Chapter 5: Carnage in the Beast Pen

Lynn tightened his robe, clutching his Earth Rhinoceros Beast as he cautiously made his way through the forest. 

As he progressed, his expression grew increasingly grim. 

Every so often, he would come across broken corpses and tattered robes the remains of examinees who had been alive just ten days ago. 

"Was it an attack by the magical beasts in the pen?" 

Lynn speculated silently, his vigilance rising. 

He knew full well that this beast pen was vast, home to many powerful magical creatures. 

Perhaps a high-level beast had wandered into this area, leading to the tragic deaths of a few unlucky youths. 

However, as Lynn continued deeper, he began to realize that things weren't as simple as he had thought. 

The number of corpses along the way had far exceeded his expectations. 

He clearly remembered that there were only a few dozen youths participating in this trial, yet in just this short stretch, he had already seen more than twenty bodies! 

What was even more unsettling was that some of the bodies were intact. 

If it had truly been the work of magical beasts, why hadn't the bodies been completely devoured? 

"What on earth is going on?" 

A growing sense of unease settled in Lynn's heart. 

Just then, his ears caught an extremely faint sound. 

It was the sound of teeth gnawing on bone, subtle yet unmistakable. 

Lynn stopped in his tracks, holding his breath, his mental power instantly focusing. 

As a First-Level Apprentice Wizard, his heightened mental power allowed him to be certain this was no illusion. 

That faint gnawing sound was real! 

At the same time, his nose twitched, and his brow furrowed. 

He noticed a faint, nauseating smell of blood in the fresh morning air, drifting toward him. 

"This is bad!" 

Lynn's hair stood on end, every nerve in his body tense. 

He realized that he was getting closer to the source of these corpses. 

Whether it was a powerful magical beast or some other unknown threat, this was no place to linger. 

The faint gnawing sound, the thick smell of blood all of it signaled that danger was near. 

Lynn knew that if he were to shout right now, it would undoubtedly draw the attention of whatever was behind this carnage! 

"Breath Concealment!" 

At this critical moment, Lynn recalled the spell he had just learned and immediately began to cast it. 

He first suppressed his presence, doing everything he could to blend into the dangerous forest. 

Although Breath Concealment was only a Zero-Circle Spell, and not particularly difficult to learn or cast, it typically required the use of materials to be effective. 

Lynn glanced around, his gaze lingering on the broken corpses and tattered robes. 

He quickly made a decision under the current circumstances, the best way to mask his scent was to use these blood-soaked "materials." 

Suppressing the churning in his stomach and the chill running through his body, he bent down to collect the bloodstained fragments of clothing. 

Then, using Breath Concealment, he spread the scent around himself, using his mental power to completely mask his presence. 

Once this was done, Lynn hugged his Earth Rhinoceros Beast tightly, crouching low and silently hiding behind a thick tree. 

The tree was large enough to shield his body, allowing him to blend seamlessly into the environment. 

Lynn held his breath, focusing all his mental energy, his ears perked as he listened intently to the sounds around him. 

The gnawing continued, low and sharp, as if directly pounding on Lynn's nerves. 

His heart pounded like a drum, threatening to leap out of his throat, but he dared not move a muscle. 

Suddenly, the gnawing sound began to fade, replaced by a rustling noise the sound of footsteps crunching on dry leaves. 

The footsteps grew louder and heavier, clearly approaching Lynn's position! 

Lynn's pupils contracted, his breath almost stopping as he froze in place, doing everything he could to minimize his presence. 

He held his breath, slowly shifting his gaze toward the source of the sound, cautiously peeking out. 

"Tap! Tap!" 

The footsteps grew closer, and finally, Lynn's eyes caught sight of the moving figure. 

The first thing that came into view was a four-legged creature covered in black scales, it was an Earth Rhinoceros Beast! 

The beast moved with a certain laziness, but behind it followed a person. 

It was a blond-haired youth, tall and robust, his steps steady. 

His face was somewhat familiar to Lynn. 

Ten days ago, when they were choosing their Earth Rhinoceros Beasts, this person had knocked out another competitor with a single kick, domineering and ruthless. 

"Could it be…" 

A terrifying suspicion flashed through Lynn's mind. 

Were the deaths of those youths along the way not the work of magical beasts, but the doing of this person? 

Just then, the blond-haired youth seemed completely at ease, casually yawning and stretching as he said in a lazy voice: 

"I've killed over twenty on my end. They've probably done about the same. Let's wait a bit longer to see if there are any stragglers, then we can report back…" 

Lynn hid behind the thick tree trunk, carefully concealing himself, every word from the blond-haired youth clearly reaching his ears. 

"So it was him! How ruthless! How strong!" 

Lynn's mind raced as he analyzed the other's motives and the potential threat. 

From the blond-haired youth's words, he learned that this person wasn't acting alone he had companions. 

"Why would they target the other examinees? Aren't they afraid of angering the wizard?" 

This question swirled in Lynn's mind. 

As a transmigrator, he was still figuring out the rules and logic of this world. 

His former self had only been a lucky participant in the Furnace trial, unaware of the complex background and unspoken rules here. 

But since the blond-haired youth was so brazenly slaughtering the other examinees, it meant he must have a way to avoid punishment from the wizard. 

A thought flashed through Lynn's mind: perhaps the wizard intended to use this trial to weed out the weak and select the strongest apprentices. 

And the blond-haired youth's actions might align with the wizard's philosophy of "survival of the fittest." 

Lynn clenched his fists, his chest rising and falling rapidly. 

He knew full well, based on the blond-haired youth's words, that this person intended to leave no survivors! 

If he were discovered, there was no doubt he would become the next target. 

"Regardless of why he's doing this, there's no question this person is my enemy, a mortal enemy!" 

Lynn's mind grew calmer, but also more serious. 

The blond-haired youth and his companions were undoubtedly formidable killing over twenty people without a scratch was not something an ordinary person could do. 

This meant that if he were discovered, it would be a fight to the death! 

"When two meet on a narrow path, only one can survive. Then don't blame me…" 

A cold glint flashed in Lynn's eyes. 

Having transmigrated to this world only half a month ago, he was already forced to stand on the edge of life and death. The crisis before him left him no choice but to act. 

Once he calmed down, Lynn's mind began to race. 

He knew full well that in a direct physical confrontation, he stood no chance against the blond-haired youth. 

The other's physique and strength completely outclassed his own, and the outcome of a hand-to-hand fight was all too clear. 

But Lynn wasn't entirely without options he was a First-Level Apprentice Wizard, possessing spells, and he still had one trump card: Daze! 

This was a spell that could briefly disrupt an enemy's mind. Although its effects were short-lived, if used correctly, it might just be the key to turning the tables! 

Lynn's gaze sharpened, his heart pounding even faster, but his killing intent was also rising. 

"The blond-haired youth is a formidable enemy, but he might not be invincible. If there's an opportunity…"