Yosef's dagger halted midair, a soft metallic scrape echoing in the tense silence. The rustling from behind grew louder, unmistakable footsteps crouching against the underbrush.

Aston's senses flared. Genevieve and Yosef stiffened as the source of the noise emerged from the treeline. A group of three young men emerged from the forest. One wore a red robe with weather-worn gear, one wore a charcoal-gray cloak with a flying drone circling around him, and one wore a purple cloak and a belt with rolls of scrolls around it.

Their faces were youthful and carried the air of arrogance, their eyes scanning the area with sharp interest.

They hadn't seen the fight, nor the team's beast's evolution, but their gazes locked onto the fallen Earthrend Ravager Boar with greedy intent. The tallest of the tree, with dark, braided hair and strong jawline, was the first to speak. Judging from his cloak, he was a finalist from the Spirit Combat Division. His eyes lit up when he saw the massive beast.

"Whoa," he muttered, eyes widening as he looked at the boar.

The second one, tall and lean with dark goggles pushed up on his forehead. His drone made a beeping sound whenever it stopped and switched direction. "That's a Class-2 beast!" said the Spirit Engineering finalist.

The third boy crouched, squinting at the cracked tusks and glowing wounds, his Enchanter Arts Cloak touching the ground. "You feel that? The spirit pressure's still radiating. It just died."

They looked up. Their eyes passed over Aston's team, then back to the boar. Confusion flickered across their faces. None of them had witnessed the battle itself. The terrain was scorched, dust still settling, but all they saw now was a downed beast… and an opportunity.

The leader turned his gaze toward Aston, a smug smile spreading across his face. "Didn't think anyone would find something this strong out here. Lucky us."

Aston narrowed his eyes. "Lucky you?" he repeated, his tone cold.

The boy gave a careless shrug. "We followed the quake. Figured something must've caused it. Didn't expect someone else would get here first." He stepped closer, casually drawing a dagger as if testing its weight. "But the rules never said anything about not taking someone else's kill."

"You want to steal it?" Genevieve's voice sharpened.

The boy with charcoal clothes grinned slyly. "We're not stealing anything. You haven't tagged it, haven't reported it. There's no claim until it's registered."

The third stepped forward, eyes gleaming with calculation. "We haven't found a suitable target yet. We take this one, and we're in. A guaranteed pass."

Yosef's expression darkened. "You didn't earn this. Don't you think the academy will not know?"

The leader snorted. "Don't need to. All we need is the body. The proof. That's how the game works, isn't it?"

Aston's hand sent to the side, gently gesturing to Mirage to stay ready in the skies.

"You're seriously going to risk a fight?" Aston asked. "Knowing we had taken down this beast?"

The leader's eyes flickered with a malicious glint.

"That's the thing," he said slowly. "You've already spent your strength."

He gave a nod to his teammates. "We're fresh. You're tired."

From the forest emerged a wolf with brown fur. On the drone, a scarab crawled, flashing electricity. A mouse emerged from the hood of the purple-robed youth.

Yosef's mouth curled into a grin. "You think that's enough to swing it?"

"Doesn't matter," the leader replied, with the wolf on his heels. "We don't need to win, just grab what we need and run. A tusk, some core flesh, whatever proves we killed it. The academy won't care who did the hard part. Only who walks in with the prize."

He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a more serious tone.

"So here's the deal. Step back, walk away, and we won't break any bones. Otherwise…"

He cracked his knuckles. The wolf beside him growled.

"We're not leaving empty-handed."

A heavy silence fell.

Aston's eyes glinted, then smiled and glanced at Gray, who was still curled lazily on his shoulder, its tail flicking like a slow metronome.

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Then he looked at the three boys.

"You really shouldn't have said that last part." Aston smirked, flashing a faint glow of danger in his eyes.

"Go!" the leader barked.

Their spirit beasts surged forward simultaneously.

The wolf let out a growl, surging ahead in a brown blur as it kicked up stone and ash, aiming to intercept Genevieve. Sparks burst from the scarab's shell as it leapt into the air, discharging a streak of lightning toward Mirage. The mouse dug down the earth and reappeared behind Yosef, claws flashing for a sneak attack.

Aston's voice cut through the clash like a blade.

"Umbra, Shadowbind! Mirage, Icy Gale! Sling, mist, now!"

In an instant, the battlefield exploded into motion.

Mirage pivoted midair, shimmering like fractured glass. The lightning bolt glanced past it harmlessly. The owl's wings whipped downward, launching a burst of compressed frost straight toward the scarab's trajectory.

Umbra emerged from beneath the boar's fallen shadow. Threads of shadow whipped out like coiling snakes, wrapping around the mouse. It hung in the air mid-pounce, flipping violently before it could reach Yosef.

Sling emitted a poisonous mist in front of Aston's team. The wolf, still inside the mist, released hacking sounds from its throat.

Aston's eyes flared as he remembered the letters that emerged due to Nova's analysis during the silence before the attack.

—

[Spirit Beast: Thunderhorn Scarab]

[Type: Insect]

[Attribute: Lightning]

[Genus: Phanaeus]

[Rank: 1-star]

[Potential: 7-star]

[Description: A metallic-shelled insect known for the crackling charge that constantly arcs across its long, curved horn. It often rides storms and generates its own electromagnetic fields to disorient enemies and empower allies with charge-based enhancements.]

[Skills:]

[Discharge Bolt: Unleashes a short-range burst of electricity in a direction, damaging and paralyzing enemies for a brief duration. Machines and tools hit may flicker or become unresponsive for a few seconds.]

[Next skill will be unlocked at 3-star]

[Passive Skills:]

[Beetle Magnetism: Generates a field of polarizing static that either attracts or repels metallic weapons and constructs. Can be used defensively to deflect incoming projectiles or offensively pull enemies into a trap.]

[Innate Skills:]

[Volt Skitter: Consumes all of its stored charge and converts it into a sudden burst of speed, allowing the Thunderhorn Scarab to dash in a rapid zigzag pattern. During this movement, it becomes nearly impossible to hit and the friction leaves a trail of scorched sparks.]

[Next skill will be unlocked at 5-star]

—

[Spirit Beast: Ash Dire Wolf]

[Type: Bestial]

[Attribute: Earth]

[Genus: Aenocyon]

[Rank: 2-star]

[Potential: Obsidian Core]

[Description: A wolf with coarse, brown fur that flakes like dried ash when it moves. Jagged black markings run along its legs and spine, resembling veins of obsidian or fossilized magma. Its heavy paws can crack stone beneath its tep and with every leap, it draws it strength from the ground beneath it.]

[Skills:]

[Stonefang Rend: Bites the target with rock-hardened fangs, embedding pulverized stone into the wound. The fragments grind into the target with each movement, damaging it over time.]

[Next skill will be unlocked at 3-star]

[Passive Skills:]

[Terrastalk: The Ash Dire Wolf can move through natural terrain without disturbing the environment. It suppresses its spiritual pressure, allowing it to stalk or flank unknowing enemies. Gains movement speed when in rocky or earthy terrain.]

[Innate Skills:]

[Quakebound Pounce: Leaps toward an enemy with immense force, creating a localized shockwave upon landing. Enemies caught in the radius are knocked down or staggered, and the ground becomes fractured terrain that slows movement. Gains an increased attack boost if leaping from higher ground.]

[Next skill will be unlocked at 5-star]

—

[Spirit Beast: Earthcall Mouse]

[Type: Bestial]

[Attribute: Earth]

[Genus: Apodemus]

[Rank: 2-star]

[Potential: 8-star]

[Description: An unassuming creature with dusky brown fur streaked by faint mineral-like streaks across its back. Its tail ends in a small, shovel-shaped bone plate. Highly attuned to subterranean shifts, it can predict tremors, locate buried minerals, and even manipulate terrain on a small scale.]

[Skills:]

[Gravel Slash: Its claws glow with dull earth energy as it dashes from the ground in a rapid leap. Can shred light armor and cause minor bleeding if used underground.]

[Next skill will be unlocked at 3-star]

[Passive Skills:]

[Earthwalk: The Earthcall Mouse can seamlessly phase into natural terrain: soil, rock, or mud, allowing it to travel between the surface without resistance.]

[Innate Skills:]

[Seismic Pulse: Releases vibrations through the ground to detect nearby movements and terrain weaknesses. Enemies revealed are slightly slowed and easier to target with earth-based skills.]

[Next skill will be unlocked at 5-star]

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