The path led down into a narrow ravine with steep, jagged walls that looked like broken spears stuck into the ground. The wind whistled through the cracks, bringing with it the smell of wet stone and blood.
Chen Ho stopped at the mouth, and Phoenix moved around on his shoulder. The dim light made its feathers glow, and the flame whispered against the dark.
"Trap," Chen Ho said softly.
He still moved forward.
The Ambush Springs
Shadows moved above. Figures moved along the tops of the hills. A rock fell down.
Then the first voice said, "There he is!" "The Phoenix Boy!"
Dozens of students came into view, their faces twisted with fear and envy. Wolves walked next to them, snakes hissed, and scaled beasts crouched down.
A tall boy with a jagged scar on his arm raised it. "Chen Ho! Do you really think you can walk through this trial like a king? You made my cousin look bad in the tournament. "Today, you crawl back down."
The signal came in.
From all sides, beasts lunged at them: wolves from the front, snakes from the cracks, and hawks from above. Rocks fell and blocked the way out.
Chen Ho was trapped.
Fire Against a Lot
"Fly," Chen Ho said quietly.
The Phoenix jumped, its wings spread wide. Fire Feather Burst set the ravine on fire, and flames rained down. Hawks screamed and their feathers burned. Snakes pulled back from the heat.
Chen Ho moved quickly and accurately with a knife and rope. He used a looped snare to trip a wolf, cut its side, and then rolled out of the way as another wolf lunged.
"Don't let him breathe!" The boy with the scars screamed. "Overwhelm him!"
Three animals jumped at once.
"Yell," Chen Ho told him.
The Phoenix spoke up. Phoenix A cry cut through the air like a knife through the ravine. Wolves whined and fell. Snakes twisted and turned, confused.
Chen Ho hit cleanly: knife to the hamstring, rope to the throat, and boots to the jaws. Every move was planned and useful.
But the enemies kept coming.
The Change
Two rival tamers forced a huge Rockback Bear, rank-2, into the ravine. It had stone plates on its body for protection, and its roar shook loose dust.
The boy with the scars smiled. "Let's see your bird set this on fire."
The bear ran at them.
Chen Ho's eyes got smaller. "Shine brighter."
The Phoenix spoke. The feathers were gold, not red. The flames swirled tighter and hotter, forming a pillar that roared up.
The Phoenix dove straight into the bear's plated chest, with Flame Peck making it look bigger.
The stone broke. Fire poured through the cracks.
The bear roared once, staggered, and then fell to the ground, its chest smoking and stone plates falling like broken shields.
The students were frozen in place, and fear spread through them.
"That's not a firebird."
"No animal grows like that in a week..."
"It can't be—"
They were too scared to say it.
Winning and Growing
The boy with the scars turned pale and sweat dripped. He stammered, "Get out!" "Retreat!"
The students ran away, dragging their hurt animals with them. No one dared to look back.
Chen Ho crouched down and pulled out the Rockback Bear's beast core, which was a heavy, glowing orb that felt like stone left in the sun. He put it in his pouch. The bear's claws and plates were added to his loot.
Phoenix came back to his shoulder, chest glowing, and feathers on fire. The flames were steadier and deeper, and every movement had a quiet power.
Chen Ho whispered, "Lv.35," and gave it a piece of roasted meat.
It groomed itself, and golden sparks danced in its eyes.
Tension
The ravine was quiet again. But it wasn't calm. The ground still shook a little, as if it were listening.
Phoenix suddenly stiffened and turned his head to the east. Its flames flared up on their own, as if they were answering something only it could hear.
Chen Ho followed its look.
Thunder rolled again in the distance. The sound wasn't in the sky; it was below the surface, moving through stone.
The Dragon moves.
Chen Ho held on to the scale in his pouch, his heart steady. "Very soon."
He changed the way his pack was set up and walked deeper into the Trial Beast Grounds, using the flames to guide him.