Morning light streamed through the treetops, scattering gold across the open field where the candidates gathered. They were being handed equipment and having their names called for attendance before the challenge officially began.
The air felt tense, compressed. Everyone was brimming with anticipation, nerves, and burning determination.
Shun opened his backpack and carefully unwrapped a long object hidden inside old cloth—
A wooden sword, handcrafted by his grandfather Thomas. It was the only weapon he had brought with him.
-"Grandpa… I'll fight today with everything you taught me."
He whispered, gripping the hilt firmly.
After attendance, the examiners made their rounds, checking every tool and weapon. Once everything was confirmed, the groups quickly moved to their designated starting points across the northern forest.
The forest fell into an eerie silence for a brief moment—
- "BEGIN!!"
A commanding voice thundered through the air like a bolt of lightning.
Immediately, all six squads burst into the forest like a storm. Leaves flew wildly under the thundering rush of feet.
Shun sprinted at full speed, weaving between tree trunks like a shadow. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his heart pounding—but his eyes were burning with resolve.
The rabbits, startled by the chaos, scattered in all directions—leaping through bushes, over roots, between rocks. Most candidates relied on bows and arrows—ranged weapons, easy to handle, perfect for this kind of hunt.
But not Shun.
He chose the sword—not because it was more powerful, but because he understood it better than anyone. That old wooden blade, worn but sturdy, was more than just a tool—it was every lesson passed down from his grandfather.
A small rabbit darted out from a nearby bush!
Shun instantly rolled to the left, twisted his wrist, and—whoosh!—the wooden blade swept out cleanly. A bundled cord flew from the hilt, wrapping tightly around the creature.
-"One down."
He exhaled, eyes gleaming.
But he didn't stop.
Shun kept moving—checking beneath tree roots, inside crevices, behind mossy rocks. His figure flashed in and out of sight, breath measured, ears tuned to even the smallest sounds.
From a distance, he could hear shouting, the whistle of arrows, the stomping of footsteps—others were hunting, just like him.
But Shun didn't care.
He focused on one thing: movement, instinct, opportunity.
-"I don't need to be like Willin… I'm Shun. And today… I'll leave my mark."
A smile played on his lips.
The road to becoming a hero had only just begun—
And he had no intention of stopping.
While tracking a rabbit near the creek, Shun suddenly came to a halt. Before him, the forest canopy opened to reveal a shadowy cave hidden behind thick vines.
The sunlight reached only the cave's entrance; the inside was swallowed by heavy darkness that made anyone hesitate before approaching. A breeze from within carried the scent of damp earth… mixed with something strange.
- "A cave?" Shun thought, narrowing his eyes for a better look. "Why would something like this be in a training zone?"
He stepped closer, using his sword to sweep aside the vines, revealing an entrance just wide enough for several people to walk through. Before long, a few other candidates were drawn to Shun's actions. They quickly gathered near the cave.
-"Hey, you found this?"
-"Has anyone checked it? What if there's a high-point target inside?"
- "Or a trap? No one mentioned a cave in the training instructions."
A group of about six people, including Shun, a girl named Reina, and two other pairs of candidates, stood in a loose circle at the entrance. They exchanged wary glances. A blond-haired boy named Kuro frowned:
- "If this is a chance, we can't ignore it… But if it's a trap, we could lose all our points."
Tension rose for a few seconds. Everyone had their own thoughts—doubt, curiosity, caution.
Shun gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, then spoke calmly:
- "If no one wants to take the lead… I'll check it out first."
The group was taken aback.
- "Are you crazy?" Reina exclaimed. "Going in there alone?"
-"I'm not crazy. But if this is an opportunity, we shouldn't pass it up. If one person verifies it, we can make the right call."
There was a brief silence. Finally, Reina sighed and stepped forward:
-"I'm coming with you."
Kuro glanced at them both, then shrugged:
-"Three's enough. I'll keep watch out here."
The group agreed for now. Shun, Reina, and one other cautiously stepped into the cave's mouth—where darkness seemed to swallow the last sliver of light from the outside.
As each step pressed against the damp, cold stone, Shun could feel the atmosphere shifting around them. The deeper they walked, the more the light behind was swallowed by the thick, suffocating darkness—like a fog made of death itself. A long corridor slowly emerged — an ancient prison hallway, with stone walls covered in moss and cobwebs stretching like veins across the ceiling.
The scent of mold, rusted iron, and… something that resembled dried blood lingered in the air.
Reina furrowed her brows and tightened her grip on the small dagger in her hand.
-"This place… doesn't feel like a normal training area."
Shun nodded slightly, his eyes scanning the rusted iron doors on either side of the corridor. Some of them were slightly ajar, revealing pitch-black empty cells behind them. There were no sounds—only the echo of their footsteps bouncing between the stone walls.
- "Was this… a prison or something?" whispered Haru, the dark-haired boy walking behind them, his voice low as if afraid to wake something sleeping.
Shun paused for a moment before replying:
- "I'm not sure… but this place has been forgotten for a long time."
A sudden clattering sound echoed sharply—Haru had accidentally kicked an old iron shackle on the floor. Everyone flinched instinctively.
- "S-Sorry!" Haru stepped back, trying to regain composure. "I… I'm just a little nervous."
Reina glanced between them, then pointed towards the end of the corridor.
-"Hey, do you guys see that? There's a door over there…"
Their small lantern illuminated a thick wooden door, overgrown with moss and marked with strange symbols carved deep into the surface. It looked nothing like anything they had seen in the academy's training grounds—if anything, it looked… occult.
Shun slowed his steps, hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
-"Get ready. That door… might be the true beginning of whatever's hidden inside this forest."
Reina swallowed hard, trying to stay calm.
-"Shun… if something is waiting in there, are you really ready to face it?"
- "No one's ever truly ready," Shun replied softly, but there was a spark of resolve in his eyes. "But we're not alone. Whatever happens, we face it together. No turning back."
The three of them stood before the door, holding their breath in silence.
Then, slowly, Shun reached out—and pushed.
The door creaked open with a deep, groaning sound. Cold air poured out from within, so chilling it felt like it pierced straight through their skin…
The darkness in the room seemed to devour the beam of the flashlight as the ancient door creaked fully open.
The chamber before them was an abandoned library—but far from the peace the word "library" might suggest. Dusty, tilted bookshelves leaned against the cracked stone walls. Countless books lay scattered across the cold, web-covered floor. Shards of broken glass were strewn about, catching the light in eerie, shimmering patterns. At the very center of the room stood a decaying wooden table—and on it rested a single book, thick with dust, as if waiting for someone to disturb it.
Reina took a step back.
- "Don't touch it. This place… feels wrong."
But Shun stepped forward, eyes locked on the book. He gently blew off the layer of dust.
A smeared message, written in what looked like dried blood, came into view:
— "RUN"
All three immediately stepped back, eyes wide with unease.
- "Run...? Run from what…?" Haru whispered, voice shaking.
Before they could process it, a chilling scream erupted from above, ripping through the room like a jagged tear in reality.
Reina shouted:
-"Something's up there!"
-"Go!" – Shun barked, unsheathing his sword and bolting out of the room with the others close behind.
They sprinted down the prison corridor, breath echoing against the damp stone walls. As they emerged from the hallway into the upper part of the cave, a massive shadow loomed ahead, standing dead in the center of the forest clearing—right in front of the exit.
Everyone froze.
Before them stood... a rabbit.
But not an ordinary one.
It was a towering creature, nearly 15 feet tall, with the ripped physique of a monstrous warrior. Its white fur was soaked in dried blood. Glowing red eyes darted around, wild with a savage madness. One of its ears had been torn clean off. Razor-sharp fangs gleamed beneath snarling lips.
Haru stood paralyzed, mumbling:
- "... They said this place only had normal rabbits..."
Shun gripped his sword tightly, cold sweat dripping down the back of his neck.
Reina whispered:
- "That thing... wasn't born naturally."
A gust of wind swept through the forest, hissing through the leaves like the laughter of something ancient watching from the shadows...
And the rabbit... took its first step forward.