The Kagutsuchi Stalker lay motionless, its body still twitching from the aftershocks of death. The scent of burnt chitin and blood clung to the air, thick and suffocating.

  For a long moment, no one spoke. They were panting, drenched in sweat, wounds stinging—but they were alive.

  Ren let out a breath, still feeling the rush of essence seeping into his body. His new skill, Abyssal Binding, had drained him more than he expected. But it worked.

  They actually won.

  Daichi finally broke the silence, grinning. “Holy shit… we actually did it.”

  Mei groaned, lowering her bow. “Barely.”

  Sora walked over to Ren, eyeing him with newfound curiosity. “That shadow ability of yours… It’s not normal, is it?”

  Ren shrugged, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Define normal.”

  Sora crossed her arms, clearly not convinced but unwilling to push further.

  Jin stepped forward, crouching beside the beast. He pulled out a dagger and began carving out proof of their kill—taking the essence core nestled deep within the Stalker’s chest. The core pulsed with faint red light, radiating pure power.

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  He held it up. “This is our ticket to the highest record in the initiation.”

  Mei let out a low whistle. “I’d be surprised if anyone else took down an Uncommon-ranked beast.”

  Daichi grinned. “We’re gonna make history.”

  Ren smirked, though his body ached from the fight. “That means more money, right?”

  Jin rolled his eyes. “Greedy bastard.”

  Ren simply shrugged.

  They gathered their proof—taking additional fangs and a section of its carapace before heading back.

  The journey was exhausting, but adrenaline kept them moving. By the time they reached the Guild’s temporary base, night had already fallen.

  As they stepped through the entrance, a dozen pairs of eyes turned to them.

  Some initiates were bruised and bloodied, carrying regular animal corpses or low-tier yokai. Others had nothing at all.

  Then they saw Ren’s group—dragging parts of a Kagutsuchi Stalker into the open.

  Silence.

  A few people stared, mouths slightly open.

  One of the proctors, an older hunter with a jagged scar across his face, narrowed his eyes. “That’s…”

  Another examiner stepped forward. “Where did you find this?”

  Jin held up the essence core, voice steady. “In the eastern sector of the forest.”

  The proctors exchanged looks. The scarred one let out a low whistle. “You brats actually took down an Uncommon-class essence beast?”

  Whispers broke out among the other initiates.

  “No way…”

  “They actually took down an Uncommon?”

  “That thing’s worth a fortune!”

  Ren couldn’t help but grin. He liked the sound of that.

  One of the higher-ranked hunters approached, carefully examining the Stalker’s remains. He picked up the essence core, rolling it between his fingers. Then, he looked at them and nodded.

  “Highest record of the initiation,” he said simply.

  The entire hall erupted.