The day had finally arrived: the last phase of this damned test. Our squad was already at the venue.
This time, the field had been curated to look like a decapitated city. Broken buildings stood jagged and sliced open, their skeletal remains surrounded by plumes of rising smoke. Twisted metal and shattered glass littered the streets, while destroyed cars lay overturned, their frames rusted and scorched. The scene was a grotesque masterpiece of destruction, a perfect stage for the chaos to come. Damn... they must have really wanted to go all out for this final contest.
"OK... we can do this. We can do this. Just work as a team—I believe in us," Daniel said, wasting no time showing how much of a leader he was. Admirable.
Delight grinned. "Yes! I believe in us!"
Devin rolled his eyes, arms folded as usual. After a moment, he gave a slight nod. "We're going to win. If you follow my lead, of course."
They all turned their heads toward me, as if waiting for my comment. What was this... a fiction novel? Why did I have to say something?
I cleared my throat. "We'll wipe the floor with our enemies."
Devin burst out laughing. "Yeah, that's the funniest crap you've ever said! Never do that again."
The group erupted in laughter, agreeing with him. My face flushed red, and I quickly turned around, backing the group in embarrassment.
As my back was turned, I happened to see Squad Snow walking past us.
Amanda Doll spotted me first, waving her hand with a grin that was both wide and beautiful. Ever since our fight, she had become strangely friendly from afar, something about proving I was "worthy."
Matthew waved too, his expression warm and genuine, no longer overshadowed by the eerie spirit tied to his ability.
I waved back, a slight grin tugging at my lips.
The rest of Squad Snow strolled behind them. Nathaniel glanced toward our squad, his expression solemn but peaceful.
"OK, folks! It's time for the last event!" the commentator announced, their voice dripping with cruel humor. "The rules are simple: kill forty monsters before time's up. Let's hope you're better at killing monsters than you are at killing yourselves." They giggled, their words met with jeers and cheers from the crowd.
Suddenly, the scene before us filled with smoke. The audience roared in anticipation, the air buzzing with excitement. When the haze cleared, monsters of all shapes and sizes came into view.
They prowled the wreckage freely, grotesque forms illuminated by the dim lighting. Some were massive, towering over the ruins with jagged limbs and gaping maws, while others were small but quick, their eyes glinting with predatory intelligence. A shimmering barrier encased the area, and any monster attempting to escape was met with a violent electrical shock that sent sparks flying.
"Three, two, one—begin!"
The contest began.
Daniel didn't waste a second, motioning for us to follow. We didn't complain—we needed this win.
It didn't take long for a monster to confront us.
Standing tall and grotesque, the beast was unlike anything I'd seen before. Its head was an abomination, covered in spikes that jutted out of every hole on its skull. Slime dripped from its cavernous mouth, pooling on the ground beneath it. Its hollow eyes seemed to bore into our souls, empty yet brimming with malice.
The creature's body was a deformed mass of twisted flesh. A bloated, potbelly jiggled with each heavy step, its surface covered in patches of matted black hair. Long, jagged arms ended in fingers that looked more like claws, and in one of its malformed hands, it gripped a broken club that oozed a dark, tar-like substance.
The monster let out a thunderous roar, the stench of its breath assaulting our senses. We gagged, raising our arms to block our noses.
Daniel raised his whip, the weapon hardening into a gleaming sword. "Let's get it!"
He charged first, striking the beast with precision. The blade cut into its fleshy arm, eliciting a guttural scream.
Simultaneously, Devin leapt into the air, his arm glowing with an iridescent, blinding white light. With incredible force, he struck the monster square in the chest, sending it stumbling backward.
"Great job," Daniel called, grinning.
Devin gave a curt nod, already running forward to continue the assault.
Delight had taken flight, her chimera ability granting her graceful wings. With a powerful flap, she soared higher, notching an arrow into her bow.
"Eyes on me!" she yelled, releasing the arrow. It soared through the air and embedded itself in the monster's shoulder, causing it to howl in rage.
"Flashbang!" Devin roared, activating another glowing attack. The explosion of light and energy left the creature stunned.
I saw my opportunity and sprang into action. Tendrils erupted from me, lashing out like spears. With precision, I drove them into the beast's bloated stomach. The creature staggered, its mutilated form collapsing into a heap.
With one final strike from Daniel, the monster stilled. Its grotesque body twitched before going limp.
We exhaled collectively, exhaustion and adrenaline mixing.
"One down, thirty-nine to go," Devin said, arms crossed with his usual smirk.
I sighed. "Let's get them, I guess."
We began running through the rubble, scanning for our next target. Around us, chaos reigned as other squads battled their own monsters, desperate to pull ahead.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Squad Snow.
Nathaniel stood firm, roots and branches erupting from the ground to ensnare a monstrous beast. It struggled violently, but the restraints held firm.
Matthew stepped forward, his threads gleaming as he directed them with precision. In one clean motion, the threads sliced through the monster's neck. Its head rolled away, blood spurting like a fountain as the body crumpled.
My eyes widened. What kind of power did Matthew wield?
I couldn't dwell on it. We had our own fight to win.
Ahead of us, another monster appeared.
This one was smaller but no less horrifying. Its head was inverted, the mouth positioned where its forehead should be, filled with rows of jagged teeth. Its scaled body glistened with a sickly green sheen, and its grotesque tail whipped back and forth, creating deep grooves in the rubble. The creature's claws, though broken and worn, looked capable of ripping through solid steel. Its blood-red eyes locked onto us, and it let out a deafening roar that sent debris flying.
Daniel smirked. "Let's get this done and over with."