Ren moved like a ghost through the underbrush, his senses attuned to every shift in the forest. Mei and Jin trailed behind him, their breathing controlled but tense. The weight of his first successful kill lingered in his mind, not as a burden, but as confirmation—his skills worked, his instincts were sharp, and his shadow-binding ability gave him an edge that most initiates lacked.

  The three of them had been tracking signs of an Essence Beast for nearly an hour. Broken branches, faint traces of lingering energy, the distinct claw marks on a fallen log—whatever they were following wasn’t ordinary. It was bigger, stronger. And that meant it was worth more.

  A rustle in the trees ahead made them freeze. Ren’s grip tightened around Kagerou’s hilt, his body shifting into a lower stance. Mei had already drawn an arrow, her sharp eyes scanning the foliage, while Jin swallowed nervously, his knife held tightly in shaking hands.

  Then, the voices came.

  “Easy now.”

  A figure emerged from the trees, hands raised slightly in a non-threatening manner. A man, tall and lean, his dark brown hair tousled by the wind. He had an easy smirk on his lips, but his eyes were sharp—watchful. A sword rested at his hip, and the way he carried himself told Ren that this was no amateur.

  Behind him, two others stepped into view. One was a muscular brute of a man, his broad frame nearly twice the size of the first, his hands gripping a heavy battle-axe with casual ease. The other was a woman with long silver hair, her features calm and composed, but her stance wary. She carried twin daggers, and the way she positioned herself at the back of the group showed she was the type who preferred striking from the shadows.

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  Jin stiffened. “Who are you?”

  The first man chuckled, taking a slow step forward. “Relax, kid. We’re not looking for trouble.” His eyes met Ren’s, as if sensing that he was the one truly in charge. “Name’s Riku. These two are Daichi and Sora. We’ve been tracking an Essence Beast—a little stronger than the usual ones around here. We were hoping to take it down ourselves, but…” His smirk widened slightly. “Something tells me you three might be interested in teaming up.”

  Ren studied them, his mind already working through the possibilities. There were risks in working with another group—backstabbing, betrayal—but there were also benefits. If this Essence Beast was stronger than the usual prey, then fighting it alone would be reckless.

  Mei, ever the cautious one, spoke up. “Why would we trust you?”

  Riku shrugged. “Because we need you as much as you need us. We know where the beast is, but we need more hands to take it down. You want to pass this exam, don’t you?”

  Ren smirked slightly. “And what’s stopping us from just following you, waiting for you to get injured, and then taking the kill for ourselves?”

  Daichi let out a low chuckle, his massive shoulders shaking. “I like this guy,” he muttered.

  Sora, the quiet one, finally spoke. “If we were weak enough for you to do that, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”

  Ren respected the confidence. He glanced at Mei and Jin. Mei’s expression was unreadable, but Jin looked relieved—probably glad they had more people to rely on.

  Finally, he turned back to Riku. “Alright. We’ll work together. But if any of you pull anything, I’ll gut you before you even see my blade move.”

  Riku grinned. “Fair enough. Now, let’s go hunting.”

  With their uneasy alliance formed, the six of them moved deeper into the forest, shadows stretching long as they prepared for the hunt.