They rested, finding a spot far enough away from Jake and Nate to talk privately. Nely turned to Dune, "so, what do you think?"
Dune didn't look at her, his gaze fixed somewhere distant.
"They're obviously lying. Everything about them is suspicious. Why would they want us to join them? They already said they have a team and even a leader. And I'm sure everyone heard what the god said, only ten of us can live.
"Do you remember the destroyed trees we saw before? I think we weren't the first ones to come here. Nate said that wolves don't come near the beach, it's obvious they fought other Zetens before us. Also, they already have ten in their group, they don't need us, so most likely, they killed anyone new who approached the island."
We were ready to fight, they also noticed your unique ability and that's why they decided to not attack us instantly. Now, these two are probably planning how to kill us. Well, that's what I think. I might be wrong, though."
Nely was shocked. She hadn't even considered this possibility. Her naive trust almost led her to believe Jake and Nate.
For a second, she felt relieved to have Dune with her. Nely sighed. "Then what do we do? Should we try to kill them while they're asleep?"
Dune chuckled. "No, but that's what they're going to do. I don't think we can escape from them. We are hungry and tired, it will be really hard. I will probably die first. But don't worry, I have a plan. It might work."
Nely nodded, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and determination. "What's the plan?"
Dune leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "We'll wait until they make their move. When they do, we'll counterattack. I'll distract one of them. You're stronger, and your Zeten and Neba are more powerful. If we can take them by surprise, we might stand a chance."
Nely nodded, "Okay. I'm with you."
Dune added, "Also, don't eat or drink anything they give us. We can pretend to eat by using your ability, but don't actually do it."
Hours passed, and everything seemed to be going well. Whenever Jake or Nate offered food or water, Nely discreetly used her ability to create a copy of the water bottle or the meat.
She could make food and water with her Neba, but consuming it wouldn't actually nourish her or replenish her Neba, it was merely an illusion.
She destroyed the original food and water given by Jake and Nate, replacing them with her creations to maintain the facade that they were eating and drinking.
The hard part was enduring the hunger and thirst. Both Dune and Nely felt the gnawing pangs in their stomachs and the dryness in their throats, but they knew they had to hold out if they wanted to survive. Nely glanced at Dune. "How are you holding up?" She whispered.
Dune sighed. "I'm okay. I've been through worse."
As the hours dragged on, the tension grew palpable. Dune and Nely exchanged glances, silently communicating their determination. Finally, as the night deepened and the fire began to die down, when they tried to sleep, Jake and Nate finally decided to make a move.
They moved closer to Dune and Nely, who were laying on the ground asleep. Jake spoke, his voice smooth but carrying an underlying menace. "It's sad. You two seemed to be holding up well."
Nate smiled as he slowly approached Dune's sleeping body, green axe forming in his hand, poised to strike Dune's head. Meanwhile, Jake mirrored his movements, a green sword ready to cut down Nely.
Just as their weapons descended, Nely's finger flicked. Instantly, a long black blade appeared in Dune's hand, piercing through Nate's stomach. Caught off guard, Nate stumbled backward, collapsing to the ground.
At the same moment, green scythe materialized in Nely's hand, blocking Jake's attack. However, Jake's strength was overwhelming. He forced all his power into his strike, gradually overpowering Nely.
She was on the verge of being killed by her own weapon when Dune charged, pushing Jake out of the cave and following him in a ten-meter fall. They both hit the ground hard. For Jake, it was a minor inconvenience, but Dune suffered a broken hand.
In the tunnel, Nate struggled to his feet, already attempting to heal his injury. Two green axes formed in his hands, ready to attack Nely. She stood her ground, a giant green Neba scythe in her hands and around her danced fire-like green Neba. Her black eyes narrowed as she stared into Nate's eyes. One of them would die today.
Dune ran for his life, his heart pounding as Jake pursued him relentlessly.
"Damn it, why didn't the poison work?" Jake fumed, his anger pushing him to run faster. "We were so close! Stop running, coward! Come here, and I'll make it quick for you!" Jake shouted,
Jake was zeten, and dune didn't have a much chance to beat him. Dune pushed himself harder, trying to outrun Jake, but it was useless. Jake was closing in, his footsteps growing louder and closer. Dune's mind raced, desperation clawing at him.
Suddenly, a creature leaped from the bushes. It was a wolf, but its fur was a deep, menacing red, and three glowing eyes stared at him with a predatory gaze.
Jake caught up, and they were about to clash when more wolves emerged from the underbrush. There were over twenty of them, their red eyes gleaming with hunger. Jake skidded to a halt, his eyes darting between Dune and the wolves.
"Looks like you've got friends," Jake sneered, drawing his sword.
The wolves lunged. Jake swung his sword with brutal efficiency, decapitating one wolf in a single stroke. Blood sprayed as he fought, his green Neba enhancing his strength and speed. But for every wolf he cut down, two more seemed to take its place.
Not a single wolf had attacked Dune. Even he was shocked by this turn of events. Nearby, Jake fought fiercely, his green Neba sword slicing through the air. One of the wolves lunged at him, its jaws closing around his arm.
Jake shouted, "Damn it!" and with a swift motion, he sliced the wolf in two.
Jake glanced at his arm, expecting to see blood or at least a scratch. But there was nothing. Instead, he felt a strange sensation, a loss. It dawned on him that the wolves weren't after flesh or blood; they were after Zeten Neba. He could feel a portion of his own Neba, his spiritual energy, being drained away.
Dune watched as realization hit Jake. These wolves fed on Neba, not on physical matter. But only his Zeten Neba was drained.. not his original Neba.
Suddenly, everything made sense to Dune too. The reason the wolves hadn't attacked him was because he didn't have Zeten. He was so weak, so inferior, that he wasn't even worth the wolves' attention. It wasn't just that he wasn't a threat, Dune wasn't even considered food.
A mix of emotions surged through Dune. Relief washed over him, knowing he was safe from the wolves, but a deep sadness also settled in his heart. He felt insignificant, almost invisible.
Jake swung his green Neba sword with fury, his strikes precise and deadly as he cut through the relentless pack of wolves. Each movement was fueled by frustration, but it wasn't enough to deter the creatures. The wolves were drawn to his Neba, their glowing eyes fixed on him with ravenous hunger.
"Damn it all… why aren't they attacking you?!" Jake roared, his frustration spilling over as he kept fighting. His chest glowed with bright yellow light.
The wolves were unlike anything Jake had encountered. Every part of their bodies seemed to absorb Zeten. Even touching them was dangerous; their fur sapped away energy with every contact. Jake was quickly running out of options, and worse, he was running out of time. His Neba reserves were depleting, and his Zeten had almost completely drained.
Jake's strikes became slower, his breathing heavier. He grit his teeth as he killed the final wolf, its glowing body collapsing at his feet. Bloodied and exhausted, he barely had a moment to catch his breath.
That's when the bloodied blade came slashing toward him. It was Dune.
"Attacking after seeing me exhausted, Shit!" Jake's eyes widened as Dune charged at him, his movements swift and precise. Dune didn't give Jake time to think, he was already swinging his sword. Jake had no choice but to block the blade with his bare hands.
Jake pushed Dune back with a desperate shove and lunged at him, slashing and striking with the last remnants of his strength. Even without Zeten or much Neba left, Jake's skill was overwhelming, and Dune struggled to keep up. Each strike from Jake's green sword left small cuts and gashes on Dune's body.
"Why aren't you using your abilities?!" Jake shouted, his frustration mounting.
Dune smirked, his voice laced with mockery. "Why would I need Zeten or Neba to fight you? You're just a pathetic loser. I can take you down without breaking a sweat."
*That should piss him off,* Dune thought, his smirk hiding his exhaustion.
Jake's face twisted in rage. He dashed forward, his green Neba sword slicing through the air with blinding speed. Dune, anticipating the move, used Nebastep. A glowing platform materialized under his feet, and with a burst of energy, it exploded, propelling him out of the sword's reach.
Jake growled and adjusted, his strikes growing faster. Dune used another Nebastep, launching himself forward to close the distance and strike back. Their swords clashed, the sharp ring of metal echoing through the forest as they fought in a deadly dance.
Dune's sword was Nely's, black blade borrowed in haste, but Jake's relentless attacks finally knocked it from his hands, sending it spinning into the trees. Dune unleashed his own metal sword, enhancing it with geen Neba.
"You think that'll stop me?… Jake sneered, My ability lets me enhance my body with both zeten and Neba together, making me 2 times stronger than my any opponent… but this damned wolves ruined my chance to win this in a easy way….
Jake wasted no time, lunging at Dune again. The fight grew more vicious as they both pushed their limits. Blood splattered across the forest floor, cuts and bruises marking both fighters. Dune dodged a heavy strike using another Nebastep, appearing behind Jake and slashing at his side. Jake twisted just in time to avoid a lethal blow, but the strike left a deep wound.
Jake, breathing heavily, gripped his sword tighter. "You're nothing without your tricks," he spat, swinging again. Dune charged again but Jake stopped his sword with his bare hands and tried to break blade. Dune quickly saw through it and used nebasteb to push his hand away. "Annoying ability" Jake gritted his teeth.
As their fight continued, Jake's movements became slower. His Neba reserves were entirely drained, and exhaustion was catching up to him. Dune, noticing the shift, pressed his advantage.
*i still have little more Zeten… if I use this…
I will win.* Jake, in desperation, lunged forward and tackled Dune to the ground. He pinned him, his sword disappearing from his right hand and reappearing in his left, poised to stab Dune's heart.
But as Jake thrust downward, his green sword vanished completely.
Jake froze, bewildered. "What the—?"
Dune's mocking chuckle cut through the confusion. "The blood of the wolves is still on your hands."
Jake looked down at his bloodied palms, remembering how he had caught Dune's blade with them earlier. Realization dawned too late.
"Arrogance is why you'll die now, Jake," Dune said coldly. He grabbed Jake by the collar and kicked his head, shattering his nose and sending him sprawling to the ground.
Not wasting a moment, Dune picked up his blade and slashed at Jake, severing his hand in one clean motion. Jake screamed in pain but refused to give up. He lunged forward, grabbing Dune's neck and choking him.
"What the.."
Dune stabbed Jake again, but Jake's grip didn't falter. Dune's vision blurred as he struggled to breathe. Summoning all his strength, he twisted the blade deeper into Jake's stomach. Jake didn't react, his sole focus on killing Dune.
Desperation clawed at Dune's mind as his grip on the blade tightened. With a final surge of effort, he used Nebastep and wrenched the blade free, slashing at Jake's arm and forcing him to release his neck.
Dune gasped for air, coughing violently. Jake staggered to his feet, blood pouring from his wounds, and turned to run.
"You're not getting away," Dune growled, forcing himself upright. His body screamed in protest, but he pushed forward, chasing Jake through the trees.
Jake thought he had escaped until a blade stabbed into his stomach from behind. He collapsed to the ground, crawling desperately, but Dune wouldn't let him go.
Slowly, Dune approached, his face bloodied, his body trembling with exhaustion. He pulled the blade from Jake's body
Jake groaned in pain, hands trembling as he clutched at his own chest. "Dune… just let me go," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. "You don't have to do this…"
Dune kept walking, his grip firm on the hilt of his sword. His expression was unreadable, his gaze locked onto Jake like a predator watching something already dead.
"A second chance," Dune muttered, tilting his head slightly. "That's what the trial is, isn't it?" His voice was cold, almost thoughtful. "But not everyone deserves one."
Before Jake could beg again, Dune struck. The blade flashed, clean and precise, slicing through his throat in one swift motion.
A wet gurgle escaped Jake's lips as his hands flew to his neck, blood spilling between his fingers. His body jerked, eyes wide with shock, but Dune only watched as the life drained from him. The trial had no room for weakness.
Dune fell to his knees, utterly spent. His breath came in ragged gasps as his body threatened to give out. But he knew Nely was still out there, fighting her own battle against a much stronger opponent.
Dune stood there, listening to the clash of blades and Nely's sharp, defiant voice cutting through the chaos. She was fighting, struggling against Nate who stood in her way.
He could go to her there was a risk, he might die too. His grip tightened around his sword as the thought crossed his mind. But why? Why should i go and help her? She made her choices. Just like how i'm making mine.
His body angled away, feet already carrying him in the opposite direction. The sounds of battle faded with each step, but the doubt lingered, gnawing at the edges of his mind.
Would she have left him?
Maybe. Maybe not.
It didn't matter.
Dune didn't look back.