Elowen Forest – Midday
Kael stepped over the corpse of the final mana beast, its body dissipating into glowing particles as the academy's automatic recovery spell activated. He let out a small breath, blade still dripping with residual mana. Cynthia was already leaning against a tree, wiping sweat off her brow, her pink hair clinging to her face slightly.
"Phew…" she said, stretching, "I got thirty-two of them. Not bad, right?"
Kael looked around at the area filled with fading beast corpses. "Fifty."
Cynthia paused, blinked, then smirked. "As expected of the dazzling Kael Vernier," she said, voice low and sultry as she walked over. "How can anyone possibly keep up with you, huh?"
Kael was about to say something probably his usual sarcastic deflection but then something flickered across his vision. A translucent blue window, familiar and ever-welcome, popped up in front of his eyes:
---
Mission Complete
• Kill 50 beasts in the next two days
(Progress: 76/50)
Reward: 40 System Points
Bonus Reward for exceeding target:
+30 Extra System Points
---
Kael smiled to himself. Good. I'll need these points soon. I'm getting close to unlocking a few advanced constructs. If I can generate enough mana points... maybe even build my first hybrid skill.
Cynthia tilted her head. "Who are you talking to…? And why are you staring into the distance like you're having a spirit journey?"
Kael blinked, snapping out of it. "Uhm… I was thinking about life."
She narrowed her eyes playfully. "Weird."
Kael just shrugged it off, sliding his sword back into its sheath. "Let's head back. No point wasting daylight."
They started walking through the forest path together, birds chirping softly in the background. The faint shimmer of mana crystals embedded in the trees gave everything an almost magical glow. By the time they reached the clearing that served as their group's campsite, the sun was just beginning its slow descent toward the horizon.
But something was wrong.
The camp was too quiet.
No crackling fire. No conversation. No sound of Chloe's nervous humming or Jace and Max bickering. Their tents were there, slightly collapsed and ragged trampled even. Packs were thrown to the side, and the water containers were pierced. Trees were broken, branches scattered like a storm had passed through.
Cynthia's expression shifted from curiosity to full-on seriousness. "Where are they?"
Kael was already scanning the ground. His eyes caught the broken twigs, the faint scorch marks, the pressure against the earth from multiple mana signatures. He crouched, running his hand across a gash in the dirt.
"These weren't mana beasts," he muttered. "This was a fight."
He stood and walked in a slow circle, studying the battlefield as his mind pieced it together. His eyes locked on an impression in the earth almost like a body had been slammed down violently and another beside it, the remains of an explosion. Then he saw what confirmed it:
A watch half-buried under a stone, its crystal cracked and sparking with residual energy.
"Cynthia," he said, his voice cold and clear now, "they were ambushed. And from the mana traces and impact patterns…"
She looked at him sharply. "High Rankers?"
He nodded. "Definitely. Whoever it was… was strong enough to beat all three. And they didn't even hide the damage."
Cynthia's grip on her rapier tightened. "But why would someone attack our team like this? They already know who our teams top players are."
Kael's jaw clenched slightly. "Because this isn't just about points anymore. Some groups are trying to eliminate competition. Anyone close to the top is a target now."
He looked toward the forest, the shadows growing deeper.
"They were beaten. And lost," he continued. "But they're not dead. The academy's emergency protocol must've kicked in and teleported them out. The real question is who was it?"
Cynthia's eyes darkened. "And how far are we willing to go to get even?"
Kael turned, the wind catching the hem of his cloak, his red eyes burning faintly in the dim light.
"As far as it takes."