Chapter 13: The Hunt Begins (Part 1)

Kael's eyes cracked open, groggy yet alert. The dim light of dawn painted the horizon in muted golds and ambers. He exhaled slowly, watching the sky for a few moments before shifting his gaze around the camp.

Several platforms were already empty—Liam, Paul, and Garve were gone. Not surprising. But Norvyn was still here, sitting in silence. 

His lone arm rested on his lap, while his gaze remained locked on the empty space where his other limb had once been. The loss was still fresh, the reality of it settling in.

I woke up after them? That's unusual…

Before his regression, Kael would have snapped awake at the slightest disturbance. His body had been conditioned to survive. Was his regression affecting him more than he thought?

His thoughts were cut short by a voice from his side.

"So, you're finally awake. Sleep well?"

Kael turned his head and found Michael standing on his platform, stretching out his arms. The two had barely spoken before this.

"Yeah," Kael muttered, rolling his shoulders. "Best nap I've had in a year."

Michael let out a chuckle, taking it as sarcasm. But Kael meant every word. The last year had been a relentless nightmare—sleep had been a luxury he couldn't afford. In the towers, especially for someone like him who fought to subjugate the upper floors rather than hide away in peace, restful sleep had been a distant memory.

"Hah, good one. I actually missed my bed last night," Michael said, flexing his fingers.

Kael gave a noncommittal nod and was about to climb down when Michael suddenly spoke again.

"Wait."

Kael glanced over, stretching his arms as he stood. "What?"

Michael hesitated, then exhaled. "Just… thanks. For saving me yesterday. I could tell you weren't in the mood to talk then, but I really appreciate it."

Kael scratched the back of his head, uncomfortable with the gratitude. "It's fine. Your leader, Liam, already thanked me. No need to say it twice."

Michael only grinned wider. "Oh? Well, in that case, I'm just thanking you for my own sake. Maybe if I do, you'll save me again next time—my knight in shining armor, y'know?"

Kael scoffed, shaking his head. "Hate to break it to you, but I don't swing that way."

Michael burst into laughter. "Relax, I'm joking. Besides, I'm already getting to know someone." His eyes flicked downward toward Orayne, who was on the ground, assisting Liam with a task.

Kael, already descending from his platform, smirked. "Yeah, I know. She worked hard to keep you alive when you were down. Take care of her."

Michael, now climbing higher to get a better vantage point, nodded. "Yeah. I definitely will."

Their conversation was brief, but surprisingly easy. Michael was more charismatic than Kael had expected. Maybe that was how he'd managed to capture Orayne's attention.

When Kael reached the ground, Liam was already approaching him.

"Oh, good, you're up." Liam wasted no time diving in. "I need your opinion on something."

He quickly explained the situation—water supplies were good for the day, but monster activity had increased around the area. More importantly, they needed to deal with the corpse of the slain beast. It was already rotting, attracting insects and other scavengers.

Kael assessed the situation before answering. "Drag the corpse at least a hundred meters away from camp. If we work together, we can move it without too much trouble."

Liam nodded but remained thoughtful.

"As for the increase in monster activity," Kael continued, "that's natural. One of the bigger predators in this area is dead. Other creatures are filling the power vacuum. Most won't be stronger than the boars we fought, so it won't be a major issue."

That wasn't entirely true. He was hoping for more monsters. He needed more monsters. Today, no matter what, he had to reach Level Four. It wouldn't be easy, and it would require multiple kills, but if he wanted to survive the Eclipse Hours, he had no choice.

Liam was mostly on board with Kael's plans—except for one part.

"You want us to hunt monsters?" Liam asked, gripping the wolf's hind legs as he and the others—Paul, Garve, and Michael—dragged the corpse through the underbrush.

Having leveled up, their strength had improved. Moving the beast wasn't effortless, but it was manageable.

"Yeah," Kael said. "I think leveling up should be our top priority."

His words were met with hesitation. Michael, especially, looked uneasy. Understandable, given his brush with death.

"We've got a solid setup for survival," Liam pointed out. "Why not just wait it out until the tutorial ends? We only need to survive three months. We can hunt when we need to—not before."

Kael shook his head. "You're forgetting the second condition for passing."

Liam frowned.

"When the timer runs out, only the top two hundred survivors—those with the most survival points—will move on. What do you think happens to the rest?"

A moment of silence. Then Liam's face darkened as the reality set in.

Kael pressed further. "Right now, our best shot at survival isn't hiding—it's hunting. Every kill earns survival points. Every level-up makes us stronger. We've secured shelter. Now, we need to take an active stance. Otherwise, even if we make it to the end… we'll lose."

Liam took a deep breath, then nodded. "Okay. I agree. Anyone else object?"

The others hesitated, but no one spoke up.

Good. That was just how Kael liked it.

Of course, he had stretched the truth a little. The "Top 200" rule wouldn't matter in the end—because less than two hundred people would survive this tutorial.

Living three months in this forest was far harder than anyone could have imagined.

In his last life, by the end of this tutorial… fewer than a hundred contestants had made it out alive.

[Floor Panel]

Welcome, Participants, to The Silent Wilds.

Your trial begins now.

Clear Condition: Survive for 90 days. Only 200 will ascend. If more than 200 remain at the end, the top 200 based on Survival Points will advance.

Current Participants: 1827/2000

Survival Points & Elimination Rules:

Hunt the beasts of The Wilds. Eliminate other participants. Half of their points will transfer to you. Uncover hidden trials and challenges within The Wilds.

⚠ Prepare. The Eclipse Hours will come.