The rain fell harder and harder.
Water dripped from the large leaves of the ancient forest, falling onto the ground that had turned to mud. A thin mist began to creep between the tall tree trunks, making the narrow path feel like a corridor leading to another world.
In the middle of the path stood Aurelia calmly.
Her black cloak lay spread on the wet ground. Her silver hair was now plastered with raindrops, while her golden eyes stared straight at the three men surrounding her.
The air felt heavy.
Lunar energy emanating from Aurelia's body slowly pressed down on the space around them.
The three men exchanged glances.
The tall man with pale gray eyes—who seemed to be their leader—smiled slightly, though his gaze grew a little more serious.
"Interesting," he said softly.
He folded his hands in front of his chest.
"Energy like that… is rarely seen."
Aurelia did not reply.
She simply stood in a ready stance.
The large man behind her stepped forward.
His body was tall and muscular, even larger than most pack Alphas.
As he moved, the muddy ground beneath his feet was pushed hard.
"The first trial," the gray-eyed man said casually.
"If you can't even get past a guardian like him… then the Kings won't need to bother meeting you."
Aurelia tilted her head slightly.
"He's a guardian?"
The man smiled.
"He's the weakest among us."
Aurelia stared at the large man who now stood only a few steps away from her.
She could feel something strange.
The man's energy was not like that of an ordinary wolf.
It was wilder.
Darker.
As if his power came from something that was not part of the pack world.
The large man finally spoke.
His voice was heavy like grinding stones.
"Attack."
Aurelia did not move.
"Why?"
The man grinned widely.
"Because if I start first…"
He lowered his body slightly like a predator ready to pounce.
"…you might not get a chance to stand again."
Silence fell for a moment.
Only the sound of falling rain could be heard.
Then—
The large man moved.
His step struck the ground like lightning.
In one second he was already in front of Aurelia.
His huge fist shot straight toward her face.
Fast.
Strong.
But Aurelia moved faster.
Her body twisted slightly to the side.
The fist only cut through the air.
The ground behind her shattered when the punch hit it.
BOOM.
Mud and small stones flew in all directions.
The large man frowned.
"Fast."
Aurelia was already moving again.
She leaped forward with light movements.
Her small fist struck the man's chest.
A loud crash rang out.
But the man only stepped back one pace.
He laughed lowly.
"Weak."
Aurelia took a slow breath.
She had expected that.
The energy in the man's body was indeed incredibly dense.
But she also felt something else.
His balance was not perfect.
There was a flaw.
The large man attacked again.
This time with two punches at once.
Aurelia leaped backward, dodging the attack with quick movements.
The ground shattered again beneath the man's punches.
The rain made the ground even more slippery.
But Aurelia's movements remained light.
The gray-eyed man watching from the side began to pay closer attention.
"She's not just fast," he murmured.
"She's reading the movements."
One of the other men nodded.
"Lunar instinct."
The fight in the middle of the path grew faster.
The large man continued to attack with brutal strength.
Each of his punches could shatter the ground.
But Aurelia dodged them one by one.
Her movements were like a shadow in the rain.
Finally, the large man growled in frustration.
"Stop running!"
He leaped forward with all his strength.
This time he did not just punch.
He tried to grab Aurelia with both hands.
But that was exactly what Aurelia had been waiting for.
When the man's body was exposed.
Aurelia moved.
She stepped into close range.
Her hand struck the side of the man's neck with incredible speed.
CRACK.
The large man froze for a moment.
His body swayed.
Then Aurelia spun around and struck the man's knee from the side.
The man fell to his knees with a heavy thud.
Mud splashed into the air.
Before he could get up—
Aurelia was already standing behind him.
Her hand gripped the back of his neck.
Lunar energy burst forth.
Great pressure immediately pushed the man's body to the ground.
BOOM.
The large body struck the ground hard.
Rain continued to fall as silence enveloped the forest path.
The gray-eyed man stared at the sight with slightly widened eyes.
The large man who had been so confident now lay on the ground.
Still conscious.
But unable to stand.
Aurelia released her grip.
She stood upright again.
Her breathing remained steady.
"Is that enough?"
She asked calmly.
The gray-eyed man laughed softly.
"More than enough."
He stepped closer.
"It seems the stories about the new Luna are not exaggerated."
He turned to the fallen man.
"Get up."
The large man growled softly but finally stood up as well.
He stared at Aurelia with a different expression now.
No longer dismissive.
But respectful.
The gray-eyed man raised his hand slightly.
"You have passed the first trial."
Aurelia stared at him flatly.
"And now?"
The man pointed north.
The mist there looked thicker.
As if hiding something large behind it.
"Now," he said softly.
"We will take you to the Shadow Land."
A cold wind blew from the direction of the mountains.
The mist moved slowly like a living creature.
Aurelia stared in that direction.
Behind the mist.
The Shadow Kings waited.
But what they did not know.
In the forest far behind them, four other figures were also approaching.
Lucien stopped on top of a large rock.
Cassian appeared beside him.
"The fight is over."
Lucien nodded slowly.
"Aurelia won."
Darius grinned widely.
"I never doubted her."
Alaric stared at the mist to the north.
"That."
The mist in the distance looked far thicker than ordinary mist.
Like a wall separating two worlds.
Lucien spoke softly,
"Shadow Land."
Cassian smiled.
"The place where the Kings hide."
Darius spun his axe on his shoulder.
"Good."
He stared toward the mist with eyes full of excitement.
"It's been a long time since I wanted to meet them."
And that night.
Behind the rain and thickening mist.
The journey toward the heart of the shadow kingdom finally truly began.