"I don't think so," Daniel replied as he glanced at the Wurak trembling in fear.
He frowned. A corruption beast only fears one thing: a being far more powerful than itself—not just slightly stronger, but with a vast, overwhelming difference in power.
For something to cause a corruption beast at a B rank to tremble like this, it must not only be stronger but also of a much nobler and higher rank.
He began to search through all his memories from the novel and his previous life, analyzing what kind of creature could cause such phenomena.
And then it hit him. Two corruption beasts came to mind—two terrifying entities he would stand no chance against if he were to encounter them now.
What a joke. He wouldn't even be able to fight them and would be killed instantly.
"A seven-star nightmare shouldn't be this impossible, right?" Daniel was slowly beginning to regret participating in this trial.
If it truly was one of those two corruption beasts, every participant in this trial would be brutally massacred.
"I suggest you find your brother. Don't wander alone; you'll definitely die otherwise," Daniel said as he looked at Emma, who was still in shock and disbelief.
He still needed this girl and her brother's blood essence, but he had no time to protect her.
He mounted the Wurak, leaving Emma behind, and headed deeper into the snowy forest.
"..."
"He really left. Even though I don't want to admit it, he's right. I'd better find my idiot brother," she muttered. She was sure her reckless, stubborn brother had also entered this trial.
For the last time, she glanced at the scene before her. The corpses had completely dissolved into black molecules and were slowly vanishing.
Corpses whose killer remained unidentified.
"Wurak, scan the entire visible area. Look for a girl about my age," Daniel said on the other side, now searching for Olivia.
Her importance to him was immense right now. If she died, there would be no way for him to meet the dwarves. Those cunning bastards certainly wouldn't let him into their territories.
"Yes, my lord," Wurak's eyes glowed faintly as it began scanning an area spanning dozens of kilometers.
There were very few humans left, so finding one girl among them shouldn't be too hard.
"My lord, I've found someone. However, her condition is critical—she's only minutes from death."
"Run to her at full speed," Daniel ordered with a frown.
Wurak didn't say another word. Its running speed increased dramatically as it took long strides, each spanning several meters.
Cold winds howled, and small, crystalline snowflakes gently fell to the ground.
Near a ravine, leaning against a tree, was a girl whose body and face were drenched in blood.
Around her lay the corpses of low-level corruption beasts. The blood had dyed the snow, creating an eerily beautiful scene.
"Heh. It's only been a few minutes since the Great Trial started, and I'm already at death's door," Olivia smirked bitterly to herself.
"Am I really going to die? So soon? I haven't even started living yet. I haven't become the strongest yet," she whispered as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
She regretted entering this trial. Barely a few dozen minutes had passed since its start, and she had already ended up in such a dire state.
Even if she somehow survived this, how could she possibly make it through the trial?
"I shouldn't have been so arrogant. It's all because of my foolish pride and stupidity..." Her breathing was labored.
She had entered this trial hoping to surpass the twins and that monster. How foolish she had been to think she could win.
Even in the legends, the previous hero had barely survived the three-star trial with a high risk of death. How could she, a mere girl with some talent, expect to survive?
Her eyes began to close slowly. She saw no hope for survival. Who could possibly save her in such a situation?
"Am I late? No, you're still alive," a sudden burst of laughter made her eyes snap open.
She didn't know why, but that laughter seemed to give her renewed energy—a second chance at life.
"Daniel?" She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Had this boy really come to save her? For a moment, her heartbeat quickened.
"A battle? Hmm, doesn't seem like it. There are no visible wounds," Daniel observed the corruption beast corpses. There were no signs of a fight.
It looked more like they had been crushed under something...?
"The bastard is really examining corpses instead of saving me?" Olivia used the last remnants of her energy to curse at Daniel.
"Oh, sorry," Daniel muttered as he approached her and examined her injuries.
Her bones were crushed, one of her eyes had lost its vision, and her head had a slight gash.
"For a kid, it's impressive you're still alive with such injuries," he remarked as he gestured for Wurak to come over, clearly impressed.
"Thanks...?"
"You'd better not speak," Daniel said, pressing his finger against her lips to stop her from saying more.
To him, it was just a casual gesture, but it caused Olivia to blush.
Daniel took one of Wurak's six blood essences. As soon as one was extracted, Wurak's aura weakened slightly.
Extracting a blood essence from any living creature significantly weakened it. He hated doing this to Wurak, but it was the only way to save Olivia.
Daniel brought the blood essence to Olivia's forehead. As if it were an illusionary object, he pressed it into her head.
As soon as the blood essence entered Olivia's body, her injuries began healing.
Her crushed bones mended themselves visibly, her lost eyesight returned, and the gash on her head closed up.
"This cost me a lot. From now on, you owe me twice," Daniel said, stroking Wurak's head as he addressed Olivia.