Roy's stomach growled as he trudged through the forest. After days of intense recovery and then fighting, he realized he hadn't eaten anything substantial. The physical strain was beginning to catch up to him. His sharp senses picked up faint rustling in the nearby bushes, and his sharp eyes scanned the area.
"I've fought Gold Level beasts and idiots with maces and swords, but hunger? That's just embarrassing," he muttered under his breath. His point count was 3,000 now, courtesy of the beasts and contestants.
Roy crouched low, observing the movement. A small herd of horned rabbits was grazing in a clearing, their white fur blending seamlessly with the patches of sunlight filtering through the canopy. 'This'll do,' Roy thought, unsheathing one of his daggers. His body tensed as he prepared to strike.
Just as he was about to lunge, a sudden screech echoed through the forest, sending the rabbits scattering. Roy's eyes darted upward, catching sight of a large bird with metallic feathers circling above. The creature, a Steelfeather Hawk, was a Silver Level beast known for its speed and precision.
"Seriously?" Roy grumbled. "Can't I just eat in peace?"
The hawk swooped down, its talons gleaming like sharpened blades. Roy rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike as the bird's talons dug into the earth where he'd been standing. He turned to face the creature, his daggers spinning in his hands. The bird screeched again, its wings flaring as it prepared for another dive.
"Fine, you want to do this? Let's see if you're tastier roasted."
The hawk darted toward him with blinding speed. Roy sidestepped at the last moment, slicing upward with one dagger. The blade grazed the bird's wing, sending a shower of metallic feathers spiraling to the ground. The hawk let out an enraged cry, flapping its wings to regain altitude.
Roy didn't give it the chance. He leapt onto a low branch, propelling himself upward. With a powerful jump, he grabbed onto the bird's tail feathers, yanking it down toward the ground. The hawk thrashed violently, its talons lashing out in every direction. Roy swung himself onto its back, driving one dagger into the base of its wing. The bird let out a piercing screech, its body convulsing as it struggled to stay airborne.
"Too slow," Roy muttered, wrenching his dagger free and delivering a final blow to the bird's neck. The Steelfeather Hawk collapsed in a heap, its metallic feathers clinking softly as they settled.
Roy crouched by the fallen creature, inspecting it closely. "Not exactly what I planned, but beggars can't be choosers." He began plucking the feathers carefully, setting them aside in a neat pile. Once the bird was stripped, he used his dagger to carve out the meat, his movements efficient and precise.
Finding a small clearing nearby, Roy gathered dry branches and started a fire by rubbing woods together. The flames crackled to life, their warmth a welcome comfort after days of battle. He skewered the meat on a stick, holding it over the fire as the rich aroma of roasting flesh filled the air.
As he ate, Roy's thoughts drifted. 'Kevin would probably joke about me taking so long just to catch dinner. He'd probably try to outdo me with some ridiculous story about catching something bigger.' A faint smile tugged at his lips.
The meal was simple but satisfying, and Roy leaned back against a tree, his daggers resting within reach. He let out a contented sigh, his fiery eyes scanning the stars now visible through the thinning canopy. For the first time in days, he allowed himself a brief moment of peace.
After finishing his meal, Roy decided to rest for a few hours. The night air was cool, the forest eerily quiet save for the occasional rustle of leaves. Leaning back against the sturdy trunk of a tree, he closed his eyes, his daggers resting within easy reach. His breathing slowed, and for the first time in days, his body fully relaxed. The fatigue from constant battles and aura recovery washed over him, and he allowed himself to drift into a light sleep.
After three hours, Roy stirred, his instincts sharpening as he woke. His fiery eyes scanned the forest once more. The rest had done its job, and his body felt rejuvenated. He stood, stretching briefly before moving on. 'No more time to waste,' he thought, his expression serious again.
It wasn't long before he picked up the faint growl of a beast nearby. The sound grew louder as he approached a rocky clearing, where a massive Gold Level 3 Crimson Horned Lizard lay basking under a patch of moonlight. Its crimson scales shimmered faintly, and its tail, tipped with a sharp blade-like horn, twitched lazily. Despite its apparent calm, Roy knew better than to underestimate it.
The lizard's glowing yellow eyes locked onto Roy as he entered the clearing. It rose to its feet, its muscular frame shifting with a predatory grace. Roy's smirk returned as he drew his daggers, the thrill of battle coursing through him.
"Alright, let's see what you've got," he said, his voice low and confident.
The lizard hissed, its tail whipping through the air with deadly precision. Roy dodged, the blade-like tip slicing the air inches from his face. The beast lunged, its claws raking toward him. Roy ducked low, sliding beneath its attack and slashing at its exposed underbelly. The daggers struck true, drawing blood but failing to pierce deeply through the thick scales.
The lizard retaliated, spinning with surprising speed and swiping with its tail. Roy leapt back, landing lightly on his feet. 'This thing's faster than it looks,' he thought, analyzing its movements. The lizard opened its mouth, spewing a stream of molten-like liquid toward him. Roy rolled to the side, the substance hissing as it scorched the ground where he'd been standing.
He circled the beast, his movements calculated as he probed for an opening. The lizard lunged again, its jaws snapping shut with a deafening crunch. Roy feinted to the left, drawing its attention, then darted to the right, plunging both daggers into its exposed flank. The lizard roared, twisting violently as it tried to dislodge him. Roy held firm, driving the blades deeper before leaping off, landing a few feet away.
The lizard snarled, its glowing eyes narrowing as it adapted to Roy's strategy. Its tail whipped forward suddenly, faster than before, the sharp blade slicing toward Roy's midsection. Roy twisted, his aura flaring briefly as he deflected the strike with one dagger, the impact sending a shock up his arm. Before he could recover, the beast reared back, unleashing another stream of molten-like liquid. Roy jumped high, flipping in the air as the searing substance scorched the earth below.
Landing lightly on a nearby rock, Roy caught his breath for a moment. 'This thing's learning as it fights,' he thought, a flicker of admiration in his fiery gaze. He darted forward again, closing the distance in a heartbeat. The lizard hissed, its claws swiping at him in rapid succession. Roy weaved through the attacks, his daggers dancing in his hands as he struck at its legs. One blade grazed a joint, drawing a pained roar from the beast as it stumbled slightly.
Seizing the moment, Roy dashed forward instead of circling around, aiming directly for the lizard's exposed underbelly. His daggers flashed, piercing between the tough crimson scales in a rapid succession of precise strikes. The lizard hissed, its tail whipping toward him, but Roy sidestepped, maintaining his offensive momentum. He ducked low, avoiding another sweeping claw, and slashed at the creature's chest, causing blood to spray onto the ground.
The lizard reared up, its massive frame casting a shadow over Roy as it prepared to strike with both claws. Roy darted underneath it, driving one dagger upward into the softer scales near its throat. The lizard let out a deafening roar, thrashing wildly as Roy twisted the blade. Its claws swiped downward, barely missing him as he rolled out from under its bulk.
Determined to end the fight, Roy lunged toward the beast, his fiery eyes locked onto its weakened stance. He feinted a strike to its side, causing the lizard to shift its weight, and then drove both daggers into its chest with a powerful thrust. The force of his attack penetrated deeper, finally breaching its defenses and hitting vital organs. The lizard staggered, its glowing eyes dimming as it let out a final hiss before collapsing onto the rocky ground.
With a guttural groan, the creature collapsed onto the rocky ground, its massive frame shaking the earth beneath them. Roy straightened, breathing heavily as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Not bad," he muttered, crouching beside the fallen beast.
Taking a moment to catch his breath, Roy glanced at the night sky above. He pulled out the token embedded in the beast's chest, its glow faint but warm against his fingers. Tucking it away, he sat down near the corpse, leaning back against a boulder. For once, there was no immediate need to move on, and the silence was almost comforting.
Roy leaned back against the boulder, his eyes fixed on the dim light of the moon filtering through the canopy above. The soft glow illuminated the scene around him—the fallen beast, the scarred ground, and the blood-slick daggers resting at his side. He reached into his pouch, retrieving a flask of water and taking a measured sip. The cool liquid soothed his parched throat, cutting through the lingering taste of ash from the earlier battle.
The forest around him was far from silent. Distant growls, faint howls, and the rustling of unseen creatures filled the air, a reminder of the life that thrived here even in the shadow of death. Roy's gaze shifted to the lizard's lifeless form, its scales still glinting faintly in the moonlight. "You put up a good fight," he murmured quietly, his tone more contemplative than mocking.
A rustling sound nearby brought his focus back instantly. His hand moved to a dagger as he straightened, his fiery eyes scanning the darkness. From the underbrush emerged a fox, its sleek body glinting faintly in the moonlight. Its golden eyes met his, unblinking and curious. For a brief moment, neither moved. Then, with a flick of its tail, the fox darted off into the shadows.
Roy relaxed slightly, lowering the dagger. "At least you know when to run," he muttered, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. Standing, he brushed the dirt off his clothes, taking another sip from the flask before securing it back into his pouch. He stretched his arms, feeling the satisfying crack of tension releasing from his muscles.
His thoughts drifted as he began to walk, weaving through the forest with a practiced ease. Less than 24 hours remained in the test, and the ticking clock gnawed at him. 'I need to break atleast 5,000 points,' he thought, his red eyes narrowing with determination. The idea of falling short left a bitter taste in his mouth, but another thought brought an amused smirk to his lips. 'Kevin would never let me hear the end of it if I came second.'
He sighed, shaking his head as he stepped over a fallen log. 'That guy's probably sitting on 5,000 already,' Roy mused. 'He'll have a field day mocking me for playing catch-up.' The thought wasn't as irritating as it was motivating, and Roy's pace quickened as he scanned the forest for his next challenge.