The fog stood between them like a dense, white shroud.
Iris observed Kim in silence. As for Kim… he appeared completely indifferent. A mere ordinary commoner wearing cheap garments and bearing a placid countenance.
But that was precisely what unsettled her. Because truly dangerous individuals… rarely look the part.
She finally spoke:
> "The spider was of the High Bronze rank."
> "Even some nobles required an entire squad to bring it down."
>
Then, she narrowed her eyes.
> "But you…"
> "You discovered its weakness within seconds."
>
Kim smiled serenely.
> "Then I must be fortunate."
>
She countered instantly:
> "And I do not believe in fortune."
>
Silence ensued. Then Kim resumed walking, as though the conversation had reached its conclusion.
This unnerved her even further. Normally… people went out of their way to curry her favor, to impress her, or at the very least, to keep speaking with her. But this youth? He treated her as if she were merely another tree in the forest.
Inside Kim's mind, however, the deductions were entirely different.
> *Dangerous.*
>
That was the first conclusion he reached. Iris was intelligent; she noticed details and connected events rapidly. That breed of person was troublesome. Not because they were powerful… but because they asked the correct questions.
Therefore… her attention needed to be redirected, not halted. For if you forbid people from searching, they will only search harder. But if you provide them with a suitable answer… they will stop on their own.
He smiled faintly. He had learned this a long time ago. In his old world… the strongest did not always survive. Rather, it was the one who controlled what others knew about him.
Suddenly—the forest shuddered.
A thunderous explosion detonated in the distance, followed by a pillar of brilliant blue light surging toward the heavens.
The students' eyes widened instantly.
> "A treasure!"
> "It's the treasure of the forest!"
> "Hurry!"
>
Within seconds, the tranquil forest erupted into pure chaos. Everyone surged toward the light—nobles, commoners, and even some monsters began to move.
Kim, however, did not budge. He merely stared at the blue pillar, then smiled.
> "Far too obvious."
>
Iris halted.
> "What is?"
>
He replied calmly:
> "A trap."
>
Silence fell. Then, she let out a soft laugh.
> "How can you tell?"
>
He gestured toward the surroundings.
> "The forest is dead silent."
> "The birds have vanished."
> "The monsters moved seconds before the light even appeared."
>
He then looked toward the distant beacon.
> "Someone wants to gather everyone in a single location."
>
Her smile gradually faded, for his words were logical. In fact, they were far too logical.
At that exact moment, bloodcurdling screams began to echo from the direction of the light.
Then—the earth convulsed. Once. Twice. Thrice.
Before a colossal entity materialized between the trees. It was an aberration so immense that even Iris froze in her tracks. A towering behemoth tens of meters high, its black hide bristling with crimson eyes, and its appendages resembling dead roots. It was far too grand to be part of a standard student examination.
The students who had rushed toward the light now found themselves cornered before it. Shrieks of terror saturated the forest as everyone began to flee, but the beast was swifter. It devoured one of the students in a single second.
Meanwhile, outside the forest, the proctors bolted from their seats in sheer shock inside the academy hall. One of the professors slammed his fist onto the table.
> "What is the meaning of this?!"
> "That beast is not supposed to be in there!"
>
As for Elder Eldar, his eyes narrowed for the very first time since the trial began.
> "A breach has occurred…"
>
Deep within the forest, the students were fleeing in utter despair while the beast hunted them down.
Kim, however, looked upon the carnage with profound tranquility. He was far too calm.
Then, he whispered:
> "Interesting."
>
Because he had discerned something that no one else had noticed. That monster… was not hunting indiscriminately. It was moving according to a precise, calculated pattern.
As if it had a specific target. As if someone… had unleashed it intentionally.
When Kim raised his gaze toward the distant, towering branches, he spotted the silhouette of a figure perched high above, watching the slaughter.
Then… the shadow smiled, and vanished.
> *"When everyone runs toward the treasure… the true manipulator begins to search for the architect of the trap."*
>