Chapter 14 – What Is That?

The morning sunlight slowly crept through the gaps in the cave, signaling the beginning of a new day. Cain opened his eyes with mixed feelings. His body still felt tired, but much better than before. He took a deep breath, letting the cool morning air fill his lungs.

He slowly got up, moving his body to make sure there were no injuries left from the previous fight. After a while of stretching his muscles, he began to realize something, there was no sign of the Emberfang Primates around their cave, only the remains of their food such as fruits. He frowned, trying to recall yesterday's events.

He remembered that the Emberfang Primates were not creatures that usually lived in caves. They were primates that preferred to live in trees, moving nimbly from one branch to another. However, this cave clearly showed that they had been living in it for a while.

The question was: Why?

Cain sat leaning against the cave wall, contemplating the possibilities. If the Emberfang Primates had moved from their natural habitat to this cave, then there must be a strong reason behind it. There could be a great threat that forced them to seek shelter in an unfamiliar place. Cain frowned. If that was true, then the threat that made them run could still be out there.

Soon after, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Yama and Weiss were already preparing their equipment, while Lena was busy making sure all their things were packed neatly. Cain got up and walked over.

"Shall we go now?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Yama turned to him and nodded. "Yes, we've been here long enough. It would be better if we continue this exam before something unwanted attracts attention."

Lena, who heard Yama's words, only snorted slightly. "We should have finished yesterday, if only someone hadn't trapped me in this cave with a group of giant apes," she said in a tone full of sarcasm, glancing sharply at Cain.

Cain could only smile wryly. He knew Lena was still upset with him for the trap he set yesterday, which made him have to fight alone against a group of Emberfang Primates in a dark cave. However, Cain did not regret it completely, the strategy may have been risky, but without it they would not be in a better position now.

Weiss, who was usually quiet, finally spoke up. "We don't have time to discuss that anymore. Let's focus on our journey."

Cain nodded in agreement, but his mind was still filled with questions about the Emberfang Primates. He approached Weiss and asked, "What do you think the reason the apes moved to this cave is? They usually live in trees, right?"

Weiss furrowed her brows. "That's a good question. If they left their natural habitat, then something forced them to do so. And if it's something big enough to scare a creature as powerful as the Emberfang Primates, then we should be more vigilant."

Cain swallowed. If Weiss herself thought so, then the threat was likely real. No one knew for sure what caused them to move, but one thing was for sure! They could not ignore the possible dangers that still lurked.

Without wasting any more time, they packed up their things and left the cave. A bright morning greeted them, but even though the sun was shining brightly, Cain couldn't shake the strange feeling in his heart. He looked to the side right at the mouth of the cave and saw large rocks arranged, pushed aside to save Lena.

As they walked through the forest, Lena, who was still upset, approached Cain and said, "Don't think that I've forgiven you." Her tone was sharp, but there was a hint of humor in it.

Cain sighed, then looked at her with a small smile. "I know. I'll make up for that mistake by trying to do better in this team."

Lena just clicked her tongue before walking ahead of them.

Yama, who had been smiling while listening to their conversation, patted Cain's shoulder. "You've managed to annoy Lena. That's a mandatory achievement for this team."

Cain shrugged. "It's not something I wanted to achieve. But if it helps me learn from my mistakes, then I don't mind."

Weiss, who was walking beside them, added, "You have potential, Cain. But talent without experience will only make you fall deeper. Don't just rely on luck."

Cain nodded seriously. "I understand. I will learn more from you."

After a few hours of traveling, they arrived at a small hill that allowed them a wider view. From here, Cain could see the dense forest they were passing through, as well as the river flowing in the distance. However, one thing caught his attention, there was a part of the forest that looked different. The trees looked damaged, as if they had been hit by something very powerful.

Weiss also saw it and studied it carefully. "That's not something ordinary. The forest doesn't get damaged like that for no reason."

Cain tried to guess. "Maybe that's why the Emberfang Primate ran away?"

"Maybe." Yama stared intently at the forest.

Lena stood in front of the group, her eyes narrowed as she activated the Materialization Focus technique into her eyes. A faint light from Xenova flickered in her irises, making every detail around her clearer. The forest that had previously looked ordinary now showed many things that were previously hidden.

Leaves that seemed to be shifting in strange patterns, branches that were broken in certain directions, and most alarmingly were footprints that were much larger than those of ordinary humans. They were about two meters long with an unusual shape, pressing down on the ground with an unnatural weight. Lena felt her breath hitch for a moment.

"Weiss, Yama, Cain… Look at this," he said in a serious tone.

Weiss immediately approached, looking at the ground analytically. "These aren't Emberfang Primate tracks. The apes may be big, but not this big, and they're definitely going to leave a lot of footprints."

Cain also observed, bending down slightly and touching the footprints with his fingertips. "Is this what made the Emberfang Primate move to the cave?" he muttered again, recalling the question that had been on his mind since morning.

Lena nodded. "Most likely. If this thing is scary enough to make them leave their original home, then we should be more careful."

Yama whistled softly, his expression a little more relaxed than the others. "I like challenges, but if this thing is strong enough to scare the Emberfang Primate, I think we should think twice before meeting it."

Weiss took a deep breath, her arms folded across her chest. "We can try to find out more or get out of here as soon as possible. But if we choose to stay here, we have to be prepared for anything that might come up."

Cain felt his throat dry. This wasn't just about his exam success, but also his life. He still hadn't fully recovered from the previous battle. However, a feeling deep inside him told him that leaving this place without finding out more would be a big mistake.

"Lena," Cain called out, causing the girl to turn to him. "Can you see where these tracks lead?"

Lena nodded, her eyes once again shining faintly with Xenova. She followed the pattern of the tracks, making her way through the increasingly eerie forest. After a moment, she pointed to the north. "The tracks lead there. But… there's something strange."

Cain waited for further answers, but Lena hesitated for a moment before finally continuing, "Some of the tracks lead to one point… then disappear."

Silence fell over them. Lena didn't need to explain further for them to understand. This massive creature could move without leaving any further traces. Somehow, it disappeared from the trail it left behind.

Weiss looked even more serious, her face showing deep thought. "That means we're dealing with something more than just an ordinary animal."

Cain swallowed. They had just been through a fierce battle, and now, they were facing something even more mysterious and possibly more dangerous.

"What do we do now?" Cain asked, looking at his group.

Weiss looked at each of them in turn, before finally answering in a firm voice, "We need to be more careful than before. Don't go around alone."

Lena nodded in agreement, then canceled her technique and continued on her way. Cain was still thinking about the trail, but something else was on his mind.

"By the way," Cain spoke up after a moment. "How many Xenova crystals do you have now?"

Weiss glanced briefly at Cain before answering. "I have two."

"Me too," Lena replied.

Yama added casually. "And I have three."

Cain paused for a moment. His eyes widened as he realized the total number of Xenova crystals they had collected.

"S-seven?!" Cain could barely contain his shock.

Lena glanced at him briefly, seemingly unconcerned by his reaction. Weiss simply nodded slowly, while Yama chuckled at Cain's shocked expression.

"That's what happens when you work as a solid team," Yama said, patting Cain's shoulder casually. "We've been fighting several creatures since the beginning of the exam and managed to collect quite a bit, you could say we're speedrun."

Cain took a deep breath. He only had one crystal left, even that was obtained with great difficulty while fighting alone. Compared to them, his achievements seemed very small.

"So, you only need two more to complete the exam?" he asked, trying to make sure.

"Right," Weiss answered calmly. "Just two more."

Cain bit his lip, feeling a little frustrated. The difference between him and them was becoming more and more obvious. But he would not give up so easily. This was an opportunity for him to learn and grow. If he could help get two more crystals, then he could prove that he was not just a burden to this team.

"Don't be so gloomy, aren't we a team? We need four more to pass all of us." Yama put his hand on Cain's shoulder and smiled broadly.

Cain felt very lucky to have met them, he smiled back and said. "Yes."

"We must remain vigilant," Weiss said then. "There are still threats in this forest, and we don't know what kind of creature left the trail."

Cain nodded, realizing that his journey was still long. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind.

No matter what, he wouldn't let himself be left behind. This was an opportunity for him to grow and become stronger. And he wasn't going to waste it.

After confirming the number of Xenova crystals they had, Cain and his group realized that they needed four more crystals to meet the graduation requirements. However, instead of immediately looking for four crystals, they agreed to gather more as a reserve, just in case something unexpected happened.

"Okay, what's our strategy?" Cain asked as he looked at his three teammates. "Do we hunt creatures that have Xenova crystals or try to steal them from other participants?"

Yama scratched his chin, thinking for a moment before answering. "We'll do both. If we find a creature with crystals, we hunt them. But if there are other participants who seem off guard or have excess supplies, we take advantage of that opportunity."

Lena narrowed her eyes. "I don't like the idea of ​​stealing from other participants, but if they are dangerous opponents, then it could be a real test. Besides, in this situation, no one is truly safe."

Weiss simply nodded curtly. "As long as we don't act rashly."

With a strategy in place, they quickly moved deeper into the forest. Lena used the Materialization Focus technique to enhance her eyesight, observing her surroundings better. She looked down, noticing a fairly long and deep footprint in the ground.

"There's a large creature's footprint around here," she said. "This footprint is at least 40 cm long."

Cain crouched next to it, taking a closer look. "This isn't an Emberfang Primate footprint. It's shaped differently and is deeper, and it looks like it has claws. We have to be careful."

Without wasting any time, they continued on their way, stealthily keeping an eye out. After some time, they finally found the first creature with a Xenova crystal. A crystal-covered wolf stood in the middle of a rocky crevice, its glowing red eyes staring at them warily. A Xenova crystal shimmered on the creature's chest.

"Crysalfang Wolf," Weiss whispered. "This creature is fast and agile. We have to work together to defeat it."

Cain quickly took up his position. "I'll distract it from the front. Lena, can you attack it from the side?"

Lena nodded, while Yama and Weiss also prepared. Cain stepped forward, drawing the Crysalfang Wolf's attention with his movement. The wolf charged at her with incredible speed, but Cain managed to dodge it with a sideways jump. Lena immediately attacked with her Materialization Focus technique, increasing the power of her blow and hitting the wolf in the head from above.

The creature growled, trying to counterattack, but Yama quickly used his Energy Release technique at the wolf's leg, knocking it off balance. That was when Weiss shot with precision with her energy missile, ending the fight in one clean hit.

"One Xenova crystal," Yama muttered as he picked up the crystal that had fallen from the wolf's body. "Let's continue."

Their journey continued. They found a second crystal in a hidden rock crevice, apparently left behind by another creature. With this discovery, Weiss and Lena had enough to pass the exam, but they continued their hunt for the Xenova crystal for Cain.

Next, they face a group of armored creatures that attack in formation, forcing them to work together with better coordination. The battle is fierce, but with good strategy, they manage to defeat the creatures and get one Xenova crystal.

As they continue their journey, Cain felt his confidence increase. Unlike the previous fight where he had relied solely on instinct, this time he actually contributed to the team fight. He used the experience he had gained, starting to understand when to attack, defend, or distract the opponent.

However, their true test came when they faced another group of participants. Four people stood before them, each looking strong and experienced. One of them, a large man with dark brown hair, looked at them with a smirk.

"It seems you've gathered quite a few Xenova crystals," the man said. "Why don't you hand some over to us?"

Yama chuckled. "If you can take them, feel free to try."

Without further ado, the fight began. Cain faced a spear girl with extraordinary skill, her eyes seeming to see the illusion of the moon as she watched the spear move. Cain had to use all his speed and agility to avoid his opponent's deadly attacks.

Meanwhile, Yama and Weiss fought with two other opponents, exchanging blows and energy at high speeds. Lena faced off against the large man, who turned out to have the Materialization Focus technique that strengthened his body to the point of being resistant to ordinary attacks.

Cain finally found a gap in his opponent's defenses. He used a technique he had developed himself from the Control Flow, creating a movement that caught his opponent off guard before he delivered a powerful blow to her stomach. The girl fell, losing her balance, and Cain quickly snatched the Xenova crystal that had fallen from her grasp.

After a fierce battle, they managed to defeat the group, taking only two crystals, and confirm their dominance in this exam. With a total of thirteen Xenova crystals in hand, they officially passed.

Cain, who had initially only had one crystal and felt left behind, was now satisfied with his progress. He had learned a lot on his journey, from battle strategy, teamwork, to how to deal with stronger opponents.

As they sat down to rest under the shade of a tree, Cain let out a long sigh, feeling both relieved and proud.

"You seem more confident now," Yama commented as he tossed Cain a waterskin.

Cain caught it and smiled slightly. "I still have a lot to learn, but at least I'm starting to understand how to fight properly."

Lena snorted softly. "Don't be too confident. There are still bigger challenges ahead."

Weiss just nodded. "We've finished this exam. Now we have to prepare for the next exam and wait for the day after tomorrow."

With enough Xenova crystals and the valuable experience they gained, Cain and his group were now preparing to return to the cave where they lived.

The fading sunlight gave the sky a golden color, before finally being replaced by the pale light of the moon. The night wind blew slowly, bringing a coolness that enveloped the forest.

However, as they got closer to the cave, something strange happened. Thick fog suddenly appeared, creeping between the trees, enveloping them in increasingly dense darkness. The atmosphere turned tense, the sound of the forest that was usually filled with the songs of insects and night birds was now completely silent.

Cain felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, his instincts warning him of danger. In the thick fog, they vaguely saw a giant human figure standing upright. It was twenty meters tall, with rough, stone-like gray skin. From its pores, thick smoke billowed, dancing in the air and further obscuring the view.

The entire team fell silent, their hearts pounding. Whatever it was, they had encountered something that should not be here.