They had no idea what part of the map they were in, how many beasts were left in their region, or whether the simulation would add more stuff as they slowly show their true strengths.
All they knew was they had survived the first wave.
Everly lowered her hand slightly, her arrow fading into small golden sparks as she scanned the now-still clearing.
The massive bear-like beast lay unmoving, its fur still smoking where her solar strike had hit.
Its body had already started to dissolve at the edges, slowly fading into simulation particles as the system processed the takedown.
She turned her attention to her wrist display.
The map was still blurred in parts. They’d have to scout more terrain to unlock visibility.
She tapped the refresh.
A soft beep answered. The fog cleared just a bit—about fifty ters out in every direction.
Still deep in the forest.
Still no open path.
She sighed and looked back at the other girls. "We keep moving."
No one argued.
The lee fighter gave a short nod and stretched one shoulder with a small pop. "As long as it’s not another one of those, I’m good."
The defender didn’t speak, but her stance adjusted, feet squared and ready.
The healer just blinked twice, then softly muttered, "My legs are already sore."
Everly smiled faintly. "We’ve been walking for like... twelve minutes."
"I didn’t say I was dying," the healer mumbled. "Just sore. There’s a difference."
Everly adjusted her stance, half a new arrow forming at her side as she turned to the left. The forest creaked quietly in the breeze, leaves rustling above like they were whispering.
Then, a sound.
Not quiet.
Not rustling.
A deep, wet snort.
Everyone froze.
"Please tell that was your stomach," the lee girl said, dead serious.
"Nope," Everly said.
"Damn."
Another sound—closer this ti.
A low growl, slow and drawn out, echoed through the trees.
Then another.
Then a third.
Then—
"Wait," the healer said softly, eyes wide. "Wasn’t that beast we just fought... the kind that lives alone?"
"Yeah," Everly said slowly.
"So what are the odds," the healer continued, "that we’re about to get completely—"
ROOOAAAAR.
A fresh, bellowing roar tore through the treetops. Leaves dropped. Birds vanished. The girls turned fast, heads snapping toward the ridge behind the clearing.
There, standing just above the slope they’d walked past earlier, was another bear-beast.
Sa kind.
Sa glowing eyes.
But this one was bigger.
More muscular.
And it was not alone.
Three smaller beasts padded into view behind it.
Each of them was smaller than the one they’d just taken down, but still twice the size of a person.
All four beasts stared down at them.
Growling.
Snarling.
Glowing yellow eyes fixed on the team like they’d just kicked over the wrong nest.
"Oh, co on," the lee girl muttered. "We just spent so much ti on one of them, and now there are four more!"
The healer groaned. "This has to be personal."
Everly sighed, raising her hand again. Her arrow flared back to life with a golden shimr. "Great. We ran into the family reunion."
The defender took a step forward, already summoning her barrier again. "New plan?"
"Sa as before," Everly said. "Only this ti, more running. More yelling. Less rcy."
"Love it," the lee girl muttered. "This is what I signed up for."
The healer crouched slightly and activated her support field again. "This is what you signed up for. I was promised study credits and light cardio."
The four beasts roared again, this ti in perfect sync.
Even the forest seed to tremble.
"Okay," Everly said under her breath. "Everyone spread out in a wide formation. Don’t let them corner us."
"Just move," she said, stepping into position.
The lead beast jumped down from the ridge, landing with a heavy crunch that sent a gust of dirt flying.
Then the other three followed fast, sharp, and aggressively.
The new fight had begun.
And this one?
This one was going to be loud.
They didn’t have ti to talk after that.
The fight began with chaos.
The lead beast lunged straight at Everly, forcing her to leap sideways and roll behind a tree.
Her solar arrow sliced upward on reflex, striking one of the smaller beasts in the shoulder mid-charge.
"Left side! It’s circling!" the defender shouted.
"I got it!" Everly replied, already drawing her next arrow.
The lee fighter slamd into one of the younger beasts with a hard shoulder check, dodging a swipe and sliding low to cut at its legs.
"Do these things not believe in waiting their turn?!"
"They’re simulated animals," Everly muttered, lining up her next shot. "They don’t care about fair fights."
"Rude."
The healer didn’t talk—she just moved from cover to cover, spreading her healing field as far as she could.
Green light flickered beneath their feet, keeping bruises from turning into breaks.
Everly ducked another swipe, rolled under a claw, and fired two rapid shots—one at the beast’s wrist, the other at its throat.
They didn’t stop it.
But they slowed it down.
The defender raised her barrier again and took a full charge, letting the impact push her back ten feet before she dug in her heels and forced the shield outward like a bubble.
Everly was impressed.
Not bad.
Not perfect.
But solid.
The lee girl was already bleeding slightly, but she didn’t stop moving. Her blade cut clean through the side of one beast’s leg, forcing it to limp.
"Everly!" she called. "Tag in!"
Everly launched another arrow—this one stronger, hotter, lined with solar flares.
It shot straight into the weakened beast’s neck.
It fell.
One down.
Three to go.
They weren’t out yet.
But they were still standing.
And sotis, in a world like this?
That was enough.
The fight continued—loud, ssy, unpredictable.
And through it all, one thing was clear:
This group?
They didn’t start as a team.
But they were slowly becoming one.
Even if they complained the whole way through.
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