---Next Day---

"Everything set, Lily?" Leo asked.

Lily turned toward him with a bright grin, eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Yes!" she said, patting the travel bag strapped to her back.

"All the High 1-star Treant cores—done! Mana crystals—done! Dried jerky—done! Water—done! And finally—"

She caught the hilt of her sword, gripping it firmly.

"My weapon—done!" she declared with a proud smile.

Maybe it was because this was her first real adventure, but Lily seemed unusually elated. Her entire face glowed with enthusiasm.

Leo chuckled and reached out, ruffling her hair before giving it a light pat. Her cheeks instantly flushed, and she puffed them in a cute pout—clearly enjoying the gesture but refusing to admit it.

"Good girl," Leo said with a warm smile.

Lily's expression softened for a moment before concern replaced it.

"But will you be fine, Leo? You gave me way too many mana crystals. What if you run out?"

"Me? Out of mana?" Leo scoffed lightly. "Don't joke. Even if I do run out, I can regenerate it quickly with Niri's help. Besides, I still have more mana crystals with me."

"Don't forget, I have two spirits too! My mana's also great," she said, puffing her chest slightly.

Leo smirked. "Right, right—but they only increase your mana pool. When you summon them, they'll drain mana, not regenerate it. Keep that in mind."He flicked her forehead lightly.

"Ow!" she winced, rubbing the spot, glaring half-heartedly.

Leo laughed softly. He couldn't help it—teasing her felt natural, effortless. She was probably the first girl he had ever grown so close to.

Then a thought crossed his mind. He reached into his spatial storage and took out the necklace Brant had given him—the one with the green gem that shimmered faintly under the morning light. Its glow was soft, serene, reflecting off his palm.

I should probably give this to her, he thought. With my Spiritual Island, low-level mental attacks won't work on me. But Lily… people may not harm her outright, yet who's to say they won't try to manipulate her through her mind? She's strong—but I have no way to gauge her mental resilience.

"Hm? What's that, Leo?" Lily asked, noticing the necklace in his hand.

"Turn around," he said simply.

Lily complied, though her brows furrowed in mild confusion.

Leo stepped closer and gently fastened the necklace around her neck. His fingers brushed against her skin—warm, smooth—and her face turned scarlet in an instant. Before she could say anything, Leo leaned in and kissed her cheek… then playfully bit it.

"Ouch! What was that all of a sudden?" she asked sharply, trying to sound stern but failing to hide her flustered tone.

"Nothing," Leo replied, smiling faintly. "Just keep it on at all times. It'll protect you from mental attacks."

Before she could respond, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her into a tight embrace. He lowered his head, nestling into the space between her neck and shoulder, inhaling softly.

Lily's breath hitched, then she relaxed, tilting her head to the side to give him space. She nuzzled her chin gently atop his hair.

"I'll miss you," Leo murmured against her skin.

"It's only for a month," she whispered, her voice tender. "Make sure to take care of yourself."

"Yeah. You too."

For a moment, silence filled the air—peaceful and fragile. Then suddenly, a thunderous gong echoed through the city, the reverberation rolling through every street and alley.

The Trial Bell.

"Everyone, pay attention!" a voice boomed, amplified through mana across the city. "In five minutes, teleportation will begin. Prepare yourselves! If you lack confidence, break your metal plate now—you will be withdrawn from the trial. But if you're ready, stay sharp. From this point on, your life is your own responsibility!"

The voice faded, leaving a moment of eerie stillness across the city—as if the entire population held its breath at once.

Then, noise erupted.

Shouts. Cheers. Nervous laughter. Some faces glowed with excitement, others trembled with fear. Some were calm, some serious—but all were ready, one way or another.

Amid that chaos, Leo and Lily stood close, their world narrowing to just the two of them. They spent those final minutes locked in a deep kiss—silent promises passing between them. When the last seconds began to tick away, they separated, staring into each other's eyes.

A shared nod.A final smile.No words left unspoken.

And then—

they vanished.

One by one, every participant dissolved into streams of light, their bodies fading from sight until the entire city stood empty, echoing with the faint hum of the lingering mana they left behind.

---

"Xyren! Everything done on your side?"

A deep, resonant voice echoed in his mind.

The crimson-skinned man, lounging atop a cracked obsidian boulder, raised his head lazily. Curved goat-like horns jutted from his forehead, his black sheen faintly reflecting the red glow of the underworld's fire. His hands ended in razor-edged claws of metallic grey, and his eyes—pitch black with scarlet irises—gleamed with faint irritation.

"Zyreth?" Xyren replied, his tone bored. "Ah, yes. Everything's done. But I still don't understand the point of this."

A sharp click of tongue echoed back through the telepathic link.

"Tch. You're still complaining about that?"

Xyren scowled. "And what do you expect me to do? Do we really need to go through all this trouble just to kill a bunch of human brats?"

On the other side, Zyreth's tone hardened, carrying a dangerous edge.

"Haah... You really don't get it, do you?"

He continued, voice low and calculated.

"This is important. Almost the entire young generation of humans is participating in this so-called 'trial.' If we sabotage it, their future collapses for the next decade. That much time is enough for us to conquer them completely."

Xyren scratched the side of his horn with a claw, unimpressed.

"But still… only low third-tier beasts? Why not send stronger ones? We could unleash the Demonic Dragon and sweep the entire forest clean."

"Are you dumb?" Zyreth snarled.

"If we do that, the human powerhouses will intervene immediately. It'd make the whole operation pointless. They've only allowed low third-tier beasts into the trial zone. If we discreetly send a few of ours through the spatial rift, the humans won't notice—and we can still slaughter their most talented."

Xyren's eyes narrowed, faintly glowing red.

"So that's why we gathered those unique variants… beasts that, though still low third-tier, possess strength far beyond their peers?"

A dark chuckle echoed in his mind.

"Now you're starting to show some intelligence. Yes—that's exactly the reason."

"But don't you think it's a waste of rare specimens?" Xyren argued. "We could've given them to our own younger generation to tame."

"Tsk. Waste?" Zyreth scoffed. "You're short-sighted. We can breed stronger ones using demonic techniques—our beasts will surpass anything the humans can tame. This isn't waste, it's tactical use."

Xyren grumbled under his breath.

"I really wanted to keep that unique Colossus for my son…"

"Colossus?" Zyreth snorted. "That thing's nothing compared to Lord Zoltarin's Colossus. He built an entire fortress atop it. And I've heard it carries a noble bloodline—far superior to the super-tier types. No one even knows what it's capable of. And didn't he say he would gift its egg to you if this mission were successful? Moreover, I have heard it is only mortal rank shit. Don't bother, it has already reached its potential."

"Fine, fine," Xyren sighed, flicking his claws in irritation. "But that beast is a complete tank, you know. I had trouble subduing it even though it's only a low third-tier, and I'm fifth-tier myself... Sigh. I wish our general wasn't so damn strict. If not for his quota of five beasts per person, I'd have kept that monster for myself."

"Enough whining," Zyreth snapped. "Look— the humans' spatial mage has finished his ritual. The portal's open. Time to move."

Xyren's lips curved into a sinister grin."Alright, alright."

He pulled a small rectangular object from his pocket—its surface etched with demonic sigils that pulsed with red light. Zyreth did the same on his side.

"Let's paint their trial in red," Xyren said, his voice dripping with cruel amusement.

The two pressed their sigils at the same time—And in an instant, both vanished into a swirling mist of blood, leaving behind only the faint scent of sulfur and heat.

Behind the mist, one could see the same strange circular pattern pulsing once and twice before disappearing as if it never existed.

---

Thalor city became quiet except for the people who did not have a combat-oriented class and others who were able to muster their courage and break their metal plates. Some cried, apologising to no one about their cowardice, some had relieved expressions, and some were beaten thoroughly. As if someone had deliberately broken their metal plates, rage seethed in them.

Old men saw them, probably professors and shook their heads in dejection; now they could only try their luck in another department. Nonetheless, they still have a chance.

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