The morning sun filtered through the dense canopy above, casting a patchwork of light and shadow across the forest floor. Leon woke to the soft chirping of strange birds and the rustling of leaves. His body felt heavy, weighed down by the exhaustion of the previous day's battle. The Titanic Roarer had been a formidable opponent, but the real challenge was yet to come. Leon knew that in the Origin Games, every victory was just the beginning of the next, harder challenge.
After a brief moment of stretching, he stood and surveyed his surroundings. The Talent Amplifier had given him the edge he needed, but it had only lasted thirty minutes. He could still feel the remnants of the energy surge coursing through his veins, but now he was back to his baseline power—his Cosmic Resonance, which allowed him to manipulate the energy around him, but only with limited effectiveness.
Leon ran a hand through his dark hair, frustrated. He needed more power, more resources, and most importantly, more points. The longer he waited, the more likely it was that the other competitors would get the upper hand. He had to keep moving.
The Titanic Roarer lay in the distance, its massive form now reduced to a motionless heap, its blood slowly soaking into the earth. Around it, the forest had grown eerily quiet, as if the other creatures sensed the fall of one of the forest's apex predators. Leon knew that creatures would soon converge on the carcass, looking for an easy meal. But more importantly, the points he had earned from killing the beast weren't enough to ensure his survival in the long run. He needed to keep earning.
His point score flickered briefly in the corner of his vision, reminding him that survival wasn't the only objective. He needed to climb higher in the rankings—if only to avoid becoming a target. The higher his score, the more dangerous it would be to fall behind. Others would hunt him if they saw a weak link. Leon wasn't about to give them that satisfaction.
Suddenly, a loud roar pierced the air. A deep, guttural sound that seemed to reverberate through the very ground beneath his feet. Leon's pulse quickened. He'd heard that sound before. The Titanic Roarer wasn't the only threat in the area.
Without wasting any time, he activated his Cosmic Resonance, summoning a gust of wind to clear his path through the forest. The trees groaned as the air pressure shifted, and Leon dashed forward, moving with a speed he hadn't thought possible just hours before. His enhanced senses allowed him to track the roar's origin—deep within the forest, where the trees grew even taller, and the shadows seemed to swallow the light.
As Leon ventured deeper into the woods, he spotted movement ahead. Figures. Competitors. Several of them, circling something. His heart skipped a beat. Whatever was going on up ahead, it was important. He needed to be part of it. He couldn't afford to be left behind again.
He slowed his pace as he approached, crouching low to avoid detection. From his vantage point, he could see the gathered competitors. Some were using ranged attacks, others were preparing for melee combat. A large, armored figure stood in the center of the group, its face hidden behind a metal mask, wielding a massive spear. Another figure, a slender woman with silver hair, stood at the edge of the group, her eyes scanning the area carefully.
Leon's eyes narrowed. This wasn't just a battle for survival—it was a competition. These players were not just hunting monsters; they were hunting each other.
One of the competitors, a man with a scar running across his face, shouted orders to the others. "The creature's here! We take it down together, or none of us get through this trial! You know the rules—stick to the plan!"
The creature was close now. Leon could hear its massive footsteps, the ground shaking with each one. His pulse quickened. This was it—the next step in the game. He needed to make a choice: approach the group and fight alongside them, or take advantage of the chaos and strike when they were distracted.
Leon weighed his options quickly. He couldn't afford to get involved in a messy fight, especially if there were too many competitors. But he couldn't just sit back and let others take the glory—and the points. Without hesitation, he chose the latter.
Using his Cosmic Resonance, he manipulated the environment, creating a wall of earth between himself and the group. The players didn't notice him yet, distracted by the massive creature approaching them. But Leon's plan wasn't to fight the creature head-on—he intended to wait for the perfect moment, when the creature was vulnerable, and then strike.
As the creature emerged from the shadows, Leon felt a chill run down his spine. It was massive, easily twenty feet tall, with scales that shimmered like liquid steel. Its eyes glowed a sickly green, and its fangs dripped with venom. It roared again, and the ground seemed to tremble beneath its weight.
The other competitors took action immediately, firing arrows, launching spells, and charging at the creature with weapons drawn. Leon watched carefully. He could tell that they had a plan, but something didn't feel right. There was too much chaos, too much disarray in their approach. They were all fighting for the same goal—points—but it was clear to Leon that the creature wasn't their only opponent.
Using his enhanced senses, Leon scanned the area for anything unusual. That's when he saw it—movement in the trees. More creatures, emerging from the underbrush. It wasn't just the one. The Origin Games had a way of increasing the stakes, and this was no different. The competitors were about to be overwhelmed, and if they weren't careful, they would all fall.
The time for hesitation was over. Leon rushed forward, his mind racing. He needed to act fast. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small, rune-engraved stone—a Focus Stone, a rare item that could temporarily enhance his talent. It was a risk, but he didn't have a choice. He needed to be stronger. With a single motion, he activated the stone, and the familiar surge of energy rushed through his veins.
His senses sharpened to a degree that felt almost unnatural. The world slowed around him, the movements of the creatures and players alike frozen in time for a brief moment. Leon seized the opportunity, using his Cosmic Resonance to manipulate the terrain once more. Massive boulders rose from the ground, crashing down on the creatures and scattering them into the forest. The ground shook beneath their weight as the Focus Stone amplified Leon's power beyond his expectations.
The Titanic Roarer charged at the players, its tusks gleaming in the sunlight, but Leon was faster. With a single motion, he manipulated the earth around it, creating an impenetrable wall of stone to block its path. The beast slammed into the wall, momentarily stunned, before Leon struck.
His energy surged again, and he released a powerful blast of energy directly into the creature's skull, causing it to collapse with a deafening roar. The other competitors froze, turning to Leon in disbelief. He had single-handedly taken down the beast.
The battle wasn't over, though. Leon could feel the presence of more creatures nearby, and the players were starting to turn on him. The points were his for the taking, but he knew that in this game, being the victor didn't mean being safe. It only meant becoming the next target.
Leon's mind raced as the other players began to approach. He had earned the points, but now he had to decide—should he fight, or should he run?