The forest grew darker as the team pushed deeper toward the second checkpoint. The trees thickened, the air cooled, and the sounds around them shifted from distant chirps to low, unsettling rustles.
Soren hated every second of it.
He clutched the fox like a stress ball. "Why is it getting creepier?"
Kael scanned the trees. "Because we're getting closer."
"That doesn't help."
"It wasn't meant to."
Lira raised a hand. "Quiet."
Aldric scoffed. "What now?"
Lira pointed ahead. "We're not alone."
Soren squeaked. "What does that mean?!"
Kael's voice dropped. "It means another team is close."
Soren's soul left his body. "I hate this place."
The fox chirped.
The Ambush
A twig snapped.
A shadow moved.
Then—
A voice rang out. "Team Frostbane-Dawnhelm-Vale-Kael! You're slow!"
Soren blinked. "That's… a long name."
Kael sighed. "Ignore him."
Four figures stepped out from behind the trees, beasts at their sides. Their uniforms were marked with silver stripes—signifying high-ranking Outer Division students.
Soren whimpered. "Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no—"
A tall boy with spiky red hair smirked. "We've been waiting for you."
Aldric stepped forward, lion cub growling. "Rival team."
Lira nodded. "Stage Two."
Soren squeaked. "Already?!"
Kael tightened his grip on his spear. "Get ready."
Soren panicked. "I'm not ready!"
The fox chirped.
The rival team's leader grinned. "Let's make this quick."
His beast—a massive fire‑hound with molten eyes—stepped forward, flames licking its paws.
Soren screamed internally.
Team Breakdown (a.k.a. Soren's Worst Nightmare)
Rival Team Leader — Rax
Beast: Fire‑Hound (E‑Rank)
Specialty: Offense
Second Member — Mira
Beast: Wind‑Serpent (E‑Rank)
Specialty: Speed
Third Member — Joren
Beast: Stone‑Golem Cub (D‑Rank)
Specialty: Defense
Fourth Member — Tessa
Beast: Shadow‑Cat (E‑Rank)
Specialty: Stealth
Soren stared. "They're all terrifying."
Aldric smirked. "Good."
Soren glared. "How is that good?!"
Kael stepped forward. "Positions."
Lira nodded. "Aldric, frontline. Kael, support offense. I'll control the field."
Soren squeaked. "What about me?!"
Lira pointed behind a tree. "Hide."
Soren gasped. "Hide?! That's my job?!"
Kael nodded. "Yes."
Soren deflated. "I hate this place."
The fox chirped.
The Battle Begins
Rax snapped his fingers. "Fire‑Hound—Burning Charge!"
The hound roared and sprinted forward, flames erupting around its paws.
Aldric smirked. "Leo—Flame Pounce!"
The lion cub leapt, mane blazing.
The two beasts collided in a burst of fire.
Soren screamed. "TOO MUCH FIRE!"
Kael dashed forward, spear glowing with lightning. "Cover Aldric!"
Lira raised her hand. "Frost‑Wolf—Ice Wall!"
A wall of shimmering ice erupted between them and the wind‑serpent, blocking its strike.
Soren peeked from behind a tree. "This is insane."
The fox chirped.
Soren whispered, "Don't you dare run into that."
The fox chirped louder.
Soren panicked. "No. No. NO—"
The fox flickered.
Fox Chaos
The fox darted into the battlefield, leaving afterimages behind.
Rax blinked. "What the—?"
Mira shouted, "Something's messing with the serpent's aim!"
Tessa cursed. "Shadow‑Cat can't track it!"
Joren's golem cub swung wildly at illusions.
Soren screamed. "STOP DISTRACTING EVERYONE!"
Kael laughed. "It's working."
Lira nodded. "Your fox is disrupting their formation."
Aldric smirked. "Good."
Soren blinked. "Good?! He's going to get stepped on!"
The fox chirped defiantly and dashed between the fire‑hound's legs, causing it to stumble.
Aldric seized the opening. "Leo—Sun Burst!"
The lion cub unleashed a burst of golden fire.
The fire‑hound staggered.
Kael lunged, spear crackling. "Strike!"
Lightning hit the hound.
It collapsed.
Rax cursed. "Damn it!"
The Turning Point
Mira shouted, "Wind‑Serpent—Gale Spiral!"
The serpent whipped up a vortex of wind, sending leaves and debris flying.
Soren screamed as he was lifted off the ground. "NO NO NO—"
Kael grabbed him mid‑air. "Stop wandering."
"I wasn't wandering! I was being kidnapped by wind!"
Lira stepped forward. "Frost‑Wolf—Freeze the air!"
The wolf howled, frost spreading through the vortex.
The wind‑serpent slowed.
Aldric smirked. "Finish it."
Leo pounced.
The serpent fell.
Tessa growled. "Shadow‑Cat—Ambush!"
A blur of darkness shot toward Soren.
Soren screamed. "WHY ME?!"
The fox flickered in front of him.
A sound illusion echoed—loud, sharp, disorienting.
The shadow‑cat stumbled.
Kael struck with the blunt end of his spear.
The cat collapsed.
Joren panicked. "Golem—Defend!"
The stone‑golem cub lumbered forward.
Lira raised her hand. "Ice Bind."
Frost wrapped around the golem's legs.
Kael struck again.
Aldric finished it.
Silence fell.
The rival team stared in disbelief.
Rax groaned. "We… lost?"
Aldric smirked. "Obviously."
Soren peeked from behind Kael. "We… won?"
Kael nodded. "We won."
Soren collapsed. "I hate this place."
The fox hopped onto his chest and chirped proudly.
A New Notification
A soft glow surrounded the fox.
Soren panicked. "NOT NOW—PLEASE NOT NOW—"
A screen appeared.
[BOND LEVEL INCREASED: LEVEL 4 → LEVEL 5]
Evolution Imminent
Catalyst Detected Nearby
Warning: Stability Low
Soren screamed. "NO! NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIALS!"
Kael blinked. "Catalyst?"
Lira's eyes widened. "Something in the forest."
Aldric groaned. "If that fox evolves right now, I'm leaving."
Soren grabbed the fox. "No evolving! No glowing! No exploding!"
The fox chirped.
And glowed.
Soren screamed.
Kael grabbed him. "Move. Now."
Lira nodded. "We need to find the catalyst before something else does."
Aldric sighed. "Fine. But if we die, I'm haunting you."
Soren whimpered. "I hate this place."
The fox chirped louder.