"Did you feel something... off, buddy? I mean, I could tell my power surged when that Black Energy erupted from my body, but to bridge a gap of four whole ranks? Forget killing him, hurting him even a little felt like pure luck..." Aaron asked his dog, who obviously couldn't answer.
His confusion was valid. With his enhanced state, Aaron was technically just at Level 1—a rank known as Warrior. The Gorilla Monster, on the other hand, was at the King level, Rank 5. There was no logical reason someone like him should be able to leap so many tiers.
"Isn't it supposed to go, Warrior, Elite, Master, Grand Master, King, Emperor...? How is this possible? Could it have something to do with the Zenit System glitch? This was supposed to be my first trial, but Zenit System labeled it as Trial 33... Or maybe this is a hidden part of my power?"
One question after another swirled through Aaron's head, trying to make sense of the impossible. But with no real answers, all he could do was speculate, especially given the past inconsistencies with the Zenit System.
He wanted to check the system again but now wasn't the time. First, he had to see how Ziva, the massive, winged tiger, was doing, and help her if he could.
"Come on, buddy! We've got to try and help the monster who showed us kindness!" Aaron said as he ran toward Ziva's distant body, with his dog bounding after him.
***
Deep within the Forbidden Forest, the atmosphere grew heavier under the dense canopy that barely allowed sunlight to pierce through.
That alone made it feel eerie, but it wasn't just the darkness or quiet that made this forest truly dangerous, it was what lived inside. Every person who entered had to be not just prepared, but highly skilled and vigilant.
"Uhh... are you sure we're really going in there?" asked a small man carrying a bow and arrows, his voice trembling with nervous hesitation as he followed his companions deeper into the forest.
The small-framed man, Tomas, was one of five in a hunting party. Each carried their own tools, basic gear, nothing elite.
"For the love of Thomas! How many times are you going to ask Theodor the same thing?" barked Trion, a tall man with a spear strapped across his back, visibly irritated.
With a slow sigh, a rugged middle-aged man with a sharp face and a trace of a beard, Theodor finally responded. His solid build and calm tone gave off a sense of leadership.
"Honestly, I don't want to take this risk either. But you all know our situation. Hunting near the forest's edge isn't enough anymore, and with the way things are back in the settlement... this is a golden opportunity."
What made the Forbidden Forest so deadly wasn't just its carnivorous flora and monstrous fauna; it was their unpredictability. The beasts had been ranked from weakest to strongest, sure, but even the lowest-ranked ones could kill a human in seconds. Even beautiful, delicate-looking flowers could kill without warning if one got too close.
Still, despite the danger, people ventured in, whether out of desperation or necessity. Hunters like them risked their lives to find rare monsters or high-value herbs worth enough to justify the gamble.
"Yeah, sure, it's a golden opportunity... but what's the point if we don't make it out alive?" Tomas replied, still clearly unnerved.
"I know the risk," Theodor said with resignation. "And I know we're not strong enough to face the monsters deeper in the forest. That's why I paid elite hunters for information, safe routes, threats to avoid... everything."
Hunters without elite-grade gear or the strength to face high-tier monsters had no business in a place like this. Their only hope was to pay mercenaries for protection or, like Theodor, buy valuable route maps and survival tips.
"ROARRRGH!"
A sudden gust of wind shook the trees. Birds took to the skies in flocks. Wild animals scattered, fleeing in terror. The roar of a fearsome beast echoed through the forest, turning its already eerie silence into something deeply terrifying.
Even seasoned explorers, those who considered themselves professional hunters, were rattled. They knew exactly what that sound was. It belonged to one of the monsters that had earned this place its name.
"Oh god... don't tell me that lazy bastard just woke up," muttered John, a chubby hunter with a bizarre shield strapped to his back, something that looked like a slab of concrete embedded with pebbles.
"Maybe... maybe he was just yawning," replied Fred, the stoic, muscular hunter who usually stayed silent.
"Move fast! Before that lazy monster decides to get up for real!" Theodor snapped.
They picked up the pace, moving carefully but swiftly until they reached the base of Twin Mountains, right in the center of the Forbidden Forest.
Then they saw something.
"Hey, look at that!" Fred, ever observant, pointed with a hint of disbelief.
"That's... not right. How the hell did that happen?"
***
When Aaron finally reached Ziva's side, he could see the full scale of what had happened.
The Gorilla Monster's body was massive, even larger than Ziva's. Aaron stared in awe before kneeling beside her.
"Lady Tiger... is there anything I can do to help you?" he asked gently.
"Blergh."
Ziva coughed up another mouthful of blood, then turned her gaze to the gorilla's fallen body.
"Hahaha... I suppose... that was your doing," she said, blood staining her lips as she smiled weakly.