Stepping out of the military defense zone, Caleb Li and Rose stood side by side, their faces etched with solemn determination.
Behind them, a formidable display of military might unfolded, with thousands of soldiers stationed with heavy artillery and armored tanks.
The air crackled with tension as the soldiers maintained their vigilant watch, their expressions stern and unwavering, poised to respond to any threat at a moment's notice.
In the distance, a dense forest loomed, its ominous silhouette marred by the remnants of fierce battles.
Traces of conflict were evident everywhere, with the ground stained with dry blood and deep craters marking the landscape.
Dead beasts lay scattered amidst the debris, a haunting reminder of the perilous nature of their surroundings.
Despite its outward appearance of tranquility, the forest concealed a dark and deadly secret. Within its depths lurked some of the most fearsome adversaries humanity had ever faced.
The apparent calmness belied the ongoing struggle and sacrifice endured by the military, whose relentless efforts were dedicated to eradicating the threat posed by these dangerous beasts.
As Caleb and Rose gazed upon the foreboding forest, a sense of resolve washed over them. Just as Rose wanted to suggest forming a team, four of their classmates walked toward them.
They were all girls brimming with confidence. "Rose, would you mind joining our team?" One of them asked.
Rose looked at them and opened her mouth to respond but was unsure how to respond. She wanted to form a team with their classmates but did not want to leave Caleb Li alone.
He might have defeated Justin's gangs and the thugs, but the terror of the beasts lurking in the forest can't be compared to those mere fights.
Before she could come up with a suitable response, she heard him speak. "That would be for the best. I'd love to hunt alone."
He looked at her with an assuring smile and continued. "Be careful and be safe out there. And don't forget about our challenge." He clapped her shoulder gently and left without turning back.
Looking at his departing back, Rose was stupefied. She wanted to stop him but controlled herself and forced out a smile.
"Sure. Why not?" She responded.
Meanwhile, in the military safe zone, all the school's teachers gathered in a large tent with various screens hung before them, each showing the scene outside the safe zone — The Desolate Land.
Miss Freya creased her brow when she saw one of her students entering the forest alone. "What's he doing?" She muttered with a slight worry on her face.
"Is that not your student?" A male teacher asked in a low voice.
"He is…" She responded without looking at him.
"I guess your students are getting overconfident than the elite class." He taunted with a smile full of derision.
She only gave him a glance and ignored him totally. Even though they were from the same school, that doesn't mean there wasn't any rivalry between the teachers.
Miss Freya and Mr. Klaus's rivalry was known to anyone in Maple High School, and the cause of their bitter rivalry was only known to the higher-ups.
Outside, Caleb Li had entered the forest. His expression was solemn as he nocked his bow and pulled the bowstring, ready to let it go at any moment.
The forest was quiet and still; there was no sound of birds and chirping of insects.
Everything was eerily quiet, but that didn't bother him. He had been in much more dire situations than this.
He controlled his breathing and relaxed, allowing his hearing to do its job.
Suddenly, behind a thick shrub, a large beast jumped at him with extreme speed.
It was the Iron Jester Dog, a common-grade beast.
Caleb Li didn't even blink before letting the arrow fly.
Bang!
Still in the air, the Iron Jester Dog was hit in the eyes by the arrow.
The Jester Dog crashed to the ground and cried in pain. The arrow pierced its eyes, deep into its brain.
It only made one more last noise before it died.
Looking at the dead Iron Jester Dog, he didn't waste any moment and scanned it with his bracelet before leaving the scene.
Moreover, he didn't forget to remove his arrow from the Iron Jester Dog's head.
Like a veteran hunter, Caleb Li hunted every common-grade beast that he came across as easy as drinking water.
In an hour, he had hunted 50 common-grade beasts, and each of them didn't last than a single arrow.
Standing before the now-dead Rottingmask Scorpion, he creased his brow and thought for a moment.
"Hunting Common-Grade beasts won't allow me to win. I need to go deeper and hunt for Rank-1 Beasts."
The reason he decided to hunt alone was for him to contest for the champion of the exercise.
He was tight on cash right now, and the money from winning the Life Experience Exercise would take the huge burden from his shoulder.
With that thought, he increased his speed and moved deeper into the forest.
Meanwhile, inside the tent, everyone was watching the live ranking on a big screen.
Previously, Caleb Li's name appeared on the top 20 students in the ranking, shocking everyone.
He was a dark horse with no fame to his name, but now, he was leading thousands of students.
Watching the name, Miss Freya was both shocked and surprised. As for Mr. Klaus, he was furious but kept it to himself.
But after three hours and Caleb Li's ranking had not increased, it got everyone wondering and talking.
What happened to him?
Why is he not increasing his ranking?
Perhaps, he's dead.
Impossible, the reading from his bracelet shows he is still alive.
"I guess your dark horse has run out of luck." Mr. Klaus snickered.
Miss Freya was too concerned to respond to his taunting, and she focused all her attention on the ranking while praying in her mind for the safety of her students.
Inside the forest, Caleb Li had long left the outer perimeter of the forest and was deep inside the forest.
He could feel an intimidating presence in the air; besides, the trees and grass were taller than the outer perimeter.
Before he could venture deeper, a massive beast jumped out of its hiding, catching him off guard.