The forest was thick, dark, and way too quiet for Shen Hao's liking.
He followed right behind Dren, stepping over roots and ducking under hanging vines.
"So," Shen Hao said, glancing around, "are we hunting monsters… or are they hunting us?"
Dren gave a small laugh. "Little bit of both. Welcome to Squad Seven."
Then came the growl.
A deep, ugly sound that rolled out of the shadows.
Five monsters burst out of the trees in a full-on charge.
Their bodies were big, their claws sharp, and their eyes glowed like fire. They looked mean enough to chew through steel… or at least give someone a very bad day.
Dren didn't wait.
He shot forward and smashed his fist straight into the first monster's face.
CRACK!
The beast flew backward and hit a tree so hard it split down the middle.
Before the second monster even finished jumping at him — Dren grabbed it by the arm, twisted hard, and slammed his knee right into its gut.
The monster folded like laundry and dropped.
Dren dusted off his hands and glanced at Shen Hao.
"Two down. Your turn."
Shen Hao gave him a grin.
"Don't blink."
Two monsters rushed him at once.
He ducked under the first claw swing, spun, and slammed his palm right into its ribs — Qi blasting out from the hit.
The monster flew sideways and smacked hard into a tree.
The second monster came from behind — Shen Hao twisted around and grabbed its jaws with both hands.
It pushed hard — Shen Hao pushed harder.
With a sharp pull, he flipped it over his shoulder and slammed it down into the dirt.
Then he drove his fist straight into its head with a burst of Qi.
The beast went still.
Shen Hao stood up and wiped his forehead.
"Two down."
Dren gave a low whistle.
"Show-off."
Shen Hao smirked. "You love it."
The last monster — bigger than the others — growled deep in its throat.
Dren cracked his neck. "We'll both take this one."
They moved at the same time.
Dren came in from the front — Shen Hao from the side.
The monster swung at Dren — who ducked and uppercutted it straight in the jaw.
As the beast flew up slightly, Shen Hao jumped in and kicked it across the face.
It hit the ground hard… but wasn't done yet.
It tried to get back up — only for Dren to slam both fists down on its back like a hammer.
WHAM!
The monster hit the ground and didn't move again.
Shen Hao blew out a breath and looked around at the bodies.
"That was… intense."
Dren laughed.
"You're either really sneaky… or actually scary."
Shen Hao cracked his knuckles.
"I'm hoping for scary."
Dren smirked. "Yeah… you're getting there."
Meanwhile,
Vira moved through the trees like she owned the place.
While the guys were cracking skulls up front, she slipped deeper into the woods — fast, quiet, and sharp-eyed.
Her twin blades rested in her hands, gleaming faintly in the dim light.
That's when she saw it.
A monster — big, fast, and way uglier up close — darted out from behind a thick tree. Its long claws tore up the ground as it rushed straight at her with a hungry roar.
Vira didn't blink.
"Of course. Always the loud ones," she muttered.
The beast swung its claw toward her face.
She ducked low, sliding under the attack, her twin blades flashing in opposite directions — one slicing the beast's leg, the other cutting across its side.
The monster shrieked, spinning toward her, swinging wildly.
Vira danced back, smooth and sharp, her eyes calm as ice.
It lunged again — this time faster, its mouth wide open.
Vira stepped right into its charge, twisted sideways, and rammed both blades into its neck — clean and deep.
She kicked off its chest, flipping backward as the beast collapsed.
The monster hit the ground hard, dead before it could even figure out what happened.
Vira landed lightly, flicked her blades clean, and sheathed them in one smooth move.
"That's what you get for underestimating me," she said under her breath, already slipping back into the shadows.
Ren Kael moved like the wind — quiet, calm, never in a rush.
He walked along a narrow ridge, the forest quiet around him except for the soft crunch of leaves under his boots.
Then… a branch snapped behind him.
A low growl followed.
Ren stopped walking.
He didn't turn. Didn't even lift his head.
The monster burst out of the shadows — a long, scaled beast with claws sharp enough to slice stone. It let out a roar and lunged straight at Ren's back.
In that moment… Ren moved.
His sword slid from its sheath — silent, smooth, sharp.
He turned halfway, one fluid step aside, and his blade flashed in a clean arc.
The monster's charge carried it right past him… and right into the ground.
It landed with a dull thud — unmoving.
Ren calmly sheathed his sword with a soft click.
"Too reckless," he said quietly, glancing once at the fallen beast before walking on.
His expression didn't change. His pace didn't break.
Just like that… another threat gone.
Jorin stood in the middle of a quiet clearing, his hands calmly folded behind his back.
The wind stirred lightly around him, leaves rustling on the ground.
Across the clearing, a monster prowled between the trees — massive, heavy-bodied, with thick scales running down its spine.
It locked eyes on Jorin… and charged.
The ground shook under its weight as it barreled forward, claws digging deep into the earth.
Jorin didn't move.
The beast let out a roar, leaping with its claws aimed straight for his chest.
That's when Jorin stepped forward.
Just one step.
His hand shot out — palm open, glowing faintly with Qi.
He struck the monster square in the chest.
For a second… nothing happened.
Then the air cracked like thunder.
A pulse of force exploded from Jorin's palm, shooting straight through the beast's body.
Its eyes went wide… and its massive form slammed backward into the ground.
The forest fell silent again.
Jorin lowered his hand.
"Charging head-on… bad idea," he said quietly before turning away, his face calm, almost peaceful.
With quiet steps, he disappeared back into the forest.
By the time Shen Hao and Dren finished off the last of their monsters, the forest had fallen into an odd quiet.
The bodies of the five beasts lay scattered around them — some crushed, some scorched, all very dead.
Dren rolled his shoulder and gave a low whistle.
"Well… that was fun."
Shen Hao let out a breath, wiping his arm across his forehead.
"Fun's one word for it."
Dren turned, looking at him with a grin.
"You're full of surprises, rookie."
Shen Hao raised a brow. "How so?"
Dren pointed at the closest monster they'd taken down together.
"You handled those things like you've been doing this for years. Your timing, your control — it's not normal for someone at your level."
Shen Hao scratched the back of his head.
"I'm just trying not to die."
Dren laughed. "Yeah? Well, you've got more than that going for you."
He crossed his arms, his grin turning serious.
"You're at Peak Level 7… but your battle power? Feels like a solid Level 8 — Peak."
Shen Hao blinked. "Wait… seriously?"
Dren nodded. "Seriously. That's not something you see every day. Especially from someone who's still fresh in the city."
Mo Han's voice hummed quietly in Shen Hao's mind.
"Looks like you've been noticed… not bad."
Shen Hao smirked slightly.
"Well… I'll take it."
Dren gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder.
"Stick with us, rookie. You might just become a legend."
Shen Hao laughed. "I'm not aiming for that… yet."
Dren started walking toward the rendezvous point.
"Come on. Let's regroup with the others."
Shen Hao followed… ready for whatever came next.