the group sprinted toward the eastern part of the forest, the towering trees and dense foliage stretched endlessly before them. Ren glanced around, breaking the silence.
"This forest is massive! Did they design it specifically to make us run out of stamina before the real fighting starts?"
"Probably," Skorn replied, smirking. "Also, is it just me, or does this place scream 'get lost and eaten by a bear?'"
"Focus," Olivia interrupted, though her tone was light. "The announcer said we need to farm points. Monsters might be the best option if we want to make a dent early on."
Ren nodded. "Agreed. Hunting monsters means we're not playing hide-and-seek with the other teams. And let's be real, it's faster than chasing someone around for hours."
"But farming monsters?" Talos chimed in, adjusting his glasses. "Sounds efficient, but if we're unlucky, we might end up facing something too big to handle."
Skorn snorted. "Come on, birdbrain, what's the worst that could happen? A dragon?"
"That's exactly what could happen," Talos muttered, rolling his eyes.
Olivia chuckled. "Alright, let's keep moving. Ren, what do you think?"
Ren smirked. "I think we should pray the monsters aren't as stubborn as you guys. Let's bag a few D-rankers to warm up, then go for the big stuff."
"You make it sound like it's a grocery list," Skorn teased.
"Yup," Ren replied, deadpan. "Step one: grab snacks. Step two: defeat monsters. Step three: win glory and bragging rights. Easy."
Olivia shook her head with a soft laugh as they continued deeper into the forest. "Let's hope it's that simple."
The group trudged through the forest, alert but increasingly frustrated at the lack of monsters.
"Is this a competition or a scenic tour?" Skorn grumbled, kicking a pebble out of his path. "Where's the action? I thought this forest was crawling with beasts!"
Ren snickered. "Maybe they're on their coffee break. Even monsters need to recharge, you know."
"Or," Talos added thoughtfully, "we're scaring them away with all this noise. Between Skorn's stomping and Ren's constant jokes, they probably think a natural disaster's coming."
"Excuse me?" Skorn snapped, glaring. "My steps are assertive, not loud. And what about your random facts? I'm surprised the monsters haven't run just to avoid a lecture."
Olivia sighed, though a smile tugged at her lips. "Focus, guys. We need to find something soon, or we'll lose too much time."
After an hour of searching, they stumbled across a small cliff overlooking the forest.
Ren wiped his forehead, leaning against a tree. "Alright, we're not getting anywhere running in circles. Let's make this our base."
Skorn surveyed the area, nodding. "It's perfect. High ground, easy to spot, and, best of all, no more trees to confuse us."
"Finally, some sense," Olivia agreed. "We can regroup here if we get separated."
Talos tilted his head. "And it gives us a good vantage point. If any team—or monster—passes nearby, we'll see them first."
"Fine," Ren said, shrugging. "Base Cliff it is. Now, let's actually find something to fight, before we turn into the forest's biggest disappointment."
The group split up, each on a mission to make the cliffside their operational base.
Olivia wandered around, examining the terrain. "We'll need somewhere to sleep. Flat ground, maybe some cover…" She paused, pointing to a patch of mossy ground. "This could work!"
Skorn, crouched nearby with a stick, poked at a random pile of dirt. "I'm more interested in where we're cooking. A nice campfire right here, maybe a rock oven…" He smirked at Ren. "Unless you're planning to eat traps for dinner?"
Ren, who was tying some vines between two trees, rolled his eyes. "I'm planning to catch a monster. Unlike you, I don't need a five-star dining experience in the middle of the woods."
Skorn grinned. "I'm sorry, does your genius involve feeding them or scaring them off with your 'innovative' rope mess?"
"It's strategic chaos, thank you," Ren shot back.
Meanwhile, Talos was perched on a rock, nose buried in a thick, dusty tome.
"Talos!" Olivia called out. "What are you doing? Shouldn't you be helping?"
"I am helping," Talos said without looking up. "I'm researching the most effective ways to lure forest creatures. Did you know some Fox species are attracted to shiny objects? Fascinating, really—"
Ren groaned. "Great, so if we wave around your book, we might attract the nerdiest Foxes alive. Good to know."
Skorn laughed, slapping Talos on the back as he walked by. "Don't listen to him. Your encyclopedia will be our secret weapon!"
Talos frowned, finally lowering the book. "Actually, it's more of a—oh, you're mocking me again, aren't you?"
Olivia sighed, shaking her head. "Focus, guys. The monsters won't trap themselves, and we're on a clock!"
Ren smirked, gesturing to his barely started vine trap. "Speak for yourself. This trap is a masterpiece in progress."
Skorn snorted. "Sure it is. Let's just hope the monsters appreciate art."
After about 15 minutes, Ren finished setting up the traps around their base. Each one was carefully placed, rigged to alert them the moment anything—human or monster—entered their perimeter. "There," Ren said, dusting off his hands. "Our base is officially intruder-proof... unless it's Talos walking into one of them."
Skorn, meanwhile, stood proudly in front of a makeshift shelter he'd crafted using his earth element. He shaped sturdy walls out of dirt and stone, topped off with a roof. It wasn't fancy, but it was solid. "What do you think? Home sweet home. Not bad for a guy without a blueprint, huh?"
Olivia returned with an armful of large leaves and a bundle of sticks. "I found these for bedding and the fire," she said cheerfully. She glanced at Skorn's earthy creation and nodded approvingly. "With this roof and some warmth, we'll be comfortable enough to rest."
"Nice teamwork, everyone," Ren said, giving an exaggerated thumbs-up. "We've got traps, a house, and even a pile of sticks. What's next? Painting the walls?"
Talos looked up from his book, unbothered. "Actually, adding color could help camouflage the structure and—"
Skorn cut him off with a laugh. "Relax, Talos. The monsters aren't here to critique our interior design!"
Olivia chuckled as she started arranging the leaves into bedding. "Let's focus on surviving tonight first. Decorations can wait."
Ren smirked. "You guys are lucky to have me. Without my traps, we'd be sitting ducks."
"Without my roof, we'd be sitting in the rain," Skorn countered.
"And without my firewood, we'd be freezing ducks," Olivia added with a grin.
Talos finally closed his book and joined the conversation. "Well, technically, ducks are adept at surviving in cold weather—"
"Talos," Ren interrupted, shaking his head, "you really know how to kill a mood."
Ren stretched his arms and glanced at the others. "Alright, now that we're all set up, how about we go survey the area around our base? Better safe than sorry. You never know what's lurking out there."
Skorn cracked his knuckles, smirking. "You just want an excuse to show off your traps again, don't you?"
"Maybe," Ren admitted, shrugging. "But seriously, we need to make sure nothing nasty is creeping too close. I don't want to wake up with a wild beast staring at me."
Olivia stood up, brushing dirt off her hands. "He has a point. Let's make sure this area is actually safe. If we know what's nearby, we can prepare better."
Talos reluctantly tucked his book away. "Fine. But if we stumble upon something dangerous, I'm blaming Ren for jinxing us."
"Noted," Ren replied with a smirk. "Now, let's go poke the forest and see what growls back."
The group set off cautiously, spreading out slightly as they began exploring the area around their makeshift base. Ren walked at the front, eyes scanning for anything unusual, while Skorn tested the ground for loose soil or signs of tracks. Olivia kept her water magic ready, just in case, and Talos—grumbling quietly—flipped through a mental list of local flora and fauna that might be worth avoiding.
It was quiet—too quiet, if you asked Ren. But for now, that quiet was preferable to the alternative.