Chapter 7:Round Four Begins

Yuki's face fell as the intercom's voice echoed through the arena.

"ROUND FOUR BEGINS NOW."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Yuki shouted, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "We just survived a mech ambush, a turret-infested outpost, and a collapsing tower! What more do they want from us?"

Thalos, ever the pragmatist, scanned their surroundings. "They're testing us, Yuki. Pushing us to our limits. This isn't just about survival—it's about proving we can adapt, think on our feet, and work together."

Yuki groaned, running a hand through his sweat-drenched hair. "Yeah, well, I'm about two seconds away from adapting myself into a nap."

Thalos smirked. "Save the nap for later. We've got work to do."

Before Yuki could protest, the entire arena shifted again. The ruined cityscape around them dissolved in a shimmer of blue energy, the crumbling buildings morphing into towering trees. Thick roots broke through the cracked pavement, vines slithered like snakes, and a dense, eerie fog rolled in from nowhere. The neon glow of the city vanished, replaced by a dim, ominous light filtering through the forest canopy.

Yuki shivered. "Oh, great. Now it's a horror movie."

Thalos adjusted his grip on his rifle, his sharp eyes scanning the unnatural forest. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the distant sound of rustling leaves.

"Stay sharp," he warned. "This round's going to be different."

As if on cue, a low, guttural growl echoed through the trees. Yuki's spine stiffened. "Please tell me that's not what I think it is."

Thalos didn't answer. Instead, he raised his rifle, his body tense. From the shadows ahead, pairs of glowing red eyes appeared—at least half a dozen of them.

Then, the creatures emerged.

Sleek, metallic wolves padded into view, their silver bodies gleaming under the faint light. Each one moved with predatory precision, claws digging into the dirt with mechanical whirs. Red optics locked onto the cadets, analyzing, calculating. Then, as if receiving a silent command, the pack split into two flanking groups.

"They're surrounding us," Thalos muttered.

Yuki swallowed hard. "Okay, so… we're fighting robot wolves now. Cool. Coolcoolcool."

Thalos shot him a look. "Got any bright ideas?"

Yuki hesitated, then grinned. "Yeah. Run."

Before Thalos could respond, Yuki grabbed his arm and yanked him into a sprint. The mechanical wolves howled in unison and gave chase, their movements unnervingly fast.

"Yuki, this isn't a plan!" Thalos shouted as they dodged through the trees.

"It's a work in progress!" Yuki shot back, breath ragged.

The wolves closed in fast, their metallic claws tearing through the underbrush with unsettling efficiency. One lunged from the side—Thalos barely dodged in time, twisting mid-step and firing a burst of plasma rounds into its flank. Sparks flew, and the wolf stumbled, but it quickly recalibrated, its movements eerily smooth.

"That barely slowed it down!" Thalos shouted.

Yuki's mind raced. They couldn't keep running forever. Then, up ahead, he spotted something—a narrow ravine with a rickety bridge spanning the gap.

"Thalos, the bridge!"

Thalos saw it, instantly understanding. "On three, we cut it loose."

Yuki grinned. "Now you're talking."

They reached the bridge and sprinted across. The wolves, relentless, charged after them.

"Three!" Thalos pivoted, raising his rifle. "Two!" Yuki skidded to a stop, fumbling for his combat knife. "One!"

Thalos fired a precise shot at the bridge's support cables while Yuki slashed at the remaining ropes. The bridge collapsed, snapping in half just as the first wolf lunged forward—only to plummet into the ravine below.

Yuki leaned over the edge, watching the remaining wolves struggle to climb back up. "Ha! Take that, you overgrown toasters!"

Thalos pulled him back. "Don't celebrate yet. We're not out of the woods—literally."

As if on cue, a deep, rumbling vibration spread through the ground. Birds took flight, screeching in panic. Yuki's stomach dropped. "What now?"

From the shadows, a massive figure emerged.

A mechanical bear—twice the size of any real one—stepped into view, its hulking frame gleaming with reinforced plating. Its crimson optics flared to life, scanning the two cadets with cold, predatory calculation. Hydraulic joints hissed as it flexed massive claws, each the length of a dagger.

Then, with a deafening ROAR, it charged.

Yuki's survival instincts screamed at him to move. He threw himself to the side just as the bear's claw slammed into the ground where he'd been standing. The impact sent dirt and debris flying.

"Thalos, please tell me we have an actual plan for this one!" Yuki yelped, rolling to his feet.

Thalos was already moving, firing precise shots at the bear's joints. "The plating is too thick—aim for the exposed hydraulics in the legs!"

"Right! Legs! Got it!"

Yuki sprinted, dodging another swipe. He raised his rifle, aiming for the cables visible near the bear's knee. Two shots—direct hits. The bear stumbled, servos sparking.

Enraged, it let out another earth-shaking roar and slammed its body forward. The sheer force sent both cadets sprawling.

Yuki groaned, spitting out dirt. "Thalos! Do something cool!"

Thalos gritted his teeth, recalibrating. "We need to disable it completely. The core!"

Yuki followed his gaze to the glowing panel on the bear's chest. The weak spot.

"Cover me!" Yuki bolted forward before he could think twice.

The bear lunged, but Thalos was faster—he fired a precise shot into its exposed shoulder joint. The servos locked up for a split second—just enough time for Yuki to leap onto its back.

He jammed his shock baton into the core. Electricity surged. The bear convulsed violently, its roars distorting into garbled static. Then, with a final, ear-splitting screech, it collapsed.

Silence.

Yuki, panting, jumped down. "We… we did it?"

Thalos nodded, still tense. "For now. But we need to keep moving. This round isn't over yet."

As if to mock them, the intercom crackled to life.

"Congratulations, cadets. You've passed Round Three. But the trials are far from over."

Yuki groaned, sinking to the ground. "I'm starting to think they're just messing with us at this point."

Thalos offered him a hand. "Come on. We're not done yet."

Yuki took it, pulling himself up. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be my partner, you're really bad at giving me good news."

Thalos chuckled. "You'll thank me later."

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the oppressive silence returned. The trees loomed taller, the fog thickened.

The real challenge had yet to begin.

But for the first time, Yuki felt something shift inside him. Maybe, just maybe, they could make it through this.

Together.