Chapter 16: The Trap.

The deeper they ventured, the more monsters they encountered.

At first, it had been manageable—occasional stragglers, weak creatures that barely posed a challenge. But as the sun dipped lower, the beasts grew bolder, attacking in greater numbers.

Yet, despite the increasing danger, Kael and his team cut through them with ease.

It wasn't luck.

It was Kael.

He moved with ruthless efficiency, his every strike measured and precise. His positioning, his footwork, even the way he forced enemies into vulnerable spots—it was as if he were orchestrating the entire battle.

The others fought hard, but it was Kael's sheer control that made victory feel effortless.

Garve exhaled sharply, brushing sweat from his brow. "Ha… The sun's setting. We should head back."

He reached for the quiver on his back, channeling mana into it. As expected, fresh arrows materialized in place of the ones he had spent.

Kael watched, unsurprised. The quiver was standard issue for rangers in the tutorial—an unlimited supply to keep things "fair." If archers ran out of arrows this early, they'd be nothing more than dead weight.

His gaze shifted to the others. Fatigue was setting in. Garve looked drained. Norvyn's shoulders slumped. Even Alysha, who had fought bravely, was swaying slightly on her feet.

Kael, on the other hand, felt nothing. No exhaustion. No strain.

And worse—no level-up.

His lips pressed into a thin line. Small fry are just small fry. Three more kills, yet still not enough.

"Alright," Kael said at last. "Time for you guys to head back."

The others exchanged confused glances.

"What about you?" Alysha asked, frowning.

"I'll keep hunting," Kael replied. "I can handle myself."

That didn't sit well with them—especially Alysha.

"What are you talking about? We're a team. If you want to keep going, then—"

"Alysha." Kael cut her off, his tone even. "Your legs are shaking."

She blinked.

Only then did she realize—he was right. The subtle tremor in her stance, the way she leaned slightly to one side… Her body was reaching its limit, but she hadn't even noticed.

Unlike Kael, she lacked battle experience. She didn't know how to conserve mana while casting, and now, her reserves were nearly depleted.

"If you have any left," Kael continued, "use it on your Mana Barrier. It'll keep you safe on the way back."

Mages in the tutorial started with two spells—one offensive, one defensive. If they recklessly spent everything on attack magic, they'd be left vulnerable when it mattered most.

Alysha hesitated. "But—"

Snap.

The sound of a twig breaking echoed through the trees. Instantly, the team tensed, weapons drawn. There was silence.

Then, from the shadows of the forest, a figure emerged. It wasn't a monster but rather, a woman.

Her long brown hair hung in disheveled strands, clinging to her face. Her clothes were torn, dirt-streaked, as if she had been running for her life. Wide, fearful eyes darted between them, her breathing uneven.

"O-Oh my god…" she stammered, hugging herself. "T-there's really someone here…!"

Kael's gaze sharpened.

A survivor?

Alysha, still catching her breath, took a cautious step forward. "Are you hurt? What happened?"

The woman flinched as if she had been struck. "I… I was with a group," she choked out. "But we were attacked! Something—something came out of nowhere!"

Garve's grip on his bow tightened. "Where's your group now?"

"I—I don't know!" she whimpered. "I got separated. I don't even know if they're still alive!"

Kael didn't speak. He just watched, very closely.

The way her shoulders trembled—not with exhaustion, but restraint. The way her breath hitched—not in panic, but calculation.

Something wasn't right.

If she had been running for her life, why weren't there any scratches on her? If the monsters were as aggressive as they had been all day, how had she avoided them without a weapon?

Alysha turned to him, eyes filled with concern. "Kael… should we help her?"

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked the woman over once more, waiting. 

And there it was.

The tiniest shift of weight, the subtle clench of her fingers. Not a terrified survivor, but someone holding something back.

Lying.

Kael smiled.

"Where exactly did you come from?" he asked.

The woman froze—just for a fraction of a second. Then, quickly, she pointed over her shoulder. "T-that way! Not far! There's a clearing! That's where my group was before we were attacked!"

"How many were in your group?" Kael pressed.

"F-four," she blurted. Then, realizing her mistake, she quickly added, "No—five! Five, including me!"

Garve's brow furrowed at the inconsistency. Kael saw the flicker of panic in her eyes. His smile didn't waver.

"Then we should go," he said simply.

Norvyn hesitated. "Are you sure? It's getting dark…"

"It won't take long," Kael assured him. "And if there are monsters, that's just more experience for us."

Norvyn still looked uncertain, but eventually nodded. Kael was their strongest fighter—if he wasn't worried, maybe it was fine.

The woman's expression didn't change, but Kael noticed it. That glimmer of satisfaction. She was still playing the role of the frightened victim, but he had already seen through it.

It didn't matter because now, he wanted to see how this played out.

"Lead the way," he said.

They followed her through the dense forest, the underbrush whispering beneath their steps. The air grew unnervingly still. The woman's glances back at them became more frequent, nervous.

Kael pretended not to notice, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his blade. His posture was relaxed. The clearing appeared before them—a wide, open space bathed in the dim glow of twilight.

And waiting within it, just as he had expected, was a group.

Five figures stood scattered around the clearing, their clothes just as ragged as hers, their weapons crude but deadly. Unlike the woman's trembling act, their eyes held no hesitation.

They definitely weren't victims in need of saving.

"Well, well," one of them said, stepping forward with an easy smirk. "Looks like you found some generous folks willing to help."

The woman who had led them there dropped her act, her fear dissolving into a knowing grin. "Yeah. And they walked right in, just like I said they would."

Alysha inhaled sharply, gripping her staff. Garve muttered a curse under his breath, raising his bow slightly. Norvyn stepped closer to Kael, dagger at the ready.

"Kael," Norvyn murmured. "...It was a trap."

Kael chuckled, shaking his head. "I know."

The woman's smirk faltered. "What?"

"It's been a day since the tutorial began, yet over two hundred people have already died. You really think that's just because of monsters and the environment?" He tilted his head slightly. "No. People have been killing one another here too."

The man leading the group grinned. "So you already know what we're going to do to you then?"

Kael unsheathed his weapon and stepped forward, a confident grin playing on his lips.

"Not at all, why don't you come show me?"