As soon as they stepped inside, the scene transformed into a nightmare.
It was like entering a horrific fantasy dimension.
From the outside, the Everdread Forest looked like a normal jungle, but inside, everything was warped.
The trees were unnaturally massive, and the sky had turned a haunting shade of purple.
The air was filled with eerie whispers and the faint, unsettling sound of ringing bells.
"What... what kind of place is this?" Liuke whispered to himself.
"Move forward, Cadets! Stay sharp!" Elvis commanded.
His voice cut through the oppressive atmosphere.
The squad and the research force followed, their hearts hammering against their ribs.
Suddenly, the dense bushes began to rustle.
Panic surged through the ranks, their throats going dry with terror.
Then, without warning...
A 13th-rank cadet from the squad suddenly burst into flames.
Elvis, Osaka, and Liuke watched in horror as the soldier was incinerated in seconds.
Something was moving toward them with blinding speed.
Liuke glanced toward the canopy and caught a glimpse of it.
A Leopard, draped in living fire, flickered in and out of existence like a lethal flash of light.
"Engage! Load your powers!" Elvis roared.
He focused his senses, channeling Solar energy through his eyes to create a massive 'Solar Flash.'
The blinding light momentarily stunned the Fire Leopard, halting its predatory dance.
Rayna seized the opening. She swung a powerful kick, releasing a broad beam of light.
But the Leopard was too fast; it dodged and retaliated with a torrent of fire from its jaws.
The squad members scrambled, leaping into the air to avoid the blast.
They unleashed a barrage of Solar attacks, but the Leopard seemed unfazed.
Within moments, three more squad members were burned to ash.
Anger boiled inside Liuke as he watched his comrades fall.
"Everyone, get back! I know how to stop this thing, but you need to clear the area now!"
"Liuke, what are you planning?" Elvis shouted over the chaos.
"There's no time to explain! Just go!"
Seeing the desperation in his eyes, Elvis and Osaka led the remaining squad away.
Standing alone against the beast, Liuke did something no one expected.
He ripped off his protective glove and hurled it directly at the Fire Leopard.
Without the glove's protection, the raw, invisible radiation of the forest slammed into both of them.
Within seconds, the radiation overwhelmed their systems, and both collapsed, unconscious.
Far away, Commander Elvis and the others finally came to a halt.
Gary, the 1st-rank cadet and the strongest among them besides Liuke, spoke up.
"We've barely set foot in this forest and the nightmare has already begun," Gary muttered.
"Why are we even here?" another soldier added.
"Our mission is simple," Osaka explained, though his face was pale.
"Find specific fruits, hunt creatures for cores, and investigate the water."
"But these creatures aren't normal animals..." Elvis countered.
"That is why this is a high-stakes mission, Elvis," Osaka replied grimly.
"And we've already lost the core of that leopard."
"You're worried about a core?" Rayna snapped.
"Does no one care about what's happening to Liuke right now?"
Meanwhile, in a different part of the forest, Liuke slowly opened his eyes.
He found himself inside a cavernous space.
As his vision cleared, he realized he was surrounded by... monkeys.
He scrambled back in alarm. "Who... who are you? What is this?!"
"Our thanks to you, young man," a voice replied.
Liuke froze. One of the monkeys had just spoken. "What's going on?"
"I am the Elder and Leader of this tribe," the monkey said.
"We are currently inside a hollowed-out sanctuary within a Great Tree."
"A cave inside a tree?" Liuke looked around. The space was enormous.
"The trees here grow to impossible heights," the Elder replied.
"But how am I alive?"
"We saved you because you saved us."
"That Leopard was no ordinary beast. It was a creature of fire that hunted us."
"By taking it down, you saved our future. It was our duty to return the favor."
"I see... but how did you heal me?"
"We possess the power of speech, and the fruits we gather purge radiation from the body."
"Then I owe you my life," Liuke said, standing up. "Do you have a name, Elder?"
"I am Lupa."
"Thank you, Lupa. But I've been out for too long. I need to find my squad."
"Wait, Savior," Lupa called out. "What is your name?"
"I am Liuke."
"Liuke... because you saved us, I must warn you."
"Beware of the apex predator of this forest. He sits at the top of the food chain."
"Who are you talking about?"
"We call him Sardor," Lupa said, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"He says he will tell his true name only to the opponent who defeats him."
"Different species call him by different titles, but I warn you—stay away."
"What does he look like?" Liuke asked.
"He looks almost like an ordinary human. But he has wings, and two horns."
"Do not let his appearance fool you, boy," Lupa said, and tears began to well in his eyes.
"He is the most powerful being here. He killed my parents."
Liuke's expression darkened. The anger he had felt earlier returned, colder and sharper.
He stopped treating the warning as a joke.
"Say no more," Liuke said, his voice low. "I understand. I'll be on the lookout."
Without another word, Liuke leaped from the tree-cave, descending into the forest again.