as he listened for the faintest rustle. Serelyth, in her smaller, humanoid form for stealth, helped organize supplies and potions that Lira had prepared. Lira herself checked the satchel of special seeds, her mind half on rest, half on the upcoming journey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours passed slowly, each one stretching with tension. Fluffy padded around silently, settling near Lira, occasionally flicking his ears toward the slightest sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, Renkai leaned back against the cave wall, eyes closing briefly. \"This land remembers,\" he murmured. \"Even abandoned, even hunted... our people left marks, traps, and paths. If anyone tries to follow us, they will find nothing but whispers and shadows.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira watched him, the weight of his words settling in her chest. The forest outside was dangerous, the enemy relentless, but for a moment, here in the cave, they had a semblance of safety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They would rest. They would prepare. And when the time came, they would move forward into the unknown, guided by the remnants of a hidden, secretive land and the courage that burned within each of them.\u003C\u002Fp>",1661,"2026-06-06T14:30:21.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","e82dc465cdbb880b0efc1e58945c24b1be717fd58be67a8e2bcd194e5a07b9e6","born-as-a-witch-chapter-294","born-as-a-witch-chapter-292",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fborn-as-a-witch-cover.jpg"]