The wind across the northern ridge grew colder as the Great 17 climbed higher.
Below them, the forests stretched endlessly across the valley, dark green beneath the morning sky. Above them, jagged rock formations rose like broken teeth along the mountain slope.
Kai walked with the others in a loose formation.
Hybrid Vision Eyes scanned the terrain ahead.
Energy signatures were everywhere now.
Several predators were moving through the rocky passages above the ridge.
Victor noticed them as well.
"Movement ahead," he said quietly.
Lena stepped beside him, studying the terrain.
"More than one."
Kairo crouched briefly and touched the ground.
"These tracks are fresh."
Marcus rolled his shoulders.
"Well then."
But before he could move forward, Aiden raised a hand.
"Wait."
Everyone stopped.
Aiden's eyes moved across the ridge calmly, analyzing the terrain and the creatures moving through it.
"We don't rush," he said.
"There are multiple beasts. If we charge blindly, we'll collapse the formation."
Marcus smirked slightly but nodded.
"Fair enough."
Victor pointed toward a cluster of boulders further up the ridge.
"They're spreading out."
Hybrid Vision Eyes confirmed it.
Three beasts were approaching from the left slope.
Two more from the right.
Another larger one moved slowly along the ridge above them.
Kai observed the energy flows carefully.
These creatures were all different.
None of them were the same species they had fought earlier.
Lena drew her sword.
"Looks like everyone gets their own fight."
Kairo grinned.
"Perfect."
The first beast appeared from behind a stone outcrop.
It resembled a large mountain panther with thick black fur and long blade-like claws.
It spotted the group instantly and lunged.
But Marcus didn't move first this time.
Victor stepped forward.
His spear shot forward with incredible speed.
The panther twisted mid-air to avoid the first strike, but Victor had already adjusted.
The second thrust pierced directly through its chest.
The creature collapsed beside him.
Victor calmly knelt and retrieved the crystal from the beast.
He held it briefly before storing it.
"Not bad," Marcus said.
Meanwhile another predator climbed up the rocks toward Lena.
This one was long and serpentine, its body covered in rough stone-like scales.
Lena dashed forward.
Her sword flashed three times.
Each strike landed precisely between the creature's scales.
The beast snapped its jaws wildly, but Lena moved faster.
A final strike cut through its throat.
The creature fell.
Lena crouched beside it and removed the crystal with practiced ease.
Kairo was already fighting his own opponent further down the ridge.
A pair of smaller predators attacked him together.
He moved like a shadow between them.
His daggers flashed again and again, striking nerves and joints.
One beast fell.
Then the second.
Kairo picked up both crystals and tossed them playfully into the air before catching them.
"Two for me," he said.
Marcus finally found his own opponent.
A bulky reptilian creature burst out of the rocks, snapping its armored jaws toward him.
Marcus blocked the bite with his blade and shoved the creature backward with brute force.
But this time he didn't rush recklessly.
He circled the beast carefully.
Watching.
Then he struck.
One powerful slash cracked through the creature's jaw.
The predator collapsed.
Marcus pulled the crystal from its chest and examined it briefly.
Kai continued watching everything.
Each member of the Great 17 fought differently.
But all of them were capable.
No one relied on someone else to finish their battles.
Another beast climbed up the ridge.
This one moved directly toward Kai.
It resembled a massive wolf with thick armored fur and long claws that scraped sparks against the stone.
Its yellow eyes locked onto him.
Kai stepped forward calmly.
Several members of the Great 17 noticed.
Victor glanced over.
Marcus crossed his arms slightly.
Kairo stopped spinning one of his daggers.
They weren't interfering.
They were watching.
The wolf charged.
Hybrid Vision Eyes activated fully.
The beast's muscles tightened before the leap.
Kai moved at the exact moment it attacked.
He stepped aside smoothly and cut across its flank.
The wolf twisted and snapped its jaws toward him.
Kai ducked beneath the bite.
His sword struck again at the creature's shoulder joint.
The beast stumbled.
Kai stepped forward and drove the blade into its chest.
The fight ended quickly.
The wolf collapsed.
Kai absorbed the crystal silently using Crystal Assimilation.
The others simply assumed he had collected it normally.
The system appeared.
Crystal Absorbed
+50 XP
+16 RP
Kai expected it.
The XP ceiling still hadn't changed.
Meanwhile another roar echoed from above the ridge.
Everyone looked up.
A large horned beast climbed down from the rocky cliff above them.
But this time no one rushed forward.
Aiden stepped ahead slightly.
His calm voice carried across the ridge.
"Spread out."
The group moved instantly.
Each member preparing for another fight.
The horned beast roared and charged down the slope.
But instead of one person charging forward—
Several members moved at once.
Victor struck at its legs.
Lena cut across its flank.
Marcus blocked its horns from the front.
Kairo darted behind it and stabbed beneath its armor.
The beast staggered under the coordinated assault.
Kai watched the movement patterns carefully.
Then he joined the attack.
Hybrid Vision Eyes highlighted the weak point near the creature's neck.
Kai struck the opening.
Victor followed with his spear.
The beast collapsed moments later.
This time Victor removed the crystal.
Not Marcus.
Victor examined it briefly.
"Large one."
Lena wiped her blade clean.
"Not the biggest we'll see today."
Aiden stepped forward again.
His eyes scanned the mountain ridge above them.
"Something bigger is moving."
Hybrid Vision Eyes confirmed it.
A massive energy signature pulsed further up the mountain.
Far stronger than anything they had fought today.
Marcus cracked his knuckles.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
Kai looked toward the distant energy signature.
The system flickered again.
Unknown High-Level Creature Detected
Threat Level: Advanced Intermediate
Extreme Caution Recommended
Kai's eyes narrowed slightly.
That creature might finally be strong enough to break the fifty XP ceiling.