The camp was shrouded in quiet stillness, with the faint flicker of the fire casting shifting shadows across everyone's faces. Rein was quietly organizing his gear when Rayke suddenly interrupted, "Rein, just how much are you hiding? The Shadow Wolf's power and your composure… neither seems like something a mere student would possess."
Rayke's voice was cold, his eyes gleaming with suspicion and dissatisfaction. His challenge was sharp, like a spear aimed directly at Rein's secrets. The rest of the team paused what they were doing, and the tension in the air thickened.
Rein looked up, his gaze calm. "Everyone has their secrets, Rayke. I don't think explaining mine will help us complete the mission."
Rayke scoffed, clearly unsatisfied. "Secrets? Or lies? The Shadow Wolf's power is far beyond what a contract beast in the adolescent stage should have. What is it? Or rather… what are you?"
Ava, sitting nearby, looked conflicted and seemed ready to mediate, but Rein raised a hand to stop her. Rising to his feet, he locked eyes with Rayke and said quietly, "The only thing I can guarantee is that my goal is for all of us to survive this trial."
Rayke refused to back down. "And why should we trust you? Is this team really for our benefit, or just a cover for your own agenda?"
The air seemed to freeze. The Shadow Wolf lay silently nearby, watching the exchange with a faintly amused expression. Through the soul link, it sent Rein an unabashedly mocking thought: "Now this is entertaining. Keep going. Let's see who comes out on top."
Rein took a deep breath, suppressing the anger rising in his chest. "Rayke, you can question me all you like, but the success of this mission affects everyone's lives. Think carefully—conflict won't solve anything."
At that moment, a low rumbling came from the camp's perimeter. The ground trembled slightly, and a sense of danger filled the air. The team immediately entered a defensive stance. The Shadow Wolf sprang up, growling, its pupils flashing with a chilling light.
A massive figure slowly emerged from the darkness—a beast as large as an adolescent lord-tier monster stepped forward, heading straight for the camp.
Rein quickly reacted. "Rayke, take the left flank with the Ironclad Beast. Ava, use the Wind Fox to control its movements. Everyone else, guard the rear."
Rayke gritted his teeth, still visibly upset, but in the face of danger, he chose to follow orders. Summoning his Ironclad Beast, he growled, "I'll take the front. Don't make me regret trusting you!"
In the ensuing battle, Rayke's Ironclad Beast demonstrated immense defensive power, repeatedly blocking the beast's frontal assaults and giving the team much-needed breathing room. Meanwhile, Ava directed the Wind Fox to create wind barriers that disrupted the monster's vision, gradually hindering its movements.
The Shadow Wolf remained at the back, watching as though uninterested. But when Rein sent a brief command through the soul link—"Break its hind leg."—the wolf's eyes gleamed with sudden intensity before it surged forward like a shadowy bolt of lightning.
Its speed caught the beast off guard. With razor-sharp claws, it slashed through the monster's hind leg, eliciting a piercing roar as the creature lost its balance and collapsed. Rein seized the opportunity and quickly commanded the team to encircle it, ultimately subduing the beast.
After the battle, calm returned to the camp. Panting heavily, Rayke looked at Rein with a more complex expression. "You won this fight, but trust isn't something you can earn so easily."
Ava spoke quietly, her voice tinged with concern. "Rein, the Shadow Wolf isn't just obeying you. Its gaze… it looks like it has an ulterior motive."
Rein fell silent, his gaze turning to the Shadow Wolf as a troubling thought crossed his mind. "What does it truly know?"
Meanwhile, the Shadow Wolf turned to Rein and muttered, "Do you think this trust is worth celebrating? It's nothing more than a temporary alliance."
Late at night, Rein stood alone at the edge of the trial grounds, clutching the contract mark tightly. He murmured, "This time, I won't fail. Whether or not you trust me."
In the darkness, a faint glimmer of a familiar Nether Pact Cult sigil flickered, heralding an even greater threat looming on the horizon.