Rachel's scream came first.

"AH! NGH! THIS...THIS IS NOT!"

Her voice broke apart inside the cocoon, rough and strained.

The gentle warmth she always carried was gone, replaced by pure pain.

"I'M FINE!" she shouted a second later, forcing the words out.

"JUST... DON'T... LOOK AT ME!"

Several disciples paled.

Then came Valtor.

His cocoon rattled like it was about to explode.

"RAAAGH! DAMN IT!" He roared.

"WHO MADE THIS?! THIS IS BULLSHIT!"

The shout echoed through the hall.

"IT'S BURNING! IT'S TEARING! I'LL KILL...NO! I'LL KILL EVERYONE AFTER THIS!"

Some disciples flinched outright.

One muttered, "That one's… personal."

And then...

Seira.

Her voice cut through the room... low, sharp, and filled with pure venom.

"…Unacceptable."

The temperature dropped.

"I refuse," she hissed. "I REFUSE!"

Her scream followed, raw and furious.

"DON'T YOU DARE... LOOK DOWN... ON ME!"

The icy cocoon cracked with sharp sounds as frost spread across the floor.

"That muscle-headed idiot!" Seira screamed. "I WON'T LOSE!"

Her voice didn't sound weaker than Valtor's.

It sounded worse.

Several disciples frowned, instinctively stepping back.

Dahlia winced. "Okay… yeah, that one's scary."

Clara nodded quickly. "Silent types are always the worst."

Garion watched all three cocoons with a satisfied smirk. "Good."

Mersha peeked around him, eyes sparkling. "I have more, by the way."

Garion didn't look away. "How many?"

"About four."

Garion nodded. "I see."

He turned calmly and looked toward two familiar figures.

"Rika. Rena."

Both of them stiffened.

"You two did well during your mission with the twins," Garion continued.

"Guarding the God Gym branch under the Revalis Clan."

Rika waved her hands quickly. "Ah... Master, we're fine!"

Rena nodded. "Yeah! Really! No need!"

Before Garion could say more...

"Too late!"

Rynor suddenly grabbed a bottle.

Rynar grabbed another.

"HEY!" Rika shouted.

"WAIT!" Rena yelled.

The twins shoved the bottles into their hands.

"Come on," Rynor grinned. "Good work deserves rewards."

Rynar laughed. "Drink up."

Rika groaned as she was forced to drink. "THIS IS NOT A REWARD!"

Rena coughed. "IT'S... WHY IS IT SWEET AND SALTY?!"

Both screamed at the same time.

"YOU ASSHOLES!"

But before either could even throw a punch...

Red mana burst out from Rika's body.

Yellow mana exploded from Rena's.

Their screams cut off as energy wrapped around them, forming two more cocoons.

Rika's voice echoed out, furious. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Rena screamed back, "I SWEAR... AFTER THIS... YOU'RE DEAD!"

The twins laughed loudly.

"Worth it!"

"Totally worth it!"

They high-fived each other like they'd just won a tournament instead of forcing two people into screaming awakenings.

Garion watched them for a moment, then shook his head and laughed.

"You two really don't know restraint."

Rynor grinned. "Master, restraint doesn't build muscle."

Rynar nodded. "Or courage."

Garion snorted, clearly amused, then shifted his gaze away from the shaking cocoons.

His eyes landed on two figures standing a bit farther back.

"Ragric," he said calmly.

Ragric stiffened.

"Rovric."

Rovric lifted his head, expression hard.

"You two are new disciples," Garion continued.

"And aside from Seira and Valtor, you fought the hardest during this hunt."

He crossed his arms. "Do you really want to be left behind?"

Ragric and Rovric were silent.

The screams still echoed around them...

Rachel's strained but steady cries, Valtor's furious roaring, Seira's sharp, venom-filled shouts, and now Rika and Rena's angry yelling layered on top.

Ragric clenched his jaw.

Rovric's grip tightened on his sword hilt.

Then...

"Hahaha."

The twins stepped closer, grins wide.

"What's wrong?" Rynor said. "Scared?"

Rynar laughed. "Guess losing to us really broke you."

Rynor leaned in. "From bullies to cowards. That's impressive."

The words hit hard.

Ragric's eyes darkened.

Rovric's flame aura flickered.

For years, it had been the other way around.

They were the ones who stood above the twins.

They were stronger, smarter, and untouchable.

Every clan tournament ended the same way... with Ragric mocking and Rovric cutting them down cleanly.

Then the God Gym happened.

The twins trained. Changed. Surpassed them

And now Ragric and Rovric had swallowed their pride and followed them here.

Just to be mocked.

Ragric exhaled slowly. "…Enough."

Rovric stepped forward. "We didn't come here to be laughed at."

Rynor raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Ragric lifted his head and met Garion's gaze. "We're not losing to them again."

Rovric nodded. "Not in strength. Not in will."

Ragric took a step closer to the table where the remaining bottles sat. His voice was tight but clear.

"Master," he said. "Give us one."

Rynar's grin widened. "Heh. That's more like it."

Garion studied them for a moment, eyes sharp, like a trainer judging posture before a heavy lift.

"You understand what this means," he said. "No backing out."

Ragric nodded once. "We know."

Rovric didn't hesitate. "Pain is fine."

Garion smiled slightly. "Good."

Mersha was already moving.

She pulled out two bottles and tossed them casually.

"Catch!"

Ragric caught one. Rovric caught the other.

The liquid inside was pitch black, thick, and unpleasant just to look at.

Ragric stared at it for half a second. "This better be worth it."

Rovric snorted. "Don't hesitate."

They uncorked the bottles at the same time.

The smell hit them first.

"…What the hell is this?" Ragric muttered.

Rovric grimaced. "It smells like a mistake."

The twins leaned closer, grinning.

"Drink up," Rynor said. "Heroes don't sniff."

Rynar laughed. "Or are you backing out?"

Ragric's jaw tightened.

They drank.

Instantly...

"GHH!" Ragric choked. "WHY IS IT SWEET AND BITTER AT THE SAME TIME?!"

Rovric coughed violently. "AND SPICY... NO... SALTY... WHAT IS THIS?!"

They staggered, faces twisting in disgust.

"This is!" Ragric gagged. "THIS IS AN ATTACK!"

Mersha clapped happily. "Yep! Full flavor spectrum!"

Before they could complain further...

Mana exploded.

Red mana burst violently from Rovric's body, sharp and aggressive, cracking the floor beneath his feet.

Yellow mana surged out of Ragric, blazing and unstable, forcing nearby disciples to step back.

Two more cocoons formed almost instantly.

From inside Rovric's cocoon came a furious roar.

"RAAAGH! I'LL ENDURE THIS!"

His cocoon shook violently, flames flaring along its surface.

Ragric's scream followed, sharp and furious.

"DAMN IT! I WON'T LOSE! NOT AGAIN!"

The yellow cocoon pulsed again and again as his voice echoed through the hall.

Several disciples swallowed hard.

The twins stood side by side, arms crossed, listening to the screams with wide grins.

Rynor sighed happily. "Music to my ears."

Rynar nodded. "Best concert ever."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.