Low murmurs passed between teammates, some discussing the route back, others quietly reviewing the dangers ahead.
The exam wasn't over—not until they returned to the Elaris City terminal and officially logged their results.
For many, yesterday had been the hardest fight they'd ever faced. But for today… the looming thought of the boss beast waiting deeper in the forest pressed heavily on every mind.
On the far edge of the temporary camp, away from the chatter of other students, Kael Ashford knelt beside a massive corpse — the hulking body of one of the boss monster's elite guards.
The beast's body was a mountain of muscle and fur, its thick hide scarred with deep claw marks from the fight that had brought it down.
Its glazed, lifeless eyes stared blankly into the canopy above. Even in death, the sheer size of the creature gave off a lingering, oppressive presence, as if it could rise at any moment.
