Night after the qualification round stayed pretty calm around the academy.
Most students were either knocked out cold in their rooms or still hanging in the common areas talking shit about their fights. A few were locked away sulking over early exits.
The tournament energy hung in the air anyway.
Early next morning the notice hit every board and the academy network.
Elimination Round starts in four days.
Academy needed time to patch the arena, lock the brackets, and let the survivors actually catch their breath.
Four days.
Most of the kids who made it through figured it was rest time.
Aaron read it different.
It was a window.
Sunlight had barely slipped into the dorm when he finished buckling his gear.
Froststeel dagger sat heavy on his hip.
Rei was sprawled across his bed like the world owed him money, arm flung over his face.
"Brother Aaron..." he groaned.
Aaron glanced back, yanking a wrist strap tight. "What?"
"Four days till elimination. Four damn days. You really heading out right now?"
"Yeah."
Rei peeked out from under his arm. "Then why the hell you suiting up like that?"
"Wilderness run."
Rei sat up so fast he almost tumbled off the mattress. "Wilderness? Solo? You serious?"
"Dead serious."
"Bro there are monsters out there. Real ones. Not the weak arena crap." Rei rubbed his eyes hard. "You could get ripped apart."
"That's the point," Aaron said, slinging his bag over one shoulder.
Rei stared at him a long beat, then flopped back down. "I knew it. My best friend is actually mental."
Aaron gave a short laugh. "I'll be back before dinner. Don't touch my snacks."
"If you die out there," Rei yelled as Aaron reached the door, "I'm taking every last copper coin, you cheap bastard."
Aaron shook his head and stepped out.
Hallway was dead quiet this early. Just a couple early risers shuffling toward morning drills, eyes still half-closed.
He headed straight for the city gates.
Steel gates were already groaning open. Hunting teams milled around checking weapons, voices loud and rough. A few rookies looked green around the gills. Veterans stood off to the side smoking and cracking jokes.
Aaron walked through alone.
One old guard with a thick scar across his cheek gave him a once-over. "Solo today, kid? That's ballsy."
Aaron just nodded and kept moving.
"Boars been extra mean lately," the guard called after him. "Watch the flanks."
"Will do."
Past the walls the whole world flipped.
City noise cut off sharp. Tall trees closed in overhead. Ground turned soft and muddy from last night's rain, sucking at his boots with every step. Smell of wet dirt and rotting leaves filled his nose, thick enough to taste.
This was beginner wilderness. Level three to eight monsters. Nothing a careful hunter couldn't handle.
But careless ones? They didn't come back.
Aaron pushed deeper.
First couple hours were small stuff. Mutated wolves that scattered after two quick slashes. A venom lizard that dropped from a branch trying to blindside him. All of it over fast.
No decent drops though.
He kept going.
Then the heavy sounds started.
Crunch. Crunch.
Branches snapping like someone was forcing their way through.
Aaron stopped dead.
Bushes ahead exploded outward.
Ironfang Boar stepped into the open.
Big bastard. Almost two meters of muscle and dark bristly fur. Two curved iron tusks jutting out. Red eyes locked right on him.
It snorted loud, steam curling from its snout.
Then it charged.
Ground shook under its hooves.
Aaron waited till the last heartbeat, slid sideways clean. Dagger flashed out.
Frost line cut across the boar's flank.
The beast roared, skidded, and spun back around even madder.
Aaron clenched his fist and triggered Titan Grip. Power slammed down his arm.
Boar came again, tusks aimed straight at his chest.
This time Aaron stepped straight in and drove the blade deep into its throat.
Cold energy ripped outward.
The Ironfang Boar staggered, legs buckling, before it smashed face-first into the mud.
[Ironfang Boar defeated]
[EXP gained: 180]
Aaron wiped the blade on the coarse fur.
"Not bad."
Then the real hit came.
[Effort Theft Activated]
[Unknown Amplification Factor Applied]
The numbers flooded in silent and massive.
[Level Up!]
[Level 11]
Aaron's breath caught for half a second.
But the system wasn't done.
[Milestone reached: Level 10 surpassed]
[System Evolution Activated]
The interface flickered, darker this time.
[Unknown Amplification Factor Evolved]
Aaron stared at the glowing lines.
No numbers. No limits. Just that same quiet promise the system had given him from the start.
Drops appeared on the ground.
Basic hunter blade. Monster core. Handful of copper coins.
The system reacted instantly.
[Reward Amplification Activated]
[Unknown Enhancement Triggered]
The blade changed right in his grip. Metal went pitch black. Golden runes traced the edge like veins of fire.
[Abyssfang Blade]
Quality: Legendary
Aaron let out a slow breath.
"Shit..."
Big guilds would kill for a weapon like this.
And it came from some random boar in the beginner zone.
Coins multiplied into thousands. Core turned high-grade.
He turned the black blade slowly, feeling the new weight settle in his palm.
"One small drop of effort..." he muttered.
"...gets you thunderous rewards."
Right then a sharp whistle cut the quiet.
Shhhh—
Aaron spun on pure instinct.
Golden arrow tore straight at his head through the trees.
Clang!
He brought the Abyssfang up. Arrow shattered against the black edge.
Silence dropped heavy.
Then he caught it.
A shadow darting fast between the trunks.
Someone was there.
Watching.
And already nocking the next shot.