Lifu and Tia set off early the next day. They still had one more level two beast to find, and the longer they stayed in the hunting grounds, the more dangerous it became.
Lifu kept his sword ready, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. Tia walked beside him, her daggers at the ready, the faint glow of fire magic lingering on their edges. Despite the events of last night still lingering on their minds, they moved cautiously, knowing that another beast could strike at any moment.
They walked in silence for a while, the only sounds being the rustle of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot. The forest seemed to close in around them, the trees towering above like silent sentinels. But Lifu’s mind was focused, his thoughts trained on the mission ahead. They had already proven that they could take down a level two beast, but they couldn’t afford to let their guard down.
After what felt like hours of navigating through the dense undergrowth, Tia suddenly raised her hand, signalling for Lifu to stop. He froze, listening carefully to the sounds around them. At first, he heard nothing out of the ordinary, but then, faintly, there was a sound—like the distant chittering of an insect, but much louder.
Tia glanced at Lifu, her eyes narrowing. “Do you hear that? It’s coming from up ahead.”
Lifu nodded, straining to hear the sound more clearly. “Yeah. It’s too loud to be a regular insect. Could be another beast.”
They moved forward cautiously, following the sound as it grew louder. The air grew cooler, the trees taller and more twisted as they pressed on. Soon, they found themselves at the edge of a small clearing, where the sound was now almost deafening.
Lifu carefully parted the branches in front of him to get a better look, and what he saw made his breath catch in his throat.
In the centre of the clearing stood a creature unlike anything Lifu had ever seen. It was massive, easily the size of a large bear, but its body was covered in a thick, chitinous exoskeleton that gleamed in the dim light. Its multiple legs, each tipped with sharp claws, clicked menacingly against the ground as it moved. But the most disturbing part was its head, which resembled that of a giant insect, with large, compound eyes that reflected the light in a thousand tiny facets.
“A chitterfang,” Tia whispered, her voice barely audible. “These things are brutal. Level two for sure, but their armour is tough.”
Lifu studied the creature, noting the way it moved and the patterns on its exoskeleton. It was clear that attacking it head-on wouldn’t work. They’d need to find a way to exploit its weaknesses if they wanted to bring it down.
“Any idea how to take it out?” Lifu asked, keeping his voice low.
Tia nodded slowly, her mind already working. “Its armour is thickest on its back and sides, but the joints between its legs are weaker. We’ll need to get close and strike there if we want to do any real damage. But be careful—those claws are no joke.”
Lifu considered their options, then nodded in agreement. “Okay. I’ll try to keep it focused on me. You circle around and go for the legs. If we can immobilise it, we’ll have a better shot at taking it down.”
Tia grinned, her excitement evident despite the danger. “Got it. Let’s do this.”
With their plan in place, they prepared to strike. Lifu took a deep breath, summoning the energy within him, feeling the familiar crackle of lightning as it surged through his body. Then, with a burst of speed, he stepped into the clearing, his sword raised high.
The chitterfang immediately reacted, its head snapping toward Lifu with a sharp, clicking sound. It let out a loud screech, its legs moving rapidly as it charged at him, claws outstretched. But Lifu was ready. He sent a bolt of lightning straight at the creature’s head, striking it with a loud crack that echoed through the forest.
The lightning did little more than stun the beast, but it was enough to get its attention. The chitterfang turned its full focus on Lifu, its compound eyes locking onto him with a terrifying intensity. It lunged forward, its claws slashing through the air as it tried to close the distance between them.
Lifu dodged to the side, his movements quick and precise. He sent another bolt of lightning at the creature, this time aiming for its legs. The electricity crackled along the exoskeleton, momentarily slowing the beast’s movements, but not enough to stop it.
Meanwhile, Tia moved silently around the edge of the clearing, her eyes focused on the chitterfang’s legs. She waited for the right moment, watching as Lifu kept the creature distracted. When the chitterfang lunged again, she darted forward, her daggers glowing with fire as she struck at the joints between its legs.
Her blades found their mark, slicing through the chitterfang’s weaker armour with a sizzling sound. The beast let out a screech of pain, one of its legs buckling under its own weight. But it wasn’t finished yet. With surprising speed, it turned toward Tia, its claws swinging dangerously close.
“Tia, watch out!” Lifu shouted, sending a small wave of water at the beast to draw its attention back to him.
The wave slammed against the chitterfang, just in time to stop the claws from slashing through Tia. She quickly regained her footing, her daggers ready for another strike.
The chitterfang was clearly weakening, its movements becoming more erratic as it struggled to stay upright on its injured leg. Lifu and Tia exchanged a quick glance, both knowing that they needed to end the fight quickly before the beast could recover.
Lifu moved in closer, his sword sparking with lightning as he prepared for a final strike. “Now, Tia!”
With a burst of speed, Tia dashed forward, her daggers igniting with flames as she aimed for the creature’s remaining legs. At the same time, Lifu unleashed a powerful surge of lightning, channeling all of his energy into a single, focused strike.
The combined force of their attacks was too much for the chitterfang. With a final, pained screech, the beast collapsed to the ground, its legs giving out beneath it. The glow in its compound eyes faded, and it lay still, defeated.
Lifu and Tia stood over the fallen creature, breathing heavily as the adrenaline began to wear off. The battle had been intense, but they had succeeded. They had taken down a second level two beast, and now they had both of the monster cores they needed to complete the mission.
“That... was tougher than I expected,” Tia said, wiping sweat from her brow as she caught her breath. “But we did it. Nice work, Lifu.”
Lifu smiled, feeling a mix of relief and pride. “You too, Tia. We make a great team.”
They carefully extracted the monster core from the chitterfang, the glowing orb still warm to the touch. It was a valuable prize, proof of their success and their strength. But more than that, it was a testament to their ability to work together, to trust each other in the heat of battle.
With both cores secured, Lifu and Tia began the journey back to the academy’s entrance. The forest seemed less ominous now, the shadows less threatening. They had faced the dangers of the hunting grounds and emerged victorious, and with that victory came a new sense of confidence.
As they walked, Lifu found himself reflecting on the past two weeks. He had come to Rising Star Academy with the hope of becoming stronger, of proving that he belonged in this world of magic and combat. And now, after completing their first real mission, he felt closer to that goal than ever before.
They reached the edge of the hunting grounds as the sun was beginning to set, the sky painted in hues of orange and pink. The other pairs were also returning, some looking more battered than others, but all with a look of determination on their faces.
Lady Isolde and Master Zuberi were waiting for them at the entrance, their expressions unreadable as they observed the returning students. When Lifu and Tia handed over the two monster cores, Lady Isolde simply nodded, her gaze lingering on them for a moment before she moved on to the next pair.
“Well done,” Master Zuberi said quietly, his eyes showing a hint of approval. “You’ve completed the mission and proven that you have the skills and resolve to succeed here. But remember, this is only the beginning. There will be more challenges ahead, and you must continue to grow stronger if you hope to overcome them.”
Lifu and Tia nodded, both feeling the weight of his words. They had succeeded today, but there was still a long road ahead of them. The academy would continue to push them, to test their limits in ways they couldn’t yet imagine. But for now, they had earned a moment of rest—a chance to celebrate their victory before the next challenge arose.
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