Day 2
Marcus stood balanced on the thick branch of a towering jungle tree, his eyes locked with unshakable focus on his first prey. Below, moving slowly through the underbrush, was a scaled boar-like creature, its body covered in rough green plates that glistened faintly in the morning light. Its tusks curved outward like jagged blades, and every step made the ground tremble slightly. It was a Scalebrack, a low tier monster.
Marcus narrowed his eyes, steadying his breath. Then, with no hesitation, he leapt.
Midair, his body shifted—his form twisting and reshaping into the monstrous version of himself, vapor surrounding him. At the same time, he channeled ether into his knee, thickening the plate until it gleamed with reinforced power. The force of his transformation carried him downward, and he came crashing down onto the beast's head, the impact shattering bone and shaking the ground beneath. The creature let out only a strangled grunt before collapsing, lifeless.
Marcus wasted no time. He shifted back into his human form almost instantly, breathing steadily as he looked down at the fallen monster. A faint smile crossed his face, sharp and confident.
"Don't change what already works," he said to himself, remembering he used the same estrategy he had once used when hunting his very first deer.
A sudden beep came from his right bracelet, and the number 2 flashed on the small screen.
"Two points for a low-rank monster," he muttered under his breath.
Marcus quickly did the math in his head. So I need to kill 75 low-rank monsters to pass
He whistled softly, a mixture of amusement and calculation. He understood that, although finding and defeating that many creatures would be a long and grueling process, with his strategy of moving carefully, avoiding chaos, and picking his targets, it would be relatively easy to accumulate points steadily.
Marcus paused, considering the faint echoes of his strike. He deduced that the sound could attract other monsters—or even fellow students—and decided it was safer to leave the site. He left the corpse behind and moved carefully through the undergrowth, scanning for another target.
Soon, he spotted another Scalebrack moving through the underbrush. Marcus climbed swiftly up a nearby tree, balancing silently on a thick branch as he followed its movements from above. The creature wandered below, unaware of the sharp gaze tracking its every step.
Marcus kept pace carefully, descending only slightly along branches when needed to stay aligned with the beast. The Scalebrack moved steadily, sniffing and foraging, while Marcus analyzed the perfect moment to strike.
Finally, the monster paused, seemingly still. Marcus took a deep breath and leapt from the branch, transforming midair into his monstrous form. But just as he prepared to land the knee, the Scalebrack moved unexpectedly. Marcus realized he couldn't rotate in time to adjust his trajectory.
With no other option, he fell to the side of the beast, landing with precision beside it. The Scalebrack's eyes widened in surprise, and it jumped backward instinctively, startled by the sudden presence of the predator at its side.
Marcus had anticipated this situation—now it was time to execute Plan B. The Scalebrack, startled and angry, charged toward him with surprising speed. Marcus met its charge head-on, running straight at the creature.
Just as they were about to collide, Marcus leapt onto its back, twisting in midair. Marcus landed firmly on the ground and immediately charged at the Scalebrack. The creature had moved with surprising speed and, caught off guard, didn't have time to turn toward him.
All the Scalenrack could do was feel the impact as he rammed into the side of the beast, using his strength and momentum to push it off balance. The Scalebrack crashed to the ground, stunned by the force of the attack.
Marcus rolled with the beast, using the momentum of the fall to stay in control. With precise movements, he managed to mount the Scalebrack, positioning himself on top of it.
Channeling ether into his arms, Marcus reinforced the plates over his fists. Then, with controlled but devastating strikes, he began pummeling the creature's head—pum, pum, pum, pum—each blow landing with crushing impact. The Scalebrack struggled beneath him, but Marcus maintained his balance, striking methodically until a faint glow appeared on his bracelet. The small screen lit up, signaling the victory. Then he run with a smile, ready for another hunt
After his tenth kill, repeating the same method he had perfected—climbing a tall tree to gain a vantage point, carefully observing his target, and preparing to strike at the perfect moment—Marcus shifted back into his human form, breathing steadily as he surveyed the area. But this time, something caught his eye. In the distance, a woman watched him intently, her long wild hair framing a sharp, determined face. She was short, wearing the same uniform as him, her presence quiet but impossible to ignore. Then she rushed to him.
As she ran toward him, the girl suddenly summoned a thick, curved sword, its hilt adorned with flowing hair, glinting sharply in the dappled sunlight. The movement was fluid and precise, revealing her first signature trait.
Marcus's eyes widened slightly as he recognized the trait immediately—the ability to summon a weapon. It was the most popular first trait of all, one that almost every form obtained either as their initial skill or eventually over time.
In a fluid motion, Marcus crouched low, scanning the ground for a suitable object. His hand closed around a sturdy stone, and with precise timing, he threw it toward her, channeling ether as Kara had taught him.
The stone streaked through the air, guided subtly by the ether, a combination of raw force and controlled manipulation.
The girl approached quickly, running toward him with determination. Effortlessly, she swung her sword at the stone, thinking it was a simple projectile to distract.
But when she blocked it, her expression changed immediately. The stone produced an unexpected recoil, pushing against the sword and startling the young girl as she continued her advance.
As they closed the distance, the girl swung her sword in a wide arc, aiming to catch Marcus off guard.
Reacting instantly, Marcus slid beneath the attack on his knees, keeping low and moving with fluid precision. The blade sliced through the air just above him, missing by mere inches as he positioned himself for a counter-move.
Both of them turned to face each other, locking eyes for a brief moment before launching their attacks.
Marcus channeled ether into his fists, and red threads swirled around his forearms and knuckles, giving the impression of reinforced muscle fibers.
Over them, plates grew, reinforcing his strikes.
Their strikes collided—fist against sword—and a strong recoil pushed them both backward from the impact. But because the girl had attacked with both arms and Marcus had only used one, he still had his other arm free. Seizing the moment, he threw a left hook, which the girl barely managed to block with her shoulder. The force sent her flying to the side, and she slammed her sword into the ground to stop her momentum, planting it firmly to regain her balance.
While she was still recovering her balance, Marcus took the initiative and charged toward her.
Along the way, he grabbed a stone from the ground again and, without breaking stride, threw it toward her, again channeling ether to guide it subtly and increase its impact.
The girl, remembering how strong the stones were, panicked and raised her sword to block at face level.
But Marcus hadn't aimed at her face. Instead, he threw the stone toward the ground, making it ricochet upward perfectly toward her midsection. The impact hit her stomach, knocking the air out and leaving her momentarily stunned.
Marcus leapt forward, launching a brutal front kick aimed at her face.
Fortunately for the girl, she managed to roll out of the way, narrowly avoiding the strike. Marcus's kick struck the nearby tree, leaving a deep and powerful mark in the bark.
After dodging, the girl spun around and, deciding that it was wiser to retreat and flee the fight entirely, she ran off, abandoning the confrontation.
Marcus stood still, watching her disappear into the underbrush, and began to reflect. After a moment, he realized that letting her escape was the best choice.
The girl was faster than him—although he had excellent stamina and would eventually catch up, it wouldn't be worth the effort. Besides, she couldn't have accumulated many points yet, so the risk of chasing her outweighed the potential gain.
Suddenly, Marcus felt a presence, a sensation that someone was watching him. He whipped around, scanning the forest behind him.