The forest inside the Rift was deceptively quiet, the faint mist giving the air an unsettling chill. Between the dense trees, Nayra Vallis moved with practiced grace—her steps so light they barely touched the ground. Her golden hair swayed behind her with each movement, while her crimson eyes scanned her surroundings with sharp focus.
More than four hours had passed since she entered the Rift. She had already cleared several encounters… yet not a hint of fatigue touched her expression. The ice element surrounding her kept her breathing calm, the coldness reinforcing her steady composure.
She suddenly halted.
A few meters ahead, a familiar ripple of mana brushed against her senses.
She took a step forward—just as a girl with black hair and bright green eyes emerged from between the trees.
Oriana Lumière.
Oriana greeted her with a gentle wave and a soft smile.
"Hello, Nayra. It's been a while."
Nayra instinctively stepped back, her expression composed yet distant.
"And you as well, Oriana. Have you been alright?"
Oriana chuckled lightly.
"I'm fine. This exam is a bit more exhausting than I expected."
A brief silence followed before Nayra spoke.
"Well… shall we start?"
Oriana raised her hand slightly, amusement flashing in her eyes.
"Of course. Let's see how much we've improved."
Mana gathered instantly—light and wind forming around Oriana's palm, while a cold mist swirled around Nayra's fingers.
But before either of them could move, a third voice cut in:
"Didn't expect to find you two here."
Both girls turned at the same time.
Leander Vallis stepped out from behind the trees, his golden hair catching what little light filtered through the forest canopy, his golden eyes calmly surveying the area.
He glanced at Oriana, then at Nayra, before offering a small smile.
"Hello, Nayra."
Annoyance flashed across her face immediately.
"I was doing fine… until you showed up."
Leander chuckled, unbothered.
"Still the same as ever."
Oriana shifted awkwardly, about to intervene—
—but another voice disrupted the moment entirely:
"Well, well… three famous nobles gathered in one spot. How interesting."
A young man stepped out from a cluster of bushes, black-haired and blue-eyed, his expression bright and lively.
He waved casually.
"Nice to meet you all."
Leander narrowed his eyes.
"And you are?"
"Raine Harold," the newcomer replied with a calm confidence. "Just another candidate looking for some points."
He barely finished speaking—
when the air itself trembled.
A crushing pressure fell over the area, heavy enough to make the soil vibrate.
All four turned their heads at once.
From between the trees, a massive creature emerged—each step thundering through the ground.
A Savage Thunder Tiger — Rank C.
Nearly eight meters tall, its dark-gray fur was streaked with flickering arcs of lightning. Electric sparks danced between its muscles with every movement, and its glowing blue eyes burned with raw, unrestrained power. It wasn't just a beast… it was a storm walking on four legs.
For a moment, no one moved.
Raine whistled under his breath, stepping back slightly.
"Great. A Rank C monster. Just what I needed."
Oriana swallowed, a wind current beginning to swirl around her body.
"Its attacks are too fast… No one here can take it head-on alone."
Nayra's gaze sharpened, cold mist flowing from beneath her feet.
"Even Leander wouldn't last long solo against that."
Leander smirked faintly but didn't deny it.
"True. We'll need to work together."
The beast growled deeply, the sparks on its back flaring up as if responding to the scent of battle.
Leander's voice cut through the tension:
"Team up and bring it down?"
All three answered almost instantly:
"Yes."
They moved—each taking a different position around the monstrous thunder tiger as the fight began.
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