By the time Lyra returned to the tribe square, a crowd had gathered. Warriors stood at the front, their fur glinting in the sunlight. Elders sat on carved stone benches, and the chief loomed above all, radiating authority.
Whispers erupted the moment she stepped forward.
"She actually cleaned herself?"
"She still looks like a potato."
"Potatoes are useful, at least."
Lyra gritted her teeth. She had survived the apocalypse. She could survive a few rude beast-people.
Then she saw him.
Kael.
The wolf prince leaned against a wooden pillar, golden eyes flicking toward her with sharp annoyance. His tail twitched in irritation, and his ears flicked as if even hearing her name was a punishment. He was tall, broad, and dangerous — everything she was not.
Great.
The chief raised a hand for silence.
"Today," he announced, "we begin the Spring Trials. Every young adult must demonstrate strength, agility, and obedience. Only those who pass may remain in the tribe."
Lyra froze.
"Fail?" she whispered to herself.
Nearby, a fox warrior smirked. "Exile."
The chief nodded grimly. "Exile is mercy for the weak."
Lyra's stomach dropped. She hadn't even learned to transform into a beast yet. She could barely run in this new body.
The system chimed in her mind:
[Survive the Trial. Reward: Strength +3, Beauty +2, ???]
[Failure: Host Death Probability 70%]
Lyra's hands clenched. "Why is death always involved in my life?!"
A massive boulder sat in the center of the square, thick ropes tied around it. The challenge was simple: pull it five steps.
Other warriors approached. Some dragged it effortlessly. Some stumbled but completed the task. A few collapsed, humiliated.
"Lyra," the chief called, "your turn."
All eyes turned toward her. A wave of ridicule and anticipation swept over the crowd.
Lyra's hands closed around the rope. Rough, coarse, smelling of sweat and mud. She leaned back with all her weight.
Nothing.
Snickers rippled through the square.
"Does she even know how to stand?"
"She'll break the rope with her fat."
"Pathetic."
Lyra gritted her teeth. "No. I will not be pathetic."
She pulled again. And again. Her muscles screamed. Sweat poured down her face. Her arms trembled, her legs quaked.
Kael clicked his tongue. "Stop before you break something. Some people are born weak. Know your limits."
Heat flared in Lyra's cheeks. "Shut up," she snapped.
Gasps spread through the crowd. She had talked back to Kael.
He straightened, eyes narrowing, dangerous. "What did you say?"
"I said shut up," she repeated, tightening her grip. "If you're not helping, move."
A long, tense silence followed. His golden eyes glowed with raw dominance. Then — a smirk, slow, dangerous.
"Fine. Prove me wrong."
Lyra's chest heaved. Oh, she would.
As desperation threatened to overwhelm her, a soft chime sounded.
[Emergency Support Activated]
[Mini Skill Unlocked: Strength Burst (Beginner)]
[Duration: 10 seconds]
A surge of power coursed through her arms, tingling like electricity. Her grip tightened.
With a sharp exhale, she pulled. The boulder jerked an inch. Then another. Step by step, she dragged it — one… two… three… four… five.
Her arms gave out. She collapsed to her knees, gasping, chest heaving.
The crowd went silent. Whispers of disbelief rippled through them.
"She… she moved it?!"
"No way!"
"How?"
Even the chief blinked in shock.
But the most surprising reaction came from Kael. He stared, expression unreadable, not disgusted, not irritated… something else. Surprise? Interest? Challenge?
Lyra glared weakly. "Told you… shut up."
Kael's tail flicked irritably, but the corner of his lips twitched — the faintest smirk, betraying amusement
he didn't want to admit.
The system chimed:
[Trial One Complete]
[Strength +2]
[Mini Skill Permanently Unlocked: Strength Burst (Beginner)]
[Relationship Update: Kael → Hostile (-20) → Hostile Curiosity (-10)]
Lyra groaned. "Hostile curiosity? What does that even mean?"
[It means he still dislikes you… but now he's watching you closely.]
Lyra raised her head, chest heaving. She had survived. She had proven herself. And the wolf prince… well, he was finally paying attention.