Chapter 13: The Temple of Trials
The forest buzzed with an eerie quietness as Caleb and Kayla sat by the remnants of their earlier battle with the S-rank Hydra. The tension of the competition seemed to dissipate as the two began talking, their earlier bond strengthening into a genuine friendship.
"Your wolf is incredible," Kayla said, breaking the silence. She stroked her Phoenix, which was perched beside her, its flames glowing faintly. "How did you end up at the Awakener Academy? I mean, you don't exactly seem like someone who'd be here by chance."
Caleb hesitated, a faint shadow crossing his face. "It's… not really a happy story," he admitted.
Kayla tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "I want to hear it. You saved my life, after all. The least I can do is listen."
Caleb let out a small laugh, though it lacked humor. "Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."
He leaned back against a tree, staring up at the sky as he began. "My parents are good people, but we were dirt poor. My dad worked as a miner, risking his life every day in dungeons to extract mana stones. My mom sewed clothes to make ends meet. They always dreamed of giving me a better life, but when my Awakening came… it wasn't like we had the money to send me to an academy."
Kayla's expression softened. "How did you make it, then?"
"They sold everything they had," Caleb said, his voice tight. "The house, the little land we owned—everything. They bet it all on me, hoping I'd succeed and somehow pull us out of poverty. I didn't have the heart to say no."
Kayla placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes full of empathy. "That must have been so much pressure on you."
"Yeah," Caleb admitted. "But it's also what drives me. I can't let their sacrifice go to waste."
Kayla smiled, though her eyes were distant. "My life was the opposite of yours. My dad is the president of the Awakener Association, a disaster-level hunter. My mom's an SSS-class hunter too. Everything was handed to me on a silver platter. It's funny… I thought I had it all, but when my Awakening happened, I realized how lonely it could be at the top. People don't see you for who you are—they only see your family's name."
Caleb looked at her, surprised. "You're Kayla, the girl who stood up to an S-rank Hydra with an S-rank Phoenix. You're incredible all on your own."
Kayla blinked, then chuckled softly. "Thanks, Caleb. That means a lot."
Their moment was interrupted by a sudden crack in the air. The ground trembled, and a blinding light erupted from a spot deeper in the forest. A swirling, golden gate appeared, its intricate runes glowing ominously.
"What the…?" Kayla said, standing quickly.
Caleb's system immediately activated.
[Alert: Anomaly Detected.]
[Gate Classification: Temple of Trials.]
[Warning: This gate is not like others. It houses the first core of your Dark Wolf.]
"The first core?" Caleb muttered, confused.
The system continued:
[Your Dark Wolf is a disaster-class beast, capable of destroying nations. Its power has been sealed in four great cores scattered across temples. To unleash its full potential, you must recover these cores and prove yourself worthy.]
Kayla waved a hand in front of Caleb's face, snapping him out of his daze. "Why are you spacing out? That gate just appeared, and gates usually take three weeks before they start spewing monsters!"
"This isn't an ordinary gate," Caleb said, his voice firm. "It's something else—a trial, and we need to be ready."
Kayla raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Alright, then. Let's do this."
Caleb grinned. "Wait. Before we dive in, I've got something for you."
He opened his inventory, the glowing interface appearing before him. Among his items was a rare potion he had obtained during a previous raid: Phoenix's Elixir, a potion designed to enhance a beast's attack power, speed, agility, and defense for a limited time.
"What's this?" Kayla asked as he handed her the shimmering vial.
"A little boost for your Phoenix. I got it while raiding a gate before the competition. I figure we're going to need all the firepower we can get."
Kayla hesitated, then smiled. "Thanks, Caleb. You're full of surprises, aren't you?"
Caleb shrugged. "Let's just say I like being prepared."
They stepped toward the gate, its runes pulsating like a heartbeat. The system's voice guided Caleb.
[Inside this temple, there will be five monster waves. Defeating each wave will bring you closer to the core. The final challenge will be a boss monster who will test your worthiness. Be prepared.]
"Ready?" Caleb asked, gripping his daggers tightly.
Kayla nodded, her Phoenix glowing brighter as it consumed the elixir. "Let's show this gate who's boss."
The moment they entered the gate, the air grew heavy, and a strange energy surrounded them. The temple was vast, with towering stone pillars and a glowing sigil on the ground.
As they stepped forward, the first wave began.
[Wave 1: Lesser Flame Hounds (10)]
From the shadows, fiery beasts with glowing red eyes and molten skin emerged, growling hungrily.
"Phoenix, let's light it up!" Kayla shouted.
Her Phoenix launched a barrage of fireballs, incinerating half the pack in an instant. Caleb and his Dark Wolf charged in, using their enhanced speed to dispatch the remaining hounds with precision strikes.
[Wave 1 Complete.]
Before they could catch their breath, the second wave began.
[Wave 2: Stone Golems (8)]
Massive creatures of rock and earth lumbered forward, their footsteps shaking the ground.
Caleb activated Shadow Strike, teleporting behind a golem and targeting the glowing cracks in its structure. Meanwhile, Kayla's Phoenix used its fiery wings to melt the stone enemies, exploiting their weakness.
[Wave 2 Complete.]
The waves grew progressively harder:
Wave 3 brought a swarm of Venomous Sky Serpents, which Caleb took down using his wolf's Eclipse Howl to disorient them mid-flight.
Wave 4 unleashed Undead Knights armed with cursed weapons. Caleb and Kayla fought back-to-back, their synergy growing stronger with each attack.
Finally, the fifth wave appeared.
[Wave 5: Shadow Beasts (5)]
These creatures were faster and more intelligent, blending into the darkness to ambush them. Caleb activated Linked Energy, boosting his reflexes to match their speed, while Kayla used the Phoenix's flames to light up the battlefield.
[Wave 5 Complete.]
As the last shadow beast fell, the sigil on the ground began to glow brighter. A deep, guttural roar echoed through the temple.
[Final Challenge: Gatekeeper of the Core.]
A colossal creature emerged, its form shrouded in black mist. It had four arms, each holding a different weapon, and glowing red eyes that seemed to pierce their very souls.
"This is it," Caleb said, his grip tightening on his daggers.
Kayla nodded, her Phoenix flaring beside her. "Let's finish this."
They charged as one, ready to face the ultimate test.