The mountain wind howled sharply through the narrow cliffs as the Great 17 advanced along the ridge. Jagged rocks jutted upward like broken teeth, forcing careful steps, but the energy signatures flickering across the terrain had them all alert.
Kai's Hybrid Vision Eyes remained active, subtly scanning the terrain for movement. He could see every predator's muscles twitch before a step, every sinew preparing to strike—but he kept it invisible to the others. No one suspected that his senses had already surpassed normal human perception.
Victor glanced over at him as they crested a small plateau.
"Stay close to the group," he said, but there was a hint of curiosity in his tone.
Kai simply nodded. He stayed slightly behind, watching.
Aiden, walking ahead, looked toward the far slope. "There's something moving up there. Intermediate," he noted calmly.
Kairo smirked. "Let's see what our quiet friend can do."
Marcus grinned beside him, stretching his arms. "Yeah. Let's see what he's really capable of. You've been hiding something, Kai."
Kai didn't respond. He didn't need to. He had already learned that showing off unnecessarily could draw unwanted attention—even from the Great 17.
The first beast appeared suddenly from behind a jagged rock formation. It was a wolf-like creature with thick gray fur, muscles rippling under its hide. Its red eyes glowed faintly as it stalked toward them.
Victor and Lena immediately prepared for a strike, but Marcus raised a hand.
"Let him go first."
The others glanced at Marcus, then at Kai.
Kai's eyes narrowed. He stepped forward, keeping his movements calm and measured. Hybrid Vision Eyes silently scanned the beast, mapping its weak points and predicting its trajectory.
The wolf lunged. Its claws sliced the air toward him.
Kai sidestepped easily. The sword in his hand cut a precise line across its shoulder. The beast roared in pain, spinning to strike again. Kai stepped inside its movement, slicing across its underbelly.
The wolf faltered, staggering back. Kai followed, striking once more into the gap between its rib plates. The creature let out a strangled howl and collapsed.
Crystal Assimilation activated.
Crystal Absorbed
+50 XP
+21 RP
No one had noticed him activate it. The energy had poured directly into his body without any outward effect.
Victor nodded appreciatively. "Clean execution."
Lena stepped closer. "You've been holding back."
Kai said nothing, simply observing the others as they moved to handle their own opponents.
Next, a serpentine predator with stone-like scales slithered down the slope, moving unnaturally fast. Marcus and Kairo darted forward to intercept it.
Marcus blocked a strike with his blade, then countered with a heavy swing. The beast twisted to avoid him, but Kairo slipped under its movement and stabbed between the armored segments of its scales.
Kai stepped to the side, analyzing. His Hybrid Vision Eyes highlighted the vulnerable areas beneath the scales. Without making it obvious, he struck precisely at the joints. The creature roared in pain and collapsed almost immediately.
Crystal Assimilation activated again.
+50 XP
+23 RP
Marcus glanced at Kai but said nothing. He simply collected his own crystal and continued scanning the cliffs.
A massive shadow fell across the ridge. All seventeen of them turned toward the source.
A horned mountain predator, easily twice the size of any intermediate creature they had faced today, stepped forward. Its thick armor plates reflected the sunlight, and its massive claws could easily tear through stone.
Aiden stepped forward calmly. "This one is mine," he said, drawing his sword.
Victor and Lena moved to flank the creature, ready to intercept if needed.
Marcus and Kairo exchanged a glance. "Time to watch our number one do his thing," Kairo whispered.
Kai stayed in the rear, waiting. Hybrid Vision Eyes traced the creature's movements, calculating angles and predicting attacks.
The predator roared and lunged. Aiden's sword flashed, striking a weak point near its shoulder. The beast swung a claw at him, but he twisted easily, slicing across the armor plates with precision.
The predator staggered. Marcus and Kairo moved in, landing blows to force it backward, but Aiden was already repositioning. Every strike was calculated, every movement efficient.
Kai saw the system flashing beside him.
Battle Participation Reward
+50 XP
+30 RP
He silently absorbed the points. His body felt energized, almost buzzing from the influx. No one noticed.
Another predator leapt down from the cliff above—a scaled lizard with spiked tail and thick armored back. Lena stepped forward to engage it, but Marcus raised a hand.
"Let Kai handle this one."
The others nodded. Marcus grinned. "Let's see if our quiet one can manage multiple fights."
Kai's Hybrid Vision Eyes adjusted automatically. The system fed him multiple battle simulations simultaneously. He could see weak points, muscle tension, and predictive strike paths for every beast in the area.
The lizard lunged toward him. Its tail swung like a pendulum.
Kai rolled to the side, slicing across its flank. The tail cracked against the rock where he had stood. He followed immediately with a precise strike across its shoulder joint. The creature staggered, spinning to strike again, but Kai stepped inside its arc, slashing across the underbelly.
The lizard collapsed.
Crystal Assimilation triggered.
+50 XP
+22 RP
Kai's movements remained calm. The others were watching now, curiosity evident in their eyes. Not fear—just the natural interest of hunters seeing someone handle beasts efficiently without rushing or panicking.
Victor stepped forward. "You really are hiding something."
Kai merely glanced at him, expression neutral.
From the cliffs above, another intermediate-level predator appeared—a bear-like creature with long, jagged claws. Marcus and Kairo moved in first, but the creature pivoted quickly, avoiding the initial strikes.
Kai shifted his stance. Hybrid Vision Eyes calculated angles and points of attack. He moved forward, stepping inside the creature's path, and struck its lower shoulder joint. The predator stumbled, and his blade followed up with a precise strike along the rib gap.
It collapsed moments later. Crystal Assimilation activated again.
+50 XP
+24 RP
Aiden, who had been finishing off his own beast nearby, looked toward Kai. A subtle nod passed between them. Respect, unspoken but clear.
The battle continued across the ridge. Each member of the Great 17 handled their own predator with skill and precision. No one dominated the fights unnecessarily. No one interfered.
Kai moved carefully from one fight to another, never showing the outward signs of absorbing crystal energy. Each time, the Reward Points accumulated silently.
By the time the last beast was felled, the system issued a notification.
High Reward Event Complete
+200 RP Bonus
Kai blinked. The system had rewarded him substantially for coordinating with the Great 17, for fighting efficiently, and for successfully neutralizing each predator without drawing unnecessary attention.
His RP total surged close to the maximum storage limit.
System Interface:
XP: 2,322
Reward Points: 598 RP
Kai let out a slow breath. He hadn't even realized how many beasts they had taken down together.
Marcus wiped his blade clean and looked toward him. "Not bad, quiet one. Not bad at all."
Kairo chuckled. "I thought you were hiding something, and you weren't kidding. That was impressive."
Victor nodded. "You handled those fights without wasting a single strike. And no one noticed you collecting crystals directly either."
Kai shrugged slightly. "Just doing my part."
Lena smiled faintly. "Efficiency is its own skill."
Aiden approached, calm as ever. "You've improved since the last hunts. Keep it up."
Kai simply nodded. Hybrid Vision Eyes deactivated slowly.
The group began their descent toward the academy. The energy signatures from other predators in the higher cliffs faded behind them.
Along the way, the Great 17 exchanged quiet observations about the hunt. No one questioned Kai unnecessarily. No one mocked.
Kai remained focused, storing the Reward Points in the system carefully, knowing that soon he would need to spend them before reaching the storage limit.
As they neared the lower cliffs, the system issued one last notification before the screen disappeared.
High RP Reward Confirmed
+75 RP
Kai's total Reward Points now maxed out at 600 RP.
He smiled faintly. Not for pride. But because the hunt had gone exactly as he intended.
The academy was in sight now. The jagged cliffs faded behind them. Below, the forests stretched in green expanses, and the faint outlines of the city walls were visible on the horizon.
The Great 17 walked together, calm and collected, each aware of the others' strengths.
And somewhere inside him, Kai felt the system's quiet hum—a reminder that more battles, more hunts, and more points