Dawn arrived quietly, mist clinging to the mountains like a pale veil as Kael stood before the Outer Trial Grounds.
A towering stone gate loomed in front of him, its surface scarred by claw marks and ancient bloodstains. Beyond it lay dense, untamed forests—home to savage beasts and discarded disciples.
No supplies were given. No guards escorted him.
"Enter," an elder announced indifferently.
The massive stone gate rumbled open, revealing a dark, fog-shrouded canopy. Kael stepped forward. The moment he crossed the threshold, the gate slammed shut behind him with a thunderous BOOM.
Silence settled instantly. Then—a low, reverberating growl echoed from the shadows.
Kael's muscles tensed. He controlled his breathing and scanned his surroundings. The mist was thick and visibility was low. He crouched down, gripping a heavy, sharp stone from the muddy earth.
Bushes rustled to his left. A dark shape lunged!
Kael rolled aside just in time. A Black Fang Wolf slammed into the dirt where he had been standing, its glowing red eyes locked on him with ravenous hunger.
[Beast Detected: Black Fang Wolf]
[Threat Level: Low–Moderate (Injured)]
"Injured," Kael whispered. "My chance."
The wolf snarled and charged again. Kael didn't retreat—he charged forward to meet it!
The wolf was faster. Its razor claws tore across Kael's chest, ripping flesh and cloth. Pain flared violently, but Kael gritted his teeth and drove his sharp stone directly into the wolf's eye!
The beast shrieked in agony. Kael tackled it to the ground, rolling through dirt and roots as they clawed and bit at each other. The wolf's fangs sank into Kael's forearm, but Kael refused to loosen his grip, driving the stone down repeatedly into its skull until the beast went limp.
Kael collapsed beside the corpse, gasping for air.
[Kill Confirmed: Black Fang Wolf]
[Rewards Granted: Body Tempering +5%, Pain Resistance Increased, Minor Qi Sensitivity Unlocked.]
A wave of warm energy flooded Kael's body. His wounds stopped bleeding as rapidly, and his muscles felt denser. For the first time since his rebirth, he felt it—a faint trace of internal Qi responding to his mind.
Before he could recover, more growls resonated through the mist. Three pairs of glowing eyes emerged from the darkness.
Kael smiled grimly, tightening his grip on the bloody stone. "No rest? Good."
[Warning! Multiple Targets Detected.]
[Bonus Condition: Survive without retreating.]
The wolves attacked in synchronization. Two leaped from the front while the third circled toward his flank.
Kael sidestepped the first wolf, driving his elbow hard into its ribs. But the second wolf caught his thigh, its claws tearing deep into his flesh. Kael fell to one knee as the third wolf sprang directly for his neck!
Twisting at the last second, Kael allowed the wolf's jaws to clamp onto his shoulder instead of his throat. Ignoring the blinding pain, he grabbed the wolf's head with both hands and smashed it violently into the ground twice, before stabbing his stone through its ear.
[Kill Confirmed! Body Tempering Progress: 10% — Minor Breakthrough Achieved!]
A sudden burst of strength surged through Kael's limbs. He spun around, catching the second wolf by its throat, squeezing with newfound muscle density until its neck snapped with a loud CRACK.
The final remaining wolf froze, sensing the sudden shift in Kael's aura. It backed away slowly, turned, and fled into the mist.
[Combat Evaluation Complete: 3 Kills.]
[Rewards: Body Tempering +5%, Qi Sensitivity Enhanced, Bleeding Resistance Increased.]
Kael leaned heavily against a tree, sliding down to sit in the damp soil. His body was battered, but the power burning inside him was real.
As night fell over the Trial Grounds, Kael bound his bleeding wounds with torn cloth. He closed his eyes to rest, but his instincts suddenly flared.
[Alert: Unknown Presence Detected.]
Kael opened his eyes. In the deep shadows ahead, a pair of eyes watched him—not the wild, mindless eyes of a beast, but cold, calculating human eyes.