Aiden and Ethan arrived at the combat class, adrenaline already palpable in their veins. It had become their favorite moment of the day, the one where they could give free rein to their power and test their limits.
They quickly spotted Mina and Kai in the crowd of students and made their way to them. The two friends greeted them with warm smiles, obviously as excited as they were at the idea of this new challenge.
"Ready to rumble?" Kai said with a knowing wink.
"Always!" Ethan replied, bumping his fist against his.
Their combat teacher, a colossus with a square jaw and piercing gaze, stepped into the center of the room. Silence fell instantly, everyone eagerly awaiting his instructions.
"Today, it won't be an ordinary class," he began in his deep, powerful voice. "You will have the opportunity to put into practice everything you have learned so far, under real conditions."
An excited murmur ran through the ranks. Aiden exchanged an intrigued look with his friends. What did he have in store for them?
"You will face real monsters, specially captured for the occasion," the teacher revealed, triggering a wave of frenzied whispers. "But rest assured, every precaution has been taken. You will be divided into groups of four, each in a secure arena."
With a broad gesture, he pointed to the different combat zones, delimited by shimmering energy barriers.
"In each arena, you will have at your disposal a healer and a supervisor ready to intervene in case of problems," he specified. "But remember: your best protection is your mastery and teamwork. This is the time to show what you're made of! And besides, the goal is to train you, so the supervisor will only intervene if you're in mortal danger, not before."
Aiden felt his heart race. Finally, a chance to test himself against a real enemy! He glanced at his friends, seeing the same fierce determination in their eyes.
Unsurprisingly, their quartet was called together. They headed to their assigned arena, nerves on edge and senses on alert.
When they entered the enclosure, a deep growl greeted them. In the center of the arena, chained but looking ferocious, stood a monster like Aiden had never seen before.
It was a massive creature, half-bear, half-boar, with sharp tusks and claws like daggers. Its shaggy fur was streaked with scars, evidence of past battles. But the most terrifying thing was its eyes: two red orbs burning with a primitive, animal rage.
"A Grizzly-Croc," Ethan breathed, impressed. "I had heard of them, but I had never seen one for real. They're known for their ferocity and toughness."
Aiden swallowed, suddenly less sure of himself. This monster was nothing like the ghouls he had faced so far. It was a true killing machine, driven by a pure instinct for destruction.
But he didn't have time to dwell on his doubts. Already, the signal for the start of the fight was sounding, freeing the Grizzly-Croc from its shackles. They hadn't even had time to prepare a strategy with the other members of their group.
The beast roared, a blood-curdling sound, and charged the group at an astonishing speed for its bulk. Aiden only had time to shout "Scatter!" before diving to the side, narrowly avoiding a deadly claw swipe.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kai shoot a lightning bolt at the monster's flank, eliciting a growl of pain and rage. But the creature did not slow down, now rushing at Mina.
The girl was not impressed. With a fluid gesture, almost a caress, she touched the pendant at her neck, murmuring a soft litany. Immediately, a spectral falcon materialized, swooping down on the Grizzly-Croc's eyes in a whirlwind of feathers and talons.
Aiden felt his heart leap in his chest. Mina was magnificent like this, haloed by her power, her hair floating in her wake like a river of ink, her outfit highlighting her curves. Each of her movements exuded a hypnotic grace, a perfect harmony with the forces of nature.
But he couldn't allow himself to remain captivated. Already, the monster was getting rid of the falcon, crushing it with an angry backhand. It pivoted towards Aiden, choosing him as its new target.
Aiden stood ready, a predatory smile on his lips. This was his moment.
Suddenly, a notification appeared in his field of vision, almost making him jump.
"New quest: Arena Triumph. Defeat the Grizzly-Croc with your team. Reward: 500 experience points, +1 characteristic point of your choice. Failure penalty: Potentially fatal injuries."
Aiden's heart raced. This gave a whole new stake to this fight! But there was no question of flinching. This creature seemed to exist only to kill.
With a prodigious leap, he threw himself towards the monster, fist forward.
And as his fist hit the monster, in a crash of violence and fury, only one thought was turning in his mind: to conquer and kill.