At the entrance to Gloomy Forest, an ancient stone gate loomed in the mist, its weathered look hinting at ages long past. Lucas and his team exchanged a determined glance, donned in their beginner armor, then stepped forward together, disappearing into the foggy depths of the forest.
As they reappeared deep within the dark forest, Lucas squinted to adjust to the dim lighting around them. He spotted several groups of students nearby, nervously standing in small clearings, all tense and alert to the dangers lurking in the shadows.
"Who are those guys?" Jeff whispered, nodding toward two figures to their left.
Lucas followed Jeff's gaze to see two young men in elegant robes strolling casually through the woods, looking completely out of place among the cautious students. They seemed like characters out of a fantasy movie, exuding an aura of mystery.
Emily frowned. "Are they transfer students?"
Curious, Lucas wondered if these students were here from a big city to claim spots at top academies. Unlike everyone else moving carefully, they were relaxed, as if out for a casual stroll.
"Harvey, didn't think you'd stoop to taking the National College Entrance Exam out here," one of them joked. "With your skills, there's no need to compete with these small-town students."
The one called Harvey smirked arrogantly. "I don't care about them. If the competition in the city is too stiff, I'll happily come here and take first place." He shrugged. "Besides, these locals don't belong at top academies anyway."
His friend, Finn, nodded in agreement, sharing a mocking smile with Harvey as they walked deeper into the forest, completely unfazed.
Suddenly, a few cat monsters emerged from the shadows, their eyes glowing a dangerous green as they prepared to pounce!
Jeff smirked, watching. "That'll teach them to be so smug!"
But Harvey barely reacted, just raising a hand to unleash a fiery tornado that scorched the attacking monsters instantly. They fell to the ground, their fur charred, barely alive. Meanwhile, Finn waved his hand, summoning a swirling dust storm that sent the remaining cats flying.
"Hmph, that's all?" Harvey scoffed, glancing at Finn. "Are these the big bad monsters for the National College Entrance Exam? This is too easy." The two of them laughed and continued walking, ignoring the angry glares of the other students around them.
"Those transfer students are insanely strong!" Lucas muttered as he watched them disappear. They had powerful skills and resources, clearly honed through high-level training programs in the big cities.
Emily nodded. "That instant-cast magic is definitely a skill combo—something only elite families in the cities use. They've got an entire skill evolution path set out."
"Unfair," Jeff grumbled. "They're already so strong, and they come here to compete with us? Ridiculous!"
Seeing his friends' frustration, Lucas shook his head. "The top academy spots aren't decided yet. We still have a chance." He summoned two elementals as guards and went back to grinding.
Jeff and Jack watched in amazement. "Hey, Lucas, are you using a summon skill? That's rare! Which skill did you switch out?" Jeff asked.
Lucas gave a faint smile. "Swapped out Fire Blast. " He didn't elaborate, but his friends didn't ask further, used to Lucas's secretive approach to leveling up.
As Harvey and Finn disappeared into the forest, Jeff waved to his friends. "Let's get moving! I'm hoping to catch some of those cat monsters and see what makes them so special."
The group nodded, heading deeper into the woods. While Lucas occasionally checked his phone for progress, his friends were used to it by now—Lucas was a true "game fanatic," after all.
They walked through the forest for over half an hour, when Jeff suddenly whispered, "Strange. We haven't seen any cat monsters yet."
Just as he spoke, his eyes lit up as he spotted one. "Look, a little cat monster! Kinda cute." Jeff quietly crept toward it, hoping to capture it by surprise.
But as he approached, the cat monster opened its eyes, letting out a low growl. Just then, rustling sounds came from above as a shadow darted down from the trees, aiming straight at Jeff!
"Watch out!" Emily and Jack shouted, but it was too late. The cat's sharp claws left a nasty gash across Jeff's chest, and he was thrown back, landing hard on the ground.
"You alright, Jeff?" Emily asked, worried.
Jeff sat up, patting his chest. "Good thing for this armor. Without it, I'd be toast."
Seeing Jeff in trouble, Lucas's Fire Elemental charged forward. But as it closed in, the cat monster leapt onto a tree, thinking it had escaped—until a Rapid Arrow whizzed through the air, striking it in the head.
"Meow!" The small cat monster let out a frightened shriek and tried to flee, only to be hit by a series of Rapid Arrows. It collapsed instantly.
"Lucas, your aim is insane!" Jeff said, clapping him on the shoulder.