Thirty minutes had passed since the start of the exam. It was enough time for all the team members to get to know each other better.
We were heading toward the center of the forest. Luckily, the vegetation wasn't too dense, so finding a path without getting lost was easy.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Seraphina asked, breaking the silence.
"No," I replied flatly.
"What? Then why are we going this way?"
After her question, I took a moment to think, considering how to guide the conversation without revealing too much.
We were on a path I had discreetly chosen, leading the group toward the forest's center—a crucial detail I knew because I had created this exam in the novel. But knowing too much, I couldn't share this information with them.
"Even without absolute certainty that this is the correct path, heading toward the forest's center maximizes our chances of finding clues or signs of the artifact."
"What do you mean by that?" Jenna asked.
"It's a matter of logic. Most search exams place the main objective in a centralized location because it forces participants to explore the entire terrain."
I hoped my explanation would convince Seraphina and the rest of the group of the reasoning behind our direction without raising suspicion about how much I actually knew.
The last thing I wanted was for them to question why I was so confident about where to find the artifact.
After a few minutes of walking, the heavy silence of the forest was suddenly broken by a sharp crack.
The sound of branches snapping under some weight and the faint rustle of stealthy movements around us alerted us to an imminent presence.
Before we could form a plan, sinister creatures emerged from the trees, moving with silent precision.
"Stay alert!" I murmured, positioning myself defensively.
The first thing we noticed were their eyes—small, glowing yellow lights, predatory and fixed on our every movement.
They circled us, still partially hidden by the foliage.
Then, their forms began to reveal themselves.
The monsters had skin covered by hardened plates, with spikes resembling exposed bones protruding from their backs and arms.
"What... are those things?" Jenna whispered, taking a step back.
They looked like a twisted mix of wild animals, with contorted muscles and sharp claws clearly designed for hunting and killing.
Seraphina unsheathed her sword in one fluid motion, the blade reflecting a deadly gleam under the filtered light through the trees.
"They look built to kill... but so are we. Let's end this."
Seraphina seemed as confident as I had imagined.
Jenna backed away slightly, preparing to cast support and healing spells. Maya, murmuring softly, began conjuring elements, ready to unleash her magical attacks.
"They're Scuttlers," Alex said, adjusting his posture and readying his bow.
Scuttlers… weak creatures, but incredibly fast. Alone, someone would have trouble dealing with them. Luckily, our team was well-balanced.
Suddenly, without warning, the monsters lunged, and the battle began.
Moving with the agility granted by my shadows, I launched several attacks, manipulating the surrounding darkness to form tendrils that grabbed and disoriented the creatures.
Seraphina charged forward with her sword, weaving between enemies with lethal precision, while Alex rained down arrows on the monsters I had trapped with my shadows.
Jenna, maintaining a safe distance, cast strengthening spells on us, ensuring we remained in peak fighting condition.
"They're too good," I thought, observing the group's performance.
Even without prior teamwork, their combat coordination was impressive, far too polished for a first encounter.
The battle was under control until, in an instant, a Scuttler leaped toward Maya, who was too focused on casting a fire spell to notice the imminent attack.
Alex reacted quickly, firing an arrow directly at the monster, but it ricocheted off the creature's hardened plates, and it continued its charge.
Everything happened so fast that he didn't have time to enchant his arrows.
"Maya, behind you!" Alex shouted.
At that moment, my heart raced as I saw her defenseless.
Seraphina was already moving, sword in hand, but she was too far to reach the monster in time.
Why had I reacted so instinctively?
This urgency… where had it come from?
Was it just the instinct to protect the group?
I couldn't help but question myself in that brief moment.
Without realizing it, I extended my arm toward the Scuttler, and the shadows around me responded with a fierce impulse.
Black tendrils shot out like lightning, crossing the space between us and reaching the monster mid-air.
With a swift, brutal motion, they coiled around the creature, crushing it before it could touch Maya.
It was a relief to have stopped the monster before it reached her.
But, in a way, the scene was still horrifying.
The creature's blood splattered onto Maya as the tendrils crushed it, causing her to stumble back and fall to the ground.
She looked at me, her face pale, still in shock from what had just happened.
Seraphina sighed at the sight of Maya's frightened expression and cast a critical glance in my direction.
"Evan... did you really have to be so brutal?"
She crossed her arms, analyzing me.
"If you could save her, you didn't have to go that far. Look at her."
My attention shifted back to Maya, who was still breathing heavily, her eyes fixed on the ground as she processed what had just happened.
For a moment, I didn't know how to respond to Seraphina.
I had acted on instinct, not thinking about the aftermath.
Lowering my head slightly, I tried to shake off the weight of the scene.
Jenna, noticing the tense atmosphere, smiled softly and approached Maya, extending a hand to help her up.
"Hey, Maya, are you okay?" Jenna asked gently. "You know, it's not every day you get saved in such… explosive fashion."
Maya managed a shy smile and accepted Jenna's hand, rising slowly. She then turned to me, still a little hesitant but with a glimmer of gratitude in her eyes.
"Thank you, Evan."
Her voice was soft but sincere.
I felt genuinely relieved by the lightness Jenna had brought to the moment.
Alex, standing at a safe distance, joined us, glancing at the defeated monster with a mix of relief and surprise.
"Man, that was insane. Nice work, Evan."
"It was nothing. Let's keep moving."
Without further words, we continued toward the center of the forest.
Even I didn't fully understand what had just happened.
It seemed like my shadows had moved on their own, as though they were alive.
===
As we walked toward the forest's center, a system window suddenly appeared in front of me.
A chill ran down my spine, as if an invisible presence surrounded me, watching my every step.
[System Mission: The Observer in the Shadows]
✦ Mission Description ✦
A shadowy entity of unknown power has appeared in the forest, drawn by your presence and the path you have chosen. It observes, a spectator of the ages, and its attention disturbs the balance around you, bringing omens and unrevealed mysteries.
Primary Objective:
Confront and survive the shadowy entity. Prove your strength and determination before this unknown power.
Rewards:
Victory: Gain a special skill by defeating the entity.
Defeat: Earn 80 System Points as compensation, reflecting the experience and knowledge gained from the battle.
Conditions:
Survival: You must leave this encounter alive, regardless of the result.
As I read each line, a growing weight settled in my chest.
Who was this entity, and what did it want from me?
'I don't remember adding something like this to the story…'
I thought, trying to make sense of it.
'And 80 points? Even for losing? The system is already factoring in the possibility of defeat?'
I had countless questions and no answers.
Worst of all, I couldn't share this information with anyone.
The group moved deeper into the forest, still catching their breath after facing a series of fierce creatures.
But the battle was far from over.
The largest and final beast still stood—a massive creature with scales so dense they reflected the lights of magic around it, almost mocking the attacks.
It roared, its bloodthirsty red eyes locking onto Luna, who was casting a healing spell for Arthur.
Kai charged forward with his gauntlets raised, delivering a direct blow to the creature's side.
The scales cracked under the impact, and the monster stumbled for a moment.
Arthur seized the opportunity, lunging forward with his sword, creating a fissure in the beast's armor.
"Let's finish this!" Arthur shouted, retreating to reassess his next move.
Derek, at a distance, nocked another arrow, preparing to fire.
But the creature, sensing its vulnerability, shifted its focus and charged at him with a deafening roar.
"GRRAAARRRHHH!"
The beast, driven by survival instincts, lunged at the archer, its claws outstretched.
Derek's eyes widened as he tried to react, but the creature was too fast.
Rachel, who had been observing the monster's movements, reacted at the exact moment.
With precise timing, she sprinted toward the creature, channeling her magical energy into her fists.
Her hands glowed with an intense blue aura as she leaped with precision.
With a single, well-placed strike at the weakened point Arthur and Kai had exposed, Rachel sent the monster flying backward.
The creature, stunned, attempted to retaliate, but Rachel remained calm.
Dodging skillfully, she focused even more energy into her right fist, which now radiated brilliantly, and delivered the final blow.
The impact struck the creature's skull, cracking it completely.
With a final cry of agony, the beast collapsed to the ground.
The group stood in silence for a moment, still catching their breath after the intense battle.
Kai let out a loud laugh, clearly impressed by Rachel's strength and precision.
"Hahaha!" Kai exclaimed, smiling as he crossed his arms and looked at Rachel approvingly.
Rachel merely shrugged, still feeling the residual warmth of magical energy in her fists, and let out a discreet sigh as the bluish aura faded.
What seemed like a standard move to her appeared exceptional to the others.
Arthur stepped closer, studying her attentively, almost as if trying to understand her abilities better.
"Rachel, your technique is impressive."
He raised an eyebrow, glancing at Kai.
"It's similar to Kai's combat style, but while he seems more aggressive, your precision is... unique. This magical control in your fists, without gauntlets, is rare to see."
"I just did what was necessary. Nothing worth so much praise," Rachel muttered, avoiding Arthur's gaze.
Yet the comment made her lift her chin slightly. There was something satisfying about seeing respect in the group's eyes.
The group refocused and resumed their walk.
Luna, still catching her breath, approached Rachel, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"You know, it's really rare to find someone who can maintain magical power concentrated in a single point like that."
Rachel raised an eyebrow, intrigued, but kept her tone neutral.
"Just a matter of practice, I guess," she replied, shrugging as if it were nothing special.
Luna chuckled softly.
"Oh, then Kai should've mastered it ages ago! He's fought like this forever..."
She cast a teasing look at Kai, raising her eyebrows.
"Or is he just bad at it?"
Kai, who had been listening closely, burst into exaggerated laughter, pretending to be offended.
"If it's lack of practice, you're a lost cause! Even with your enhancement buffs, I don't feel a thing!" he teased, crossing his arms with a grin.
Luna widened her eyes at his comment.
"What?!" she said, incredulous, before letting out a playful laugh.
"Must be because you're an ogre."
Kai let out a quieter laugh, accepting the jab.
Crossing his arms, he pulled a face at Luna before turning to Rachel with a more serious expression.
"But seriously, that's not just practice. The control you have in your fists... that's something else."
Luna nodded, laughing at Kai's reaction, but her expression turned thoughtful.
"He's right. It's a level of control that demands intense focus."
Rachel gave a small nod, her thoughts hidden behind a calm demeanor.
"It's probably just about focus. The more you dedicate to one type of control, the more natural it becomes."
"Oh, it might be practice, but it's pretty advanced. I know someone who does something similar... but in a different way. He doesn't concentrate energy in small points like you."
'Is she talking about that guy?' Rachel wondered, narrowing her eyes slightly in thought.
"Different how?"
Luna hesitated for a moment, deep in thought, before continuing.
"Well, he molds energy into distinct shapes, almost as if he can materialize it. It's something I've never seen before; his power seems... alive."
Rachel held Luna's gaze for a moment, processing the words. Her suspicions were beginning to take form.
But she masked her thoughts with a light sigh.
"Must've been someone very talented, then," Rachel replied in a calm, almost disinterested tone, storing the information away for later.
Kai laughed, breaking the brief silence.
"Control like that takes training. But Rachel, I think I could learn a thing or two from you, huh?" he teased with a playful grin.
Rachel gave a faint smile in return and nodded slightly.
"Maybe. As long as you can keep up."
Arthur's sharp gaze shifted ahead, where an ancient structure began to emerge from the trees.
His eyes gleamed with a mix of determination and caution.
"All right, team, focus! Looks like we're close."
The group halted their banter, turning their attention to the building ahead.
It was an imposing structure, worn by time, its walls covered in moss and ancient carvings that emerged from the shadows cast by the surrounding trees.
"Author's Note: Image"