The forest trembled as the monsters approached.
From between the tall trees, large white shapes began to emerge one after another. Their heavy paws crushed fallen branches beneath them, and their movements carried a chilling presence that immediately changed the atmosphere of the battlefield.
They were snow wolves.
Each one stood nearly three meters tall, their bodies massive and muscular. Thick white fur covered them from head to tail, but their eyes glowed with a cold, piercing light. Their breath released faint mist into the air, and frost seemed to form wherever their paws touched the ground.
Even the temperature around them seemed to drop.
Jade could feel the cold aura the moment he saw them.
"So these are the monsters that came…" he murmured.
The wolves moved together in a loose formation, their sharp eyes scanning the battlefield for prey. The scent of blood had drawn them here, and the injured participants fighting nearby were perfect targets.
Some of the spectators immediately stepped back.
"Snow wolves…"
"Damn it."
"Those things are dangerous."
Jade understood instantly that staying on the ground would be extremely risky.
Without hesitation, he activated his newly acquired ability.
"Vine Wrath."
A dark tattoo appeared along his arm, the image of the vine controller spreading across his skin like living ink.
Immediately, a vine burst outward from his chest.
Just like before, the vine pierced through his clothes without hurting him. The fabric tore slightly as the plant extended into the open air, twisting like a living rope.
Jade gave a mental command.
"Attach."
The vine shot upward instantly and wrapped tightly around a thick branch high in a nearby tree.
The next moment—
Jade's body was pulled upward.
The vine dragged him quickly off the ground and into the air, lifting him several meters before placing him safely on a large tree branch.
Jade landed lightly and sat down on the thick limb of the tree.
From there, he could see everything.
The battlefield stretched out below him.
Participants were already engaging the snow wolves in brutal combat.
Some charged forward with swords and spears.
Others used strange abilities that created flashes of energy in the air.
The wolves responded with terrifying ferocity.
Their movements were fast despite their massive size.
And their attacks were deadly.
One snow wolf opened its jaws and released several sharp projectiles.
They looked like ice arrows, formed instantly from frozen energy.
The arrows shot forward with incredible speed.
One participant barely managed to dodge.
Another wasn't so lucky.
The ice arrow pierced straight through his chest.
Jade felt his stomach tighten slightly as he watched the man collapse.
The battle was merciless.
From his high position on the tree branch, Jade observed everything carefully.
Some fighters moved beautifully.
Their steps were precise.
Their attacks were controlled.
Others panicked.
Their movements were sloppy.
Those participants died quickly.
Watching the battlefield unfold, Jade began to understand something clearly.
"So this is why the trial is so dangerous…"
Some creatures were simply too strong.
And sometimes the participants were simply too weak.
Survival depended on both strength and skill.
The snow wolves continued attacking.
Their cold aura spread across the forest floor, forming thin layers of frost along the ground.
More ice arrows launched toward the fighters.
But among the participants, one person caught Jade's attention.
A teenage boy with short dark hair.
His movements were incredibly smooth.
His name, Jade later learned, was Henry.
Henry held a sword in his hand and moved with remarkable precision.
When an ice arrow flew toward him, he stepped to the side at exactly the right moment.
Another arrow came from behind.
Henry spun and sliced it apart mid-air.
The fragments shattered into harmless ice dust.
Jade watched carefully.
"That footwork…"
"It's amazing."
Henry seemed to know exactly when to move.
Exactly when to attack.
But despite his skill, there was still a problem.
The snow wolves kept their distance.
They fired ice arrows repeatedly, preventing anyone from getting too close.
Even Henry struggled to approach them.
Then something unexpected happened.
Henry suddenly allowed several ice arrows to strike him.
Jade's eyes widened.
"What is he doing?"
The arrows pierced Henry's body.
But strangely…
Henry didn't collapse.
Instead, he used that moment to rush forward.
His sudden movement allowed him to close the distance between himself and one of the wolves.
His companions cheered.
"He made it!"
"Yes!"
But the snow wolf reacted immediately.
The massive creature stepped back and prepared to attack again.
Henry moved faster.
His sword flashed through the air.
The blade cut across the wolf's throat in a perfect strike.
The snow wolf collapsed.
The other wolves immediately became furious.
Their attacks intensified.
More ice arrows shot across the battlefield.
Participants fell one after another.
But Jade suddenly noticed something even stranger.
Henry's body began changing.
His form twisted.
His bones shifted.
His skin disappeared beneath thick white fur.
Within seconds, Henry had transformed into a snow wolf.
Jade's mouth opened in surprise.
"How did he shapeshift into the creature?"
"I thought we weren't meant to have powers until we became initiated."
The system responded instantly.
"He has acquired shapeshifting data from the creature."
"That is why."
Jade blinked.
"But I didn't ask you."
The system replied calmly.
"You might not have asked."
"But my role is to provide information when necessary so you do not die from curiosity."
Jade thought about that.
Then he asked another question.
"Does that mean you can give me information about any monster so I know how to defeat them?"
The system paused.
Then it replied.
"I am prohibited from doing that."
"I can only provide information when it becomes necessary."
Jade nodded slowly.
He understood.
If the system simply revealed every creature's weakness…
Then the trial would be meaningless.
Everyone would pass easily.
That clearly wasn't the purpose of this place.
The battle below continued.
Henry, now in snow wolf form, fought fiercely against the remaining wolves.
He launched ice arrows of his own now, returning their attacks with equal force.
The battlefield was chaotic.
But slowly, Henry began winning.
One wolf fell.
Then another.
Then another.
Eventually—
Nine snow wolves lay dead.
Only one remained.
But the final wolf was still extremely dangerous.
Even while fighting Henry, it had launched several deadly ice arrows.
Those arrows had killed every one of Henry's companions.
Their bodies now lay scattered across the frozen battlefield.
Henry stood alone.
The last snow wolf stood across from him.
Both of them were breathing heavily.
Both were injured.
Their eyes burned with fury.
Jade watched silently from the tree branch.
"This fight…"
"It's getting serious."
Then he made a decision.
He controlled the vine again.
The plant wrapped around another branch and lowered him toward the ground.
Jade dropped lightly onto the forest floor.
The fight between Henry and the final wolf continued.
They had both stopped using ice arrows now.
Instead, they attacked each other directly.
Claws.
Teeth.
Speed.
It was pure combat.
Jade stepped forward.
He knew exactly which wolf was Henry.
He called out loudly.
"I'll help you kill that snow wolf!"
Henry briefly turned his head.
Jade continued.
"But you must give me all the shards from the wolves you killed."
Henry's attention broke for a moment.
That single moment was enough.
The real snow wolf lunged forward.
Its massive body slammed into Henry and sent him flying through the air.
Henry crashed near Jade.
For a moment he remained in wolf form.
Then his body shifted back into his human shape.
He stood up slowly and looked at Jade.
His expression was cold.
"Try if you can," Henry said.
Without another word, he turned and ran toward a nearby bush.
Then he disappeared inside it.
One of the spectators sighed.
"That kid is tired."
"He doesn't want to fight anymore."
Now only two figures remained in the open battlefield.
Jade.
And the final snow wolf.
The massive creature stared at him with glowing icy eyes.
The cold aura around it grew stronger.
And the forest became very quiet again.