The air within the hunting grounds was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, the towering trees casting long shadows that made the forest feel darker than it was. The sounds of nature surrounded them—the rustling of leaves, the distant calls of birds, and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot. It was a place where danger could be lurking behind every tree, and Lifu was acutely aware of how quiet everything felt despite the natural sounds.
Lifu and Tia moved cautiously, their senses heightened as they scanned the area for any signs of movement. The hunting grounds were vast, and finding the level two beasts wouldn’t be easy. They had to rely on both their training and their instincts to guide them.
“This place is huge,” Tia whispered, her voice barely above a breath. “We need to cover as much ground as we can, but we can’t afford to get lost.”
Lifu nodded in agreement. “We should keep to the edges for now, move in a circular pattern. That way, we won’t stray too far from the starting point.”
They moved deeper into the forest, their steps careful and quiet. The dense foliage made it difficult to see far ahead, but they kept their weapons ready, knowing that a beast could appear at any moment.
As they walked, Lifu couldn’t help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves. This was his first real hunt—his first chance to prove that he had what it took to survive in this world. And he was determined not to let his fears get the better of him.
After about an hour of walking, they came across a small clearing, the sunlight filtering through the trees to create a patch of light amidst the shadows. Lifu held up a hand, signalling Tia to stop.
“Let’s take a moment to check the area,” Lifu said quietly. “This clearing might attract some of the smaller beasts, or it could be a resting spot for something bigger.”
Tia nodded, her eyes scanning the perimeter. “I’ll check the trees. You keep an eye on the ground.”
They split up, each carefully inspecting the area for any signs of recent activity. Lifu knelt down near the centre of the clearing, examining the ground for tracks or disturbances. It didn’t take long before he found something—a set of large paw prints, partially obscured by the undergrowth.
“Found something,” Lifu whispered, motioning Tia over.
Tia crouched beside him, her eyes narrowing as she studied the prints. “Those look fresh. Could be a level two beast. Maybe a feline-type predator.”
Lifu nodded, feeling a thrill of anticipation. “It’s heading west. If we follow the trail, we might find it.”
They set off again, moving cautiously along the trail left by the beast. The forest grew denser as they travelled west, the trees closing in around them and the light growing dimmer. The atmosphere was tense, the silence broken only by the occasional snap of a branch or the rustle of leaves.
After another half hour of tracking, they heard it—a low, rumbling growl that sent a chill down Lifu’s spine. They both froze, instinctively dropping into a defensive stance, weapons at the ready.
The growl came again, closer this time, and a moment later, the beast emerged from the undergrowth. It was a large, feline creature with sleek, black fur and glowing yellow eyes that locked onto them with a predatory intensity. Its muscles rippled beneath its fur as it crouched low, preparing to pounce.
“A shadow cheetah,” Tia whispered, her voice tense. “Definitely a level two beast. We need to be careful—these things are fast.”
Lifu nodded, his grip tightening on his sword. “We’ll need to work together to bring it down. I’ll distract it with lightning. You go for the kill with your fire.”
Tia grinned, her confidence shining through despite the danger. “Let’s do this.”
The shadow cheetah didn’t wait for them to make the first move. With a snarl, it lunged at Lifu, its powerful legs propelling it forward with terrifying speed. But Lifu was ready. He raised his hand, summoning a bolt of lightning that crackled through the air and struck the beast mid-leap.
The cheetah let out a yowl of pain as the lightning coursed through its body, momentarily stunning it. But it recovered quickly, landing on its feet and circling Lifu with a growl, its eyes filled with a dangerous intelligence.
“Now, Tia!” Lifu shouted, keeping his focus on the beast.
Tia moved swiftly, her daggers igniting with flames as she charged at the cheetah. She leaped into the air, her fiery blades slicing through the air as she aimed for the beast’s flank. The cheetah tried to dodge, but Tia’s speed and precision were too much for it. Her blades found their mark, cutting deep into the cheetah’s side and sending a spray of blood onto the forest floor.
The beast roared in pain, its movements growing more frantic as it realised it was outmatched. But it wasn’t ready to give up. With a final, desperate effort, it turned and lunged at Tia, its claws extended.
Lifu acted on instinct. Summoning another surge of lightning, he sent a powerful bolt directly at it, striking it in the chest just as it was about to reach Tia. The beast let out a final, anguished cry before collapsing to the ground, its body smoking from the lightning’s impact.
Tia landed gracefully beside the fallen beast, breathing heavily as she wiped the blood from her daggers. “That was close. You okay, Lifu?”
Lifu nodded, still catching his breath. “Yeah, I’m fine. You?”
“Not a scratch,” Tia replied, giving him a thumbs-up. “Nice work with the lightning. We make a pretty good team, don’t we?”
Lifu smiled, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. “Yeah, we do.”
They both took a moment to catch their breath, the realisation of their success sinking in. They had taken down their first level two beast—no small feat for first-year students.
But the mission wasn’t over yet. They still needed one more monster core, and there was no telling what other dangers lurked in the hunting grounds.
As they carefully extracted the core from the shadow cheetah, Lifu and Tia knew that they couldn’t afford to let their guard down. The forest was still dark and full of hidden threats, and the hardest part of the mission was yet to come.
With their first core secured, they continued deeper into the forest, their senses sharp and their weapons ready. The shadows seemed to grow longer as the day wore on, the forest’s silence growing more oppressive.
***
Throughout the day they passed other teams and encountered a variety of beasts, but none that were level two. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the forest, Lifu and Tia decided it was time to set up camp. They had secured their first monster core, but the day had been long and exhausting, and they knew they needed to rest before continuing their hunt the next day.
“We should camp near a water source,” Tia suggested, her voice carrying a note of weariness.
Lifu nodded in agreement. “There’s a spring not far from here. It’ll be a good place to refill our water and wash up.”
They made their way to the spring, the sound of gently flowing water growing louder as they approached. The spring was nestled in a small, secluded grove, surrounded by trees that provided a natural barrier from the rest of the forest. The water was clear and cool, its surface reflecting the fading light of the evening.
“This spot is perfect,” Lifu said as he began to unpack their supplies. “I’ll get a fire going and start cooking. You should take some time to wash up.”
Tia nodded, grateful for the suggestion. “Thanks, Lifu. I could definitely use a rinse after today.”
While Lifu set up a small campfire and prepared their meal, Tia made her way to the edge of the spring. The cool water felt refreshing as she slipped out of her clothes and stepped into the spring, letting the water soothe her tired muscles. The events of the day played back in her mind, but for a moment, she allowed herself to relax, enjoying the tranquillity of the forest.
Back at the campfire, Lifu focused on their meal. He had brought some dried meat and vegetables, and as the fire crackled, he began to cook a simple stew. The scent of the simmering food filled the air, mixing with the natural aromas of the forest.
As Tia finished washing up, she was caught off guard by a sudden rustling in the bushes nearby. Before she could react, a level one beast—a small but aggressive boar-like creature with sharp tusks—burst out of the undergrowth, heading straight for her.
Tia’s heart raced as she realised her situation. She was completely unarmed and naked, with no time to summon her flames. Panic gripped her, and she let out a terrified scream.
Hearing her cry, Lifu dropped everything and sprinted toward the spring, his sword already in hand. He reached the clearing just in time to see the beast charging at Tia, who was trying desperately to shield herself with her hands.
Without hesitating, Lifu raised his hand, summoning a surge of water from the spring. The water surged forward, forming a wall between Tia and the beast. The boar-like creature collided with the water wall, stunned by the impact. In one swift motion, Lifu followed up with a powerful slash of his sword, dispatching the creature instantly.
The beast fell to the ground with a thud, and the threat was over as quickly as it had begun. Lifu turned to Tia, ready to check if she was okay, but was immediately met with a panicked expression on her face.
Tia, suddenly realising she was completely exposed, let out a gasp. “Don’t look!” she shrieked, her cheeks flushing a deep red as she instinctively covered herself. In a burst of flustered energy, she summoned a fireball and hurled it at Lifu, who barely had time to react.
“Wait! Tia!” Lifu stammered, raising his hand again to summon a smaller water barrier. The fireball collided with the water, sending steam hissing into the air.
Lifu quickly turned his back, his face turning crimson. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to— I didn’t see anything, I swear!” He backed away, his eyes firmly on the ground, apologising over and over again as he retreated to the campfire.
A few minutes passed before Tia, now dressed and composed, returned to the campsite. The tension between them was palpable, the awkward silence only broken by the crackling of the fire.
They ate in complete silence. Lifu’s mind was racing. He wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence, but every thought that came to him felt wrong.
It was Tia who finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you.”
Lifu looked up, unsure if he had heard her correctly. “What did you say?”
Tia’s cheeks were still slightly pink as she repeated herself, a bit louder this time. “Thank you for saving my life.”
Lifu’s expression softened, and he gave her a small smile. “That’s what partners are for,” he replied, though he couldn’t help but add, “And… I’m really sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean—”
Tia stood up suddenly, cutting him off. She walked over to him, her eyes meeting his. “I know you didn’t do it on purpose, so it’s okay.” Then, before Lifu could respond, she leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
Lifu froze, completely stunned as Tia quickly retreated to her tent, her face now fully red. “Good night, Lifu,” she called back, her voice wavering slightly.
“G-good night,” Lifu managed to stammer, still sitting by the fire, his hand absentmindedly touching the spot where she had kissed him.
Comments (0)
See all