'I didn't expect it to be like this.' Azel's jaw clenched as he crouched behind the shrubs, staring at the monstrosity in the distance.
He had expected a swarm, maybe twenty or thirty Dreadhorns buzzing together in a tight formation, nasty but manageable with enough planning.
But this hive was a nightmare.
The sheer number of wings rattling the air, the endless figures spilling in and out of the pulsating nest like ants, the oozing resin dripping off the giant tree — it was overwhelming.
'Fuck me.'
His hand curled into a fist.
Was he going to give up? No. He couldn't.
He had already accepted that the trial wasn't a fair test; it was a crucible designed to kill.
But if the System set a challenge, there had to be a way forward.
'System,' he thought, his mind sharp, 'do I get several rewards if I manage to kill more than 20 Rank 3's?'
The response was immediate.
[Additional rewards will be distributed according to your performance in the trials.]
