Lior returned to the cave entrance, brushing dust from his sleeve.
"Area's clear," he announced casually. "No monsters nearby."
Several students blinked.
Clara crossed her arms. "Are you fighting monsters… or bullying them?"
Luna added calmly, "We could clearly hear something from far away."
Lior paused.
"…Define 'hear.'"
A distant echo of stone cracking replayed in their memories.
Lior burst into laughter.
Luna shook her head, smiling faintly.
Yura stepped forward slightly.
"So… Shura and Adrian?"
"No need to worry," Lior replied. "Adrian knows the basics."
He leaned against the cave wall.
"Find high ground. Neutralize scent. Reduce Viora output before sleep. Monsters track instability."
A student raised his hand.
"Lior… what actually is a monster?"
Silence settled.
"Why do they attack us?"
Lior tilted his head.
"Maybe they're humans who lost their minds."
"Maybe they're something different."
"Maybe they're evil."
"Maybe they're pure."
He folded his arms.
"Maybe we just call them monsters because we don't understand them."
He shrugged.
"Add 'maybe' before any word. You'll be right most of the time."
The students stared at him.
Then Luna started laughing.
Clara followed.
Soon the whole cave filled with laughter.
Yura tried not to smile.
She failed.
Clara nudged Yura lightly.
"You know… you're not as cold as you act."
"I'm not acting."
"You are."
Silence.
Clara lowered her voice.
"You worry about them."
Yura didn't deny it.
Clara smiled.
"Then let's worry together."
Yura looked at her for a long moment.
"…Fine."
It wasn't dramatic.
But it was acceptance.
Meanwhile — The Other Two
Far across the ridge—
Shura stretched.
"So. Time to sleep?"
Adrian shook his head.
"First rule. Check surroundings."
Shura nodded dramatically.
"Yes, Captain."
They wandered a short distance from their resting spot.
Silence.
Wind brushing against stone.
Nothing.
No movement.
No scent.
Adrian exhaled. "Clear."
Then—
A low growl.
They both turned.
A single standard-grade monster crawled from behind a broken ridge.
Lean body.
Distorted limbs.
Eyes dim but searching.
Adrian moved instantly.
Blade aimed for the heart.
Shura grabbed his arm.
"Wait."
Adrian glared.
"Do you want to be its meal?"
Shura shook his head.
"No."
"Then move."
"Just tie it."
Adrian blinked.
"…Tie it?"
"Yes."
"With what?"
Shura pulled rope from his pack.
Adrian stared at him.
"You brought rope."
"Preparation."
"You didn't bring food properly."
"I brought food."
"You didn't bring a weapon."
"I brought rope."
Adrian rubbed his forehead.
"Your small mind… has a plan?"
Shura grinned.
"Maybe."
The monster lunged.
Adrian sidestepped cleanly.
Shura circled behind and threw the rope around its limbs.
Adrian moved fast — cutting shallow tendons to weaken it without killing.
Together, they forced it down.
After a short struggle—
It was restrained.
Breathing heavily.
Growling weakly.
Adrian stepped back.
"…Now what?"
Shura crouched in front of it.
The monster's eyes flickered.
Not rage.
Not clarity.
Something in between.
"See?" Shura whispered. "It's reacting."
Adrian frowned.
"It's a monster."
"Maybe."
Adrian paused.
"…You've been listening to Lior too much."
Shura stood.
"If we kill everything immediately, we'll never learn."
Adrian looked at him carefully.
"You really think they might not just be 'evil'?"
Shura hesitated.
"I don't know."
Wind passed between them.
"But I want to."
Adrian looked at the restrained creature.
Then at Shura.
"…You're strange."
"You're colder than you look."
Adrian's lips twitched faintly.
"Sleep rotation?"
"Yeah."
"I'll take first watch," Adrian said.
Shura flopped down dramatically against a rock.
"If you die, wake me."
"That's not how that works."
"Details."
Adrian sat with blade resting across his knees.
Shura closed his eyes.
"…Hey, Adrian."
"What."
"If we survive this trip…"
"Yes?"
"I'm still better than you."
Adrian looked at the horizon.
"Sleep."
But he didn't look annoyed.
Eastern Ridge — Early Dawn
Shura was sleeping deeply.
Too deeply.
The mountain wind moved across the ridge, but he didn't stir.
Then—
Footsteps.
Fast.
Heavy.
Adrian's voice tore through the silence.
"SHURA! RUN!"
Shura's eyes snapped open.
Adrian was sprinting toward him—
Covered in blood.
Face tense.
Breathing hard.
Shura jumped up instantly.
"What happened?!"
Adrian grabbed his arm.
"RUN!"
Shura panicked for half a second—
Then his brain kicked in.
"Wait."
He grabbed his bag.
Pulled out cloth strips.
"First stop bleeding!"
Adrian froze.
"…What?"
Shura stepped closer, examining him.
"No deep cuts. Where's the wound?"
Adrian stared at him.
Then—
Started laughing.
Shura blinked.
"…What?"
Adrian wiped fake blood from his cheek.
"It's a prank."
Silence.
Wind passed between them.
Shura slowly turned toward the tied monster nearby.
Then back to Adrian.
He grabbed Adrian by the collar.
"What are you doing?"
Adrian smirked.
"Testing your reaction."
Shura dragged him toward the restrained monster.
"What are you—"
Shura lifted him slightly.
"If nothing happens," Shura said calmly, "I'll injure you. Then we'll test your real reaction."
Adrian's expression changed immediately.
"…Put me down."
"Say sorry."
"…No."
Shura leaned closer to the monster's open mouth.
The creature growled weakly.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Fine."
Shura stopped.
Adrian sighed.
"…Sorry."
Shura dropped him gently.
"Good."
Adrian dusted himself off.
"You're insane."
"You started it."
They stared at each other.
Then both smirked.
The Monster Idea
After calming down, Adrian looked at the restrained creature again.
"So. Why did you tie it?"
Shura crouched.
"I've fought this type before."
Adrian blinked.
"When?"
"In my mind."
"…That explains nothing."
Shura pointed.
"Look at its neck. It can't rotate fully. Limited range."
Adrian observed carefully.
"…True."
"And its sensory spikes," Shura continued, tapping near its ear carefully, "are weak. But if you touch here—"
The monster suddenly thrashed violently.
Adrian jumped back.
"Ragebait?"
Shura grinned.
"Exactly."
Adrian crossed his arms.
"You tied it… to study it."
"And to use it."
Adrian stared.
"…Use it how?"
Shura stood dramatically.
"As a ride."
Silence.
Adrian blinked twice.
"You're joking."
"Nope."
"This is not a mount."
"It can carry weight. Strong back. Stable legs."
"It's a monster."
"Maybe."
Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Lior's 'maybe' philosophy is infecting you."
Shura climbed onto the creature's back carefully.
It growled, restrained but too weak to resist.
"See? Stable."
Adrian stared.
"…If we die because of this, I will haunt you."
"You'll need to die first."
"…Don't tempt fate."
After adjusting ropes and balance, they carefully guided the creature forward.
Slow.
Controlled.
Ridiculous.
But effective.
Back at the Cave
Lior clapped his hands.
"Everyone ready?"
Excitement filled the cave.
Clara stretched.
"I barely slept."
"You talked all night," Yura said calmly.
Clara grinned.
"Worth it."
They had shared quiet conversations about fear, expectations, and future roles.
Clara had admitted she joined the Academy to prove herself beyond noble expectations.
Yura had admitted nothing directly.
But she listened.
And that was enough.
Luna stepped forward.
"Remember — observe the environment. Xyrrhal is not just ruins. It reacts."
Students nodded seriously.
Lior smiled.
"That's the spirit."
They began moving.
Eastern Mountain Base
After hours of walking—
Lior stopped.
"From here, we climb."
Before he could continue—
His expression changed.
Luna felt it too.
A Viora ripple.
Monster presence.
Not aggressive.
But nearby.
Then—
A distant shout echoed across the mountains.
"Heeeyyyyy! We're here!"
Lior closed his eyes briefly.
Adrian's voice followed immediately:
"Don't you know how to stay quiet?!"
Students rushed toward the sound.
Clara gasped.
From above the ridge—
slid down the slope violently"—
Followed by two figures.
Shura leapt first.
Adrian followed.
Both landed cleanly.
Behind them—
The monster collapsed.
Dead.
Clean heart strike.
Students stared in shock.
Lior crossed his arms.
"…Flashy."
Shura grinned proudly.
"We found the eastern route."
Adrian corrected him.
"I found it."
"You followed me."
"You were lost."
Luna covered her mouth, hiding a smile.
Clara whispered to Yura,
"They're idiots."
Yura replied calmly,
"Yes."
But her eyes softened.
Lior approached the two.
"You rode a monster."
Adrian blinked.
"…You saw that?"
"I felt it."
Shura coughed.
"Efficient travel method."
Lior sighed.
"You're both reckless."
Pause.
"But effective."
Students stared at them differently now.
Not just as classmates.
But as capable.
Adrian adjusted his blade.
"Are we climbing or standing dramatically?"
Lior smirked.
"We climb."
The group began ascending the eastern mountain together.
Higher.
Closer.
And in the distance—
Beyond stone folds—
The silhouette of something massive began to emerge.
A structure.
Ancient.
Waiting.
Xyrrhal.