The white wolf crept closer to the young boy. Every step it took crushed the wet ground with a dull thud. Its fangs gleamed, and its icy eyes never left their prey. The boy could barely breathe.
Suddenly—
— BOOM!
Rael lunged from the side, driving his sword between the beast's jaws, stopping the gaping maw just before it snapped shut. The impact shot through his entire body. His arms screamed under the monstrous pressure.
"Such… power…" he thought, teeth clenched.
The Lupus Albarys struggled violently, growling, then leapt back abruptly, freeing Rael. Dirt and leaves flew under its massive paws.
Rael barely had time to catch his breath.
"Hey, listen to me," he called sharply to the young candidate. "Stay calm. Panic, and you're dead. Step back slowly… hide."
The boy shivered from head to toe but nodded weakly, staggering away. Rael was alone.
And only then did he realize. His hands were shaking. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might explode. He had never faced a Rank B creature before. Fear was… terrifyingly normal.
But he couldn't retreat.
"I have to… pass this test."
He took his stance. The wolf growled. And then they charged at each other.
Far away, on a hill overlooking the training ground, the instructors watched. A magical map floated before them, projecting the forest from above, dotted with glowing points representing each candidate. Some points vanished. Others moved rapidly.
"The results are impressive this year," Bargan said, arms crossed.
Eldren narrowed his eyes.
"Wait… that one."
A point blinked violently.
"A novice is facing a Rank B monster," the elf said calmly.
"Do we intervene?" Bargan asked.
Eldren shook his head.
"No. I want to see how far he can go."
They remained motionless, observing.
Farther north, a red-haired girl had already finished. Selena. Her pale skin and amber eyes still glowed with energy. She sat on a fallen tree, breathing slowly to recover. Around her, evidence of battle was clear; monster corpses smoldered lightly.
Twenty monsters. Test completed.
As she lifted her head, a familiar figure appeared.
"Well, well. Still fast, Selena."
She grimaced. Blanek had arrived. Young, broad-shouldered, muscular, lightly tanned skin. His short-cropped hair and massive sword rested on his shoulder as if it weighed nothing. His smile was confident. Too confident.
"Forty monsters," he said, pretending nonchalance. "One Rank B. Not bad, huh?"
He gestured toward a massive white wolf corpse behind him.
Selena sighed.
"Planning to tell everyone?"
Blanek laughed.
"Relax. I'm joking."
He stepped closer.
"Come on. Let's report to the instructors. Time to finish."
Selena rose, clearly annoyed… but a faint smile flickered.
"Hurry up then. I don't have all day."
They headed toward the gathering point.
Meanwhile, farther south… a novice still fought for his life. Thirty-five minutes had passed since the test began. And Rael was still facing his first monster.
The Lupus Albarys showed no signs of weakening. Its heavy breath, tense muscles, and icy gaze remained locked on Rael like a predator marking its prey for death.
The fight was brutal. Rael attacked, narrowly dodged, rolled across the ground, and rose again. He searched constantly for an opening, a gap, a weakness. His sword struck again and again. But the monster's skin was unnaturally tough. Every blow slid off or bounced away, leaving barely a scratch. The wolf retaliated instantly, claws and fangs slicing the air.
Rael spotted an opening. He lunged.
"Now!"
He struck with all his strength. CLANG. The blade didn't pierce.
The Lupus Albarys counterattacked violently, hurling Rael several meters. His body slammed against a tree trunk with a sickening crack. The air was ripped from his lungs.
Rael spat blood. For a moment, he lay on the ground, vision blurred, the world spinning. Every breath burned.
"…This… is tough…" he murmured.
He forced himself to stand, staggering, leaning on his sword like a crutch. His arms shook. His legs trembled. He still had energy… but no solution.
The wolf growled, ready to finish him.
Suddenly, a trembling voice rose from behind.
"I-it's the chin…!"
Rael turned slightly. The young candidate he had saved was hidden behind a tree, pale but eyes wide with alarm.
"It's… one of its weak spots!" he shouted. "If you hit the chin, maybe—"
Rael didn't wait for the sentence to finish. His eyes hardened.
"Enough."
He dashed forward, circling the monster at high speed, changing directions abruptly, forcing the wolf to spin its head constantly. The Lupus Albarys growled, irritated, claws tearing into the dirt. Rael accelerated. Then he saw the angle.
"Now!"
He leapt. His sword plunged deep into the monster's chin. A piercing roar split the forest. The Lupus Albarys thrashed with terrifying force, trying to throw Rael off. Its body shook violently. Rael nearly got thrown off several times.
But he held on. Teeth clenched, muscles screaming, he drove the sword in deeper. The roar deepened, then weakened. Finally, the monster collapsed with a heavy thud, sending a cloud of leaves and dust into the air.
Silence fell. Rael froze for a moment… then dropped his sword and sank to his knees, gasping.
He had won.