The night had fallen upon the forest, cloaked in a heavy darkness swallowed by an eerie silence. The full moon cast its dim light through the dense branches, revealing the traces of battles that had raged throughout the past days. Scattered across the forest, the remaining teams struggled to survive, exhausted and hungry, their nerves stretched tight like charged strings.
Valerian's Team
Valerian sat on a rock, staring at his hands, which were covered in scratches and wounds. His body screamed in pain, but his eyes remained steady, as if searching for something beyond reality. Beside him, Leonard sat, bandaging a wound on his arm, while Alistair was engrossed in cleaning his sword from the blood of the beasts that had attacked them hours ago.
Leonard: "I can't feel my arm anymore... How many beasts did we kill today? Ten? Twenty?"
"Twenty-five," Valerian answered in a calm voice.
Throughout these days, they had encountered many creatures most of them weak, but some strong, even for them.
Leonard: "If it weren't for our cooperation, we'd be dead by now. But... we're not the only ones who endured, are we?"
He had noticed that Alistair and Valerian, strangely, worked together in perfect harmony, as if they could read each other's thoughts.
The four of them looked around cautiously, for the past days had taught them that the real enemy was not just the beasts—but also humans.
Zenith's Team
Not far away, Zenith stood before the corpse of a massive beast, his sword buried in its skull. There was no sign of exhaustion on his face, as if he hadn't just fought a battle. Behind him, his three teammates watched him in awe.
Sam: "Zenith, this is the sixth beast you've killed alone... Are you sure you're human?"
"Human? Maybe. But that doesn't matter now... What matters is that we continue to the end," Zenith replied coldly.
There was no doubt that Zenith was the strongest among all the participants, but was strength alone enough?
Ethan's Team
While some teams were struggling, Ethan's team was in a much more comfortable position. Ethan was neither a fierce fighter like Rain nor a strategist like Leonard, but he was smart enough to avoid most battles.
"Ethan, do you think the other teams are still holding on?"
"Of course. But the real question is... how many of them will make it to the morning?" Ethan's lips curled into a sly smile.
After a Few Hours
Before dawn, the three remaining teams gathered in an open clearing, their gazes meeting under the moonlight. Their bodies were weary, but the determination in their eyes had not faded.
Ethan: "So... you're the survivors?"
"It seems so... but I don't think the test is over yet," Valerian thought. A week hadn't passed yet, so there was still time.
"You always have that cautious look, Zenith. Can't you trust us even a little?" One of the participants tried to mock Zenith, but Zenith didn't even acknowledge him.
"Oh, enough talking... What now? Are we going to fight each other?" Maria asked.
But before anyone could answer, two figures suddenly appeared in the sky, hovering silently as if they were ghosts observing the scene from afar.
On a small hill, two instructors dressed in black robes sat, watching the scene below as if they were watching a theatrical performance.
"They've exceeded my expectations. I didn't think this many would last until the end," said one of the instructors who had been guarding the area to ensure the safety of all the students.
"Amazing, isn't it? These kids are strong. But more importantly... how can this biscuit be so delicious?"
"Oh, focus a little! The test isn't over yet... Do you think they can handle the final surprise?" He sighed slightly at his companion's lack of concern but had no choice but to tolerate it.
The second instructor looked toward the clearing, where the air was growing strangely colder, and the ground began to tremble slightly. Something was coming... something unexpected.
"Alright then, let's see how they handle... this."
The fourth day began with a cold sunrise, its rays casting light over a forest that was no longer the same as it had been days ago. Corpses were scattered everywhere, whether of ferocious beasts or unfortunate participants. The air was heavy with the scent of blood, and death had become familiar.
The teams split up once again, as none of them trusted the others enough to risk betrayal.
Deep in the Forest
Deep in the forest, Valerian sat leaning against the trunk of a massive tree, his eyes tired, but he didn't allow himself to relax. Beside him, Alistair licked his dry lips, while Rosalia struggled to light a small fire with trembling hands.
Leonard: "If we don't find food soon, I'll start considering eating grass." Hunger gnawed at him so fiercely that he saw risk in everything.
"Grass isn't a bad option, but I don't think your stomach can handle it," Alistair teased slightly.
"We need water first... without it, we won't last long," Rosalia said calmly, despite the harsh circumstances.
The problem wasn't just hunger it was exhaustion. Every one of their bodies screamed for rest, but there was no time for that.
After half an hour of searching, they spotted a small deer drinking from a shallow lake. Zeke's eyes gleamed, and Carlos smiled in relief.
"Finally... this deer will be a great meal!" Leonard's mouth watered at the sight of the deer.
But Valerian, whose senses were sharp due to his ability, didn't feel at ease. Something was wrong.
"Wait... don't go near it."
But Leonard didn't listen. The moment he took a step forward, black spikes shot up from the ground at terrifying speed, nearly impaling him had he not retreated at the last second.
"...What is this?!"
A massive creature emerged from the ground a spider like monster, but much larger, its body covered in deadly spikes.
"This... is a Hunter Spider. It's one of the most dangerous creatures here!" Rosalia immediately recognized the creature and knew its threat level.
The beast moved at a terrifying speed, leaping toward Valerian, who barely managed to evade its lethal claws. His dagger flashed swiftly, severing one of its legs, but the monster barely reacted.
"Leonard, Alistair! Attack it from the sides!"
Alistair darted to the side, trying to draw the spider's attention, while Valerian sneaked around to its back, driving his dagger into a weak spot.
A sharp screech echoed, and the monster staggered back for a moment just long enough for Valerian to seize the opportunity. With unexpected strength, he lunged forward, his sword piercing through the spider's head, ending its life.
The three of them stood panting, looking at each other.
"All this... and still no food?!" Finally, Leonard collapsed from exhaustion, while Rosalia had been merely an observer the entire time, not helping in any way.
"I guess I really will eat grass..."
After the battle, they continued searching for anything edible. But the forest was unforgiving.
After two hours of walking, they realized something strange was happening.
"Haven't we passed this place before?"
"...We're trapped."
The realization hit Leonard instantly, and he began working every brain cell he had to figure a way out.
The place seemed to be looping endlessly. Every time they thought they had found an exit, they would end up back at the same spot.
Damn it! This is an enchanted forest, isn't it?!
"Maybe... But there's no magic that can't be broken. We need to find a fixed reference point." Leonard observed the path and anything noticeable.
He used his special ability, trying to sense any unnatural pattern. After a few minutes, he noticed a shadow that didn't move with the sun…
"There's an illusion here... and we need to break it."
He picked up a small stone and threw it toward the unmoving shadow. Suddenly, the ground trembled for a moment, and the illusory trees vanished, revealing a narrow passage leading out of the forest.
"Amazing... but I'm still hungry!" Leonard suddenly seemed like a different person at that moment.
As evening approached, they finally managed to catch a wild rabbit and devoured it eagerly. But as they had learned over the past few days…
"Don't celebrate... the night is the worst." Alistair's tone remained serious, never changing.
And indeed, just a few hours later, the atmosphere began to shift. The winds grew colder, and strange sounds echoed through the trees.
"We've got a problem, don't we?" Valerian swiftly drew his daggers.
"Of course... otherwise, I wouldn't be feeling this tension." Alistair moved immediately.
From the darkness emerged wolf-like creatures, but their eyes glowed ominously, and their massive jaws dripped with black saliva.
"Cursed Night Wolves..." Rosalia identified the creatures immediately.
One of the wolves lunged directly at Valerian, who defended himself with his dagger, but the sheer force of the attack sent him crashing to the ground. His back hit a rock, and his eyes widened as he saw the wolf pouncing on him.
"Not now... I can't die now!"
Before the wolf's fangs could reach him, Rosalia intervened swiftly, freezing the beast and shattering it into countless pieces. The wolf collapsed silently, but the rest of the pack was far from satisfied.
"...Thank you."
"Don't think about it. Just don't die." At last, Rosalia, the ice mage, moved into action.
The battle was fierce, but the four fought as if they were a single unit, surpassing their previous limits. And when it was all over, the ground was littered with wolf corpses, and blood soaked the earth.
"...Is it over?"
"For tonight... yes."
A short distance away, two instructors sat on a high rock, watching the events unfold as if they were enjoying a spectacle.
"They pushed past their limits today, didn't they?"
"Definitely. But did you notice something?"
"What?"
"That was just the beginning... the real test starts now."
Rosalia stood, staring at the dark sky, her breaths heavy after the brutal fight with the Night Wolves. Around her, Valerian wiped his dagger with a tattered cloth, while Leonard lay on the ground, panting.
"If this was just a test... then what is true hell?"
"Maybe we're already in it." Every time Leonard questioned something, Alistair would respond instantly not to satisfy his curiosity, but to mock him.
But Valerian wasn't listening. There was something strange... a feeling he had never experienced before. The air grew colder, as if something unnatural was approaching.
And suddenly…
Somewhere else in the forest...
A girl with golden hair and brown eyes sat on the ground, clutching her head between her hands as her eyes glowed with a strange light. Around her, three other girls watched her with concern.
"Evelyn! What did you see?"
Her breaths were ragged, and her hands trembled. Then, in a shaky voice, she said:
"A disaster... something that wasn't supposed to be here... something that got out of the instructors' control..."
Her team stared at her in shock. Evelyn could see the future, but this time, her vision was filled with death.
"Evelyn, what exactly did you see?"
She slowly lifted her head, tears welling in her eyes.
"Blood... so much blood... and death is approaching."
The Undying Beast
Nearby, Zenith stood with his team, frowning as he sensed the change in the atmosphere. Even with his strength, he couldn't ignore the uneasy feeling.
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath them, and a horrific scream echoed from the depths of the forest. A scream that did not belong to an animal, nor a human... but to something else entirely.
"What was that?!"
Before Zenith could respond, a massive entity emerged from the darkness. It wasn't an ordinary beast it was a twisted, grotesque abomination, possessing multiple heads and limbs that moved like intertwined phantoms. Its glowing red eyes were filled with hunger... but not for food for blood.
"...This isn't part of the test." Zenith muttered in sudden realization.
And at that moment, everyone understood one thing:
This monster... wasn't supposed to be here.
There was no time to think. The creature lunged at the nearest group, tearing one of the participants into shreds in an instant. Blood splattered onto the trees, and screams filled the air.
At that same moment, Evelyn's vision reached Valerian. Her eyes widened, and she screamed:
"Valerian! Run away immediately!"
But the warning came too late.
The beast turned its gaze toward them, its glowing red eyes locking onto Valerian's. At that moment, Valerian felt something he had never felt before.
True fear.
"...Oh my god." Valerian's eyes widened to their limits at the sight before him.
The beast charged at him with unnatural speed, but before it could reach him, Zenith intervened, leaping forward with his sword, aiming to decapitate it. But the blade… passed right through its body as if it were nothing!
"What?! No effect?!"
The creature swiped at him with its claws, sending him flying into a tree with brutal force.
"Zenith!" One of his teammates cried out in shock.
But there was no time. The beast moved again…this time, straight for Valerian.
"Valerian, move!" Evelyn screamed once more.
At the last moment, Alistair stepped in front of Valerian, using his royal sword to block the attack.
"If you're going to die, don't do it in front of me!"
A fierce battle broke out, but one thing became clear:
This beast… could not be defeated with swords or ordinary powers.
On the hill, the instructors were still watching but this time, they were no longer relaxed.
"This... isn't supposed to be here!"
"How... How did that thing escape?!"
It was an ancient beast, a creature that was never meant to exist in this world. Something that had been sealed away for hundreds of years... but now, it was here, and it was hungry.
"If we don't do something... they'll all die."
But before he could act, the second instructor raised his hand, stopping him.
"Wait... let's see how they handle this first."
Valerian A Critical Decision
The beast advanced, and everyone was paralyzed with fear. Even Zenith, with all his strength, had been unable to harm it.
But Valerian… couldn't retreat.
"If I run now... I'll keep running forever." He thought to himself.
And at that moment
His eyes began to glow... and his ability activated in a way it never had before.
"Fate... Theft?"
He felt a strange power surging through his body, as if the very fabric of reality was shifting.
The beast paused for a moment, sensing something unnatural.
Then, with a cold smile, Valerian said:
"Come... let's see if you can survive this."
[Fate Theft has evolved to the second level.]