Sun Li pressed his back against the rough bark of a dying crimson tree, heart hammering so violently it drowned out everything else. The growl of the Crimson Alpha reverberated through the ground—low, patient, aware. It already knew he was there.
He wasn't alone.
Seven players had survived long enough to reach this final stretch—five men, two women, all in their late teens or early twenties. Each wore proper gear: reinforced leather, lightweight armor plates, real weapons. Two carried short swords, one a spear, another a compound bow, the rest knives or improvised clubs scavenged along the way. They stood in a loose semicircle, trembling, yet determined.
And in front of them… the Alpha.
It was unlike anything he had seen in the tutorial—no Goblin Hounds, no Blood Vines. A beast of regality in terror, ten feet tall at the shoulder, a fortress of muscle and sinew. Its deep crimson hide glistened, wet and raw, stretched taut over cords of power. From its spine rose jagged black bone spikes, curved like scythes. Its elongated skull was plated with natural armor, polished ruby glinting in the blood-red light. Rows of serrated teeth dripped thick saliva that hissed when it hit the ground.
And the eyes… amber, slitted, ancient, intelligent. This was no mindless predator—it was aware, calculating, testing.
Sun Li's mind raced. Pieces fell into place: the tutorial beasts weren't random. Low-tier trash first to weed out reckless players—Goblin Hounds for speed, Blood Vines for traps. But the Alpha… the gatekeeper. Kill it or survive quietly. Most parties chose to fight. Most parties died.
He observed the group.
The tallest, a broad-shouldered spear-wielder, barked a command. "We take it down together! Archers and mages in the back, melee up front. Standard formation!"
The others fell into line, relief etched across their faces. Sun Li almost pitied them. Coordinated attacks, rotations, healer coverage—they thought this was like training sims. They had no idea.
He stayed hidden.
The spearman shouted a countdown: "Three… two… one—engage!"
TWANG! The bowman's arrow struck the Alpha's shoulder—shattered. The beast didn't flinch.
Then it moved.
Faster than something its size should be. One massive swipe of its foreclaw sent the spearman crashing into a tree with a sickening crack. The man didn't rise.
Chaos erupted. Two swordsmen charged, one slicing shallowly across the flank—dark blood welled, thick and slow. The Alpha spun, tail whipping like a battering ram, impaling one swordsman and hurling him into his companion. Both crumpled.
The remaining four scattered.
Sun Li used the chaos.
He darted from cover to cover—fallen logs, inert Blood Vines, shattered boulders—keeping the fight between himself and the Alpha. His stolen boots gripped the rough terrain; Stealth skill dulled the sound of his passage.
Let them be the bait. I'll be the shadow.
The clearing was a natural arena: circular depression ringed by towering crimson trees. Ground littered with bodies, weapons, pools of congealing blood making footing treacherous. A jagged, chest-high outcrop offered him cover.
The Alpha roared, leaves shook from the branches, and charged. The bowman tried to retreat—snapped in two bounds, jaws closing with wet crunch.
Four left. No—three. One woman triggered Blood Vines—gone, cocooned.
Two remained: a knife-wielder and a girl clutching a cracked wooden staff. They backed toward the rocks, faces pale.
Sun Li crouched behind the jagged stones.
The knife-wielder spotted him. "You! Help us!"
Sun Li met his gaze calmly. "You'll die faster if you stay here."
"Coward!"
The Alpha pounced.
The man shoved the girl forward as a shield, bolted sideways. The beast's jaws snapped shut on air; the girl rolled, staff splintering.
Sun Li didn't move.
The man ran past him—perfect. As the Alpha lunged, Sun Li slipped out behind the fleeing figure. The Alpha's gaze locked on the larger, louder target.
It charged.
Sun Li dropped flat. Wind roared past. Smell of charnel breath burned his nostrils. The runner lasted three seconds.
Now only the girl remained, crawling away, sobbing.
Alpha's amber eyes turned back. Sun Li's stamina warning flashed red—lungs screaming, legs trembling—but his mind was ice.
It's wounded. Shallow cuts on flank and foreleg. Bleeding. Smart, but arrogant. Prefers isolated prey.
One chance.
He drove toward the nearest crimson tree. Dagger plunged into the trunk at knee height. Thick sap hissed, smoking. The Alpha's head snapped up.
Sun Li ran, luring it in wide arcs around the clearing. Slash, dodge, circle. Sap pooled on the ground, sizzling beneath massive paws. Acidic sap burned the Alpha's fur, slowing it.
Pain screamed through his body. Vision tunneled. Legs leaden. But he kept moving.
Final sprint. He led it through the largest sap pool. One hind leg struck it—fur and flesh burned. The Alpha roared in agony, stumbling.
Sun Li rolled behind the rocky outcrop, chest heaving. Beast limped, fury blazing.
He waited. Eyes on exposed veins in the shallow wound.
Then he rolled out. Dagger raised, he leapt onto its lowered neck, clinging to spikes like reins. Weight negligible, but surprise bought time. Stabbed the shallow cut again, again, again. Hot blood sprayed, burning his skin.
Alpha bucked wildly, striking him against the rocks. Pain white-hot. Vision darkening.
Still he stabbed.
Finally, with a shuddering roar, the Crimson Alpha collapsed.
Sun Li rolled free. Dust and crimson mist rose. He lay, gasping, soaked in his own and the beast's blood. Silence fell.
DING!
[Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Lone Slayer]
[Solo-defeated Elite Guardian: Crimson Alpha]
[Reward: +10 All Stats, Unique Title: Shadow of the First Trial, Exclusive Class Unlock Path, Legendary Starter Gift]
[Title Effect: +30% damage when fighting alone, +50% stealth effectiveness, enemies below your level feel instinctive fear]
Warm energy surged, healing wounds, replenishing stamina.
Sun Li pushed up, staring at the fallen titan. For the first time in both lives—he smiled. A real smile.
Extraction Point shimmered, a glowing archway in the distance.
He didn't move yet.
He walked to the Alpha's corpse, placed a bare hand on its cooling hide, whispering:
"Thank you… for the meal."
Then, limping only slightly, he turned north.
Tutorial over. The real Requiem begins.