Morning broke through the misty forest, the air damp and fragrant with the scent of greenery. Rein sat atop a large rock, his mind preoccupied with the Nether Pact array he had discovered the night before. Ava and Rick occasionally glanced at him, their eyes filled with doubt and suspicion.
Ava finally broke the silence. "Rein, where were you last night?"
Without answering immediately, Rein looked to the treetops in the distance and replied evenly, "I found some clues, but they're not yet conclusive."
"Clues?" Rayke scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. "We're out here fighting for survival, while you're busy hiding secrets. Is this how trust works in a team?"
Turning to face Rick, Rein's gaze carried a mixture of weariness and resolve. "Trust isn't built on words. It's earned through actions. If you don't want to continue, you can leave."
The tension thickened until Ava's Wind Fox let out a soft call, breaking the silence. Frowning, Ava said, "Arguing won't help. What we need now is a clear plan."
At that moment, the distant howls of beasts echoed through the trees, accompanied by the sound of branches snapping. Rein's expression darkened as he stood abruptly. "They've come sooner than I expected."
The team rushed toward the source of the noise and arrived at what looked like a devastated trial ground. Several students' contract beasts lay injured, their bodies covered in wounds, while a pack of beasts shrouded in black mist wreaked havoc.
"Something's wrong with these beasts," Ava said as she crouched to examine one of the injured contract beasts. Its pupils glinted with a dark light. "They're being controlled by some force."
Rein wasted no words, quickly giving orders. "Rayke, you and your Armored Beast draw their attention. Ava, use Wind Fox's barrier to shield the students. Shadow Wolf and I will take out the enemies."
Rayke snorted. "Don't think I'll just follow your lead." Though he grumbled, he still charged forward as instructed.
Shadow Wolf sneered in a low voice, "It seems your team is far from united, Master."
Rein didn't respond but instead sent tactical commands through their soul link. Though Shadow Wolf remained dissatisfied, it acted swiftly, its black figure darting like lightning through the battlefield, cutting down enemy advances with precision.
"Shadow Wolf's strength… is greater than I thought," Ava murmured, watching its every move with a mix of awe and unease.
Rein noticed her expression and said gravely, "It's not a power I fully control, but it will follow the greater interest."
"The greater interest?" Ava muttered under her breath, her confusion about Rein growing.
During the battle, Rayke gradually realized that Rein's commands were not without merit. While his Titan Beast boasted incredible defensive capabilities, it began to struggle against the shadow-cloaked beasts. However, Rein's tactical arrangements kept the team's movements well-coordinated.
When a massive beast charged toward the students in the rear, Shadow Wolf quickly intercepted it, while Ava used Wind Fox's barrier to shield the retreating students.
"Good teamwork," Rayke admitted reluctantly. "Looks like you're not just relying on brute force from that Shadow Wolf."
Rein didn't respond, merely nodding to signal that the fight must continue. He knew this small-scale crisis was just the tip of the Nether Pact's conspiracy.
After dispatching the last shadowy beast, Rein extracted a black crystal from its body. Strange patterns coursed through the crystal, exuding an ominous energy.
"What is this?" Ava asked, her tone filled with curiosity.
Gazing at the crystal, Rein said softly, "This is a core the Nether Pact uses to control beasts. Through these crystals, they corrupt the beasts' souls and gradually enhance them."
Rayke frowned. "How do you know about this?"
Rein paused briefly before replying, "I gained this knowledge through certain… unique channels. I can't tell you more, but trust me—this is just the beginning."
Ava and Rayke exchanged glances. Though doubt lingered in their minds, they refrained from questioning further.
As the team breathed a sigh of relief, an ear-splitting roar echoed from the distance, accompanied by tremors in the ground. The entire forest seemed to whisper of the disaster looming ahead.
"What was that?" Ava asked nervously.
Shadow Wolf chuckled darkly. "The scent of the Ultimate Beast. It's drawing near."
Rein gripped the crystal tightly, his gaze resolute. "This is the next step in the Nether Pact's plan. We have to stop it."
Ava looked at Rein with a mix of emotions and asked quietly, "Who are you, really? And how do you know so much about all of this?"
Rein fell silent for a moment before replying, "I'm someone who must stop all of this—nothing more."