Chapter 4 – The Weight of Fate

  A dull beep echoed in Nix’s ears. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing the sterile white fabric of the medical tent above him. He groaned, pushing himself upright, stretching his arms before rolling his shoulders. His body ached, but nothing felt off.

  Footsteps approached. Atheris, arms crossed, stood at the edge of his bed.

  “How are you feeling?”

  Nix flexed his fingers, then cracked his neck. “Like I just wasted my time, but at least I got a free nap out of it.”

  Atheris gave a small nod. “Good. Your results came back. You don’t qualify for any enhancement.”

  Nix blinked. “Hah. Thought so.” He swung his legs over the bed and stood, rolling his wrist. “Welp. That was fun. Can I go now?”

  Atheris raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem disappointed.”

  Nix smirked. “Why would I be? I started with nothing, I still have nothing. Thought I’d just try my luck.”

  Atheris studied him for a moment before speaking. “I had a 30% survival rate.”

  Nix tilted his head. “…What?”

  Atheris didn’t explain further. He just walked away.

  Nix let out a low whistle. “Huh. So even the war machine had bad odds once.”

  He stretched once more, popping his back, then strolled out of the medical tent like he had just woken up from a nap.

  As Nix made his way home, the streets were quieter than usual. It was late, and most of the settlement had already settled down for the night. Dim lights flickered from taverns and merchant stalls, the occasional drunk stumbling by, but otherwise, the streets were empty.

  Nix wasn’t frustrated. He wasn’t sad.

  He was thinking.

  The transformation test was just a shortcut. A gamble. He wasn’t the type to rely on luck anyway. He’d never had that privilege.

  So he’d do things the way he always had.

  Step by step.

  By the time he reached his small home, his plan was already forming.

  He walked inside, dropping his bag near the doorway. Granny Laurie sat at the kitchen table, mending an old jacket with her sewing kit. She glanced up, eyes sharp, as if she already knew something was up.

  "You're back late."

  Nix shrugged. “Medical tent.”

  Laurie raised an eyebrow. “You die?”

  Nix smirked. “Nah. They told me I was too healthy. Not mutant material.”

  Laurie snorted. “Tch. Good. No shortcuts.”

  She didn’t ask for details. She didn’t need to. Instead, she nodded toward the kitchen. “Eat first. Then plan your next move.”

  He grinned. She always saw the answer from his face.

  Sitting down, Nix dug into his meal while his mind kept working through the next steps.

  That’s when Vix’s voice chimed in from his tablet.

  "So, you didn’t pass. Big shocker."

  Nix smirked mid-bite. “Wow. Thanks for the emotional support.”

  “Oh, please. Like you ever needed it. I’m just confirming what we already knew.”

  He swallowed his food and leaned back. "So, what’s next?"

  Vix hummed. “Simple. You go with Plan B: Becoming an Adventurer.”

  A display flickered onto his tablet screen, listing the requirements for joining the Adventurer ranks.

  ? Physical Test – Above average strength, endurance, and reflexes.

  ? Weapon Proficiency – Must demonstrate at least 50% combat accuracy.

  ? AI Assistant – Optional, but highly recommended for data processing and battle support.

  ? Herb Knowledge / Chemistry – Must understand basic medicine, poisons, or enhancers.

  ? Beast Taming – Must have at least one trained companion for scouting or combat support.

  Vix’s voice turned smug. "You already qualify. Barely."

  Nix crossed his arms. “Barely?”

  “You pass the physical test easily. Your bow proficiency is good, but you haven’t used it for actual hunting yet. And you have me, so you meet the AI Assistant requirement.”

  Nix leaned forward, tapping his fingers against the table. “That’s three out of five. That means I’m in.”

  "Technically, yes. But if you want to survive out there, you need more than ‘just enough.’"

  Nix smirked. “Then I’ll get better.”

  Vix sighed. “You really never stop, do you?”

  “Nope.”

  Then Vix's voice became oddly serious. "Actually… I think you’ll pass the physical test with the highest score."

  Nix blinked. "Huh? What makes you say that?"

  "Because I haven’t found any recorded public data of a normal human with your kind of strength."

  Nix stared. “…What?”

  “I’ve been analyzing recorded strength tests, weightlifting records, endurance trials, everything publicly available. And based on your personal workout history, you’re beyond the standard measurements for someone your size.”

  Nix frowned. "That doesn’t make sense. I don’t even train with heavy weights."

  "Exactly. That’s what makes it weird. You’ve been working out with basic, homemade equipment your whole life. But if you actually pushed yourself? I think you’d be off the charts."

  Nix scratched his head. "Huh. Never really thought about it. I guess I never needed to use all my strength."

  "Then you better start thinking about it now. Because when you take that test, you’re gonna turn heads."

  Nix let the thought settle.

  Before he could test his bow, he needed to check something first.

  Nix pulled out his tablet and scrolled to the Beginner’s Training Instructions Video.

  The main focus: Mobility & Evasion Training.

  ? Tumbling on all sides – Essential for dodging large monster attacks.

  ? Quick multi-directional leaps – To reposition and evade follow-up strikes.

  ? Front rolls, side rolls, back rolls – Adjusting posture to minimize impact and improve counterattacks.

  ? Footwork Techniques – How to pivot and shift without losing balance.

  ? Weapon Integration – Learning how to dodge while holding a weapon.

  Nix studied every movement.

  Then, he made a decision.

  “I should master dodge rolling first.”

  Vix immediately responded. “That might take a really long time.”

  Nix smirked. “Better to be fully prepared than lose my life. I’m not doing this to throw my life away, I’m doing this to make coins.”

  Vix chuckled. “Now that’s the Nix I know. Alright, do you need me to help you make a better training routine?”

  Nix nodded. “Yeah. Add this after my regular workouts.”

  Vix hummed. “Good call. Also, we’ll need armor. Start searching for scraps with the right shape, shield, armor plates, the heavier, the better.”

  Nix pushed himself up from his chair, stretching. "Then I better start looking now."

  He grabbed a flashlight, slung his bag over his shoulder, and stepped outside.

  Time to scavenge.

  For seven days, Nix worked like a madman.

  Each morning, he’d wake up before dawn, digging through scrap, welding, hammering, and piecing together his training setup.

  He filled bags with dirt, stacking them together into heavy weights.

  He found a massive circular wheel, big enough for two people, and immediately saw potential. Looking around, he spotted a pile of metal bars. His mind clicked.

  This was it.

  For a shield, he didn’t bother with anything fancy. He welded together a bunch of garbage covers, shaping them into something sturdy enough to take a hit.

  Day after day, Granny Laurie would step outside, watching his progress, bringing him food without saying much. She didn’t question what he was doing.

  Nix was too focused to explain.

  By the seventh day, the backyard barely looked like a yard anymore. It was a bizarre mix of contraptions, training obstacles, and makeshift weights. A complete circus of madness.

  But it was his circus.

  That night, completely exhausted, Nix collapsed into bed. But for the first time in a while… he smiled.

  The next morning, Vix’s voice rang in his ears.

  “Rise and shine, genius. You’ve officially turned the backyard into an industrial hazard.”

  Nix groaned, rolling onto his side. “Five more minutes.”

  “Granny Laurie’s already outside. You think she’s waiting just to admire your artistic garbage pile?”

  Nix sighed, forcing himself up. His body ached from the past week of work, but the excitement in his chest overpowered the exhaustion.

  He threw on his usual gear and stepped outside.

  Granny Laurie was already sitting on her chair, sewing kit in hand. She barely glanced up. “So, how’s all this going to work?”

  Nix cracked his neck. “Let’s find out.”

  He walked over to a stack of interconnected dirt-filled bags. Thick, heavy, secured like an armor suit.

  Lifting them up, he strapped them onto his body.

  “This,” he said, adjusting the weight, “is for stamina, speed, and endurance training.”

  Granny Laurie raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

  Nix turned to the big circular wheel. He climbed inside, adjusted his footing, and started running.

  The metal groaned as the wheel slowly started rolling.

  At first, it was awkward. But soon, he found the rhythm.

  One foot forward. Then the next. Keep moving. Control the momentum.

  Fifteen minutes later, he stepped off, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his back.

  “Not bad,” Vix mused. “You sure you’re not actually part beast?”

  Nix wiped his forehead, grabbing his weapon.

  Vix paused.

  “Wait. You should name it.”

  Nix blinked. “Name my weapon?”

  “Yeah. Warriors name their weapons. It’s a tradition.”

  Nix thought for a moment, twirling it in his hand. Then, he smirked.

  “Kindness.”

  Vix went silent.

  Then, a laugh.

  “You’re joking.”

  Nix shrugged. “Now, whenever I beat someone, I can say I did it with Kindness.”

  Vix sighed. “You’re impossible.”

  But she still logged the name into her system.

  Weapon Name: Kindness

  Still wearing the weights, Nix strapped on his makeshift shield, gripped Kindness in its spear form, and stepped into an open space.

  Then, he started moving.

  Front rolls. Side rolls. Back dodges. Quick leaps. He drilled every movement over and over again.

  If he tripped? He got up.

  If he lost balance? He fixed his stance.

  This wasn’t about looking good. This was about survival.

  Granny Laurie, half-watching from her chair, smirked. Without a word, she pulled out her sewing kit and got to work.

  Every now and then, she’d glance up, watching him train, amusement flickering in her eyes.

  Nix didn’t notice.

  He was too focused on the grind.

  Even after hours of brutal training, Nix didn’t rest. He grabbed his gear and headed out.

  He still had traps to check.

  The makeshift snares and pits he had set up were his primary source of meat. They weren’t perfect, but they worked well enough to keep him fed.

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  As he approached the first trap, he spotted movement, a small beast caught in the snare. With a quick, clean motion, he put it down and secured it in his bag.

  He checked the rest. Three successful catches today. Not bad.

  By the time he returned home, the scent of roasting meat filled the air.

  As he sat by the fire, tearing into the fresh meal, he noticed something strange.

  His muscles felt… lighter. The exhaustion from training earlier? Gone. The soreness in his arms? Fading fast.

  “Huh.” He muttered between bites. “I feel… good.”

  Too good.

  Vix’s voice chimed in from the tablet beside him. “I was going to mention it before, but I think it’s finally obvious now.”

  Nix raised an eyebrow. “What is?”

  “Every time you eat meat, your body heals faster. Your fatigue disappears like it never happened.”

  Nix paused mid-chew. He looked at the roasted meat in his hand, then at his arms.

  Now that he thought about it… she was right.

  Back when food was scarce, he rarely ate after training. He’d just sleep through the hunger and push through the pain the next day. But now that he was eating more meat than usual…

  He felt stronger.

  Healthier.

  Faster.

  Vix continued. “I also think your strength is growing.”

  Nix blinked. “What?”

  “It’s been happening gradually, but now that you’re eating more, it’s becoming obvious. You don’t usually eat after working out, so you probably never noticed before.”

  Nix smirked. “Well, food isn’t exactly easy to find. Especially meat.”

  But if this was true… then that meant—

  An idea sparked in his mind.

  “Let’s experiment.”

  Vix hummed. “Oh? Experiment with what?”

  Nix leaned back, staring up at the dark sky, he is about to do something he had never done before, not because he couldn't but because he did not want to become spoiled to a point where his Granny Laurie will end up working hard, but this time he plans to carry all the burden specially now that he had graduated with more time in his hands to set more traps. “Let’s see how much I improve if I focus only on eating meat for a week.”

  Vix paused, then let out a low whistle. “That’s bold. But I like it.”

  “Can you track my progress?”

  “Of course.”

  Her voice grew serious. “If we measure your improvements daily, I can calculate how much your physical abilities enhance under a high-protein, meat-based diet. With enough data, we can create a training plan that maximizes your growth.”

  Nix grinned. “Perfect. That way, we’ll have a goal to reach before I take the Adventurer test.”

  Vix chuckled. “Alright, carnivore. Let’s see what your body is really capable of.”

  With that, Nix finished his meal, already eager for tomorrow’s hunt.

  Because if meat made him stronger…

  Then he was going to make sure he ate like a beast.

  After nearly six weeks of complete isolation, stepping back into the city was like walking into a storm.

  The noise, the crowds, the sheer movement of life, it all came at him at once.

  Merchants yelled over each other, advertising their wares. Kids ran through the streets, laughing, while guards kept watch with bored expressions. Workers hauled supplies, and the occasional beast tamer led a massive creature through the bustling roads.

  Nix winced.

  This is too much.

  For the first time in his life, he appreciated the silence of home.

  Even if it was a trash heap.

  At least there, it was his trash heap.

  He sighed and adjusted the bag on his back, trying to filter out the chaos. But just as he was getting used to it—

  BAM!

  A fist slammed into his stomach out of nowhere.

  The moment Jared’s fist connected with Nix’s stomach, he knew he screwed up.

  His knuckles split open, sending a sharp sting up his arm. He quickly yanked his hand behind his back, trying to hide the injury.

  Jared forced a smirk, acting like nothing happened.

  “It’s been a while since we’ve seen you, Nix.” His voice was casual, but Nix noticed the way his eye twitched. “Just because we all graduated doesn’t mean we should stop getting together, right?”

  His lackeys immediately chimed in.

  “Yeah! We were starting to think you died in a hole somewhere.”

  Nix stared at them.

  Jared’s smirk twitched again.

  That lack of reaction was already frustrating, but before he could think of a way to salvage the situation—

  One of his lackeys panicked.

  “W-We should get going, boss! We have to finish the Adventurer exam process, right?”

  Jared’s eyes widened slightly, but he immediately caught on.

  He coughed into his fist, nodding dramatically.

  “Right! Right! We have no time to waste!” He shot Nix a forced grin. “See you around, trash picker!”

  With that, Jared and his goons turned and sprinted away.

  Nix sighed.

  What an idiot.

  Just as Nix was about to continue on his way

  WHAM.

  Something massive slammed into him, forcing him to take a step back.

  His first instinct was that he had bumped into a wall.

  Then he looked up.

  It wasn’t a wall.

  It was a giant.

  Easily over seven feet tall, broad as a damn mountain, and built like a living fortress.

  At first, Nix assumed it was an old man.

  Everything about him screamed seasoned veteran, the imposing presence, the thick muscle mass, the sheer weight behind his movements.

  Then the giant’s golden eyes widened slightly.

  “Ah, sorry about that.” His voice was deep but surprisingly soft.

  There was no aggression behind it, just genuine apology.

  Nix raised an eyebrow. He had been hit full force by this guy, yet he barely felt a thing.

  The giant studied him for a moment, as if confused.

  “…Huh.”

  Nix narrowed his eyes. “Something wrong?”

  The guy blinked, then chuckled sheepishly.

  “No, it’s just… I thought you’d be stumbling back or something.”

  Nix shrugged. “I’ve been hit harder.”

  The giant chuckled again. “Guess so.”

  With a polite nod, he turned to leave.

  Nix watched him go.

  Something felt off.

  Not in a bad way, but… it was strange.

  Most guys this big were loud, cocky, or arrogant.

  This one?

  Calm. Friendly. Almost too polite.

  Still, he wasn’t about to waste time thinking about it.

  He turned toward the Adventurer Hall.

  The Adventurer Hall was packed.

  Hundreds of applicants filled the waiting area, some nervously fidgeting, others stretching like they were about to fight for their lives.

  Nix approached the registration desk, as he gets closer a flowery smell hit his nose coming from behind the counter, stepping behind a familiar broad-shouldered figure.

  The giant from earlier.

  The lady at the counter adjusted her glasses, looking at the holographic screen displaying his information.

  “Darian Ironhide. Age: 18. Height: 215 cm. Weight: 172 kg. Passed all physical and combat tests. Registered as an official Adventurer.”

  Nix almost tripped over his own feet.

  “…What?”

  His brain shut down.

  EIGHTEEN?!

  His eyes snapped back to Darian, scanning him up and down.

  There was no way.

  This guy looked like he was in his late twenties, maybe even his thirties.

  But eighteen?!

  Darian, as if sensing Nix’s disbelief, glanced over his shoulder.

  “…Problem?”

  Nix rubbed his temples.

  “This world makes no damn sense.”

  Darian chuckled before grabbing his registration and walking away, leaving Nix to process his entire existence.

  The lady at the counter cleared her throat. “Next.”

  Nix stepped forward, still mildly traumatized.

  She scanned him up and down.

  “…You’re registering?”

  Nix raised an eyebrow. “Is that a problem?”

  She shook her head. “No. Just verifying.”

  Nix found the flowery smell is coming from her, but it doesn't seem like anyone else noticed.

  She typed into her console, pulling up a blank entry.

  “Name?”

  “Nix Grimwald.”

  “Age?”

  “Seventeen.”

  “Height?”

  “190 cm.”

  “Weight?”

  “65 kg.”

  The lady blinked.

  Then blinked again.

  She glanced at Nix’s lean frame, then at the numbers on her screen. He look thin and almost mistakenly call guard because he looked like a beggar specially his patchy hair.

  “…Are you sure?”

  Nix shrugged. “I get that reaction a lot.”

  She shook her head and continued. “Your stats will be filled in after testing. Here’s what we have so far.”

  Nix Grimwald – Adventurer Candidate

  Age: 17

  Height: 190 cm

  Weight: 65 kg

  Strength: [Pending]

  Speed: [Pending]

  Endurance: [Pending]

  Stamina: [Pending]

  Weapon Proficiency: [Pending]

  Qualifications: [Pending]

  The lady handed him a small identification card.

  “Take this. It will track your progress on your first quest "Adventurer's Path". Once you complete this test, your stats and qualifications will be updated.”

  Then, she tapped her console again.

  “Earliest available testing date is three months from now.”

  Nix nodded. “That works for me.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “You don’t want something sooner?”

  Nix shook his head. “No rush. Gives me time to prepare.”

  She shrugged and finalized the registration.

  Vix’s voice hummed in his ear.

  “Three months, huh? That’s plenty of time to turn you into a proper monster.”

  Nix rolled the card between his fingers.

  “Then let’s get to work.”

  After leaving the Adventurer Hall, Nix took a detour toward one of the local scrapyards.

  He needed better arrows.

  His current arrows, made entirely of wood, were fine for normal monsters. But if he wanted to hunt properly, he needed something stronger.

  The moment he stepped into the scrapyard, the familiar scent of rust and oil filled his nose. Towering piles of metal scraps, old machinery, and discarded junk surrounded him.

  He moved with purpose, scanning for anything useful.

  After a few minutes, he found what he was looking for.

  Scattered among the junk were broken metal rods, shattered blades, and discarded bolts. Some of them were rusted, but others were still solid.

  Perfect for arrowheads.

  With a makeshift hammer and a few sturdy tools, he began carefully shaping the metal into sharp, aerodynamic tips. They weren’t as refined as professionally crafted arrowheads, but they were strong and deadly.

  Vix hummed from his tablet.

  “Metal-tipped arrows. Efficient.”

  Nix smirked. “Wooden ones are a waste for tougher monsters. Might as well use what’s available.”

  Next, he gathered small metal canisters, similar to discarded fuel filters. They could hold small amounts of gas inside them.

  He carefully hollowed out a few arrows and attached tiny containers of flammable liquid near the tip.

  All he had to do was light them up before firing.

  Fire arrows.

  Vix let out a low whistle.

  “Burning targets alive. You really have no mercy, huh?”

  Nix shrugged. “It’s practical.”

  Rummaging through the junk, he found discarded industrial grease containers.

  A twisted grin formed on his face.

  He took some cotton strips, dipped them in the slick grease, and wrapped them around certain arrows. Once fired, they would spread the slippery substance, making the ground nearly impossible to stand on.

  Vix snickered.

  “Imagine watching a monster slip and fall flat on its ass.”

  Nix chuckled. “If it makes them an easier target, I’m all for it.”

  Next, he turned his attention to something for mobility control.

  He crafted a set of bolo weapons, two weighted metal balls connected by a thin but strong rope.

  When thrown, the bolo would tangle around a target’s legs, forcing them to trip.

  Lastly, he reworked some of his old trap designs.

  ? Spring-loaded spikes hidden in folded metal sheets.

  ? Tripwires with pressure-release mechanisms.

  ? Small caltrops for slowing down enemies.

  These were portable and could be set up in seconds.

  After hours of crafting, Nix stood back, inspecting his work.

  A bundle of improved arrows, ranging from steel-tipped, fire, and grease-covered ones.

  A set of bolos for entangling enemies.

  A few portable traps that could turn the tide of a battle.

  This was his kind of preparation.

  Vix chimed in.

  “You realize you just built an entire hunting arsenal out of garbage, right?”

  Nix grinned, strapping his gear onto his back.

  “It’s only garbage if you don’t know how to use it.”

  With his new gear secured, Nix made his way back to his house.

  The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple.

  As he walked, he mentally mapped out his next steps.

  ? Refine his dodging and agility training.

  ? Increase his stamina and endurance.

  ? Master his longbow and its second form, the spear.

  ? Run more combat drills with his traps and arrows.

  Three months wasn’t a lot of time, but it was enough if he pushed himself hard enough.

  Vix spoke up.

  “So… what’s the plan tomorrow?”

  Nix cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders.

  “First? More dodging drills. Then? We train until my body stops listening to me.”

  Vix laughed.

  “You’re insane.”

  Nix smirked.

  “And it’s gonna pay off.”

  The sun was barely up when Nix grabbed his bow and stepped into the open field near the scrapyard. His arrows were carefully crafted, some tipped with metal for piercing, but today?

  Today was about precision, not lethality.

  He pulled out a set of arrows with dull heads, enough to knock down a target but not kill.

  Vix spoke through his tablet.

  “Hunting birds now? That’s a new challenge.”

  Nix rolled his shoulders, eyes scanning the sky.

  “If I can hit a bird mid-flight, I can hit anything.”

  His goal was simple. Increase his accuracy against fast-moving targets.

  Phase One – Learning to Track Movement

  Nix crouched low, watching the treetops.

  Birds flitted about, darting in unpredictable patterns.

  His first shot? Missed completely.

  Second shot? Grazed a wing.

  Vix chuckled. “I thought you were a natural.”

  Nix didn’t answer. He adjusted.

  ? Instead of reacting, he anticipated.

  ? Instead of focusing on one bird, he watched the flock’s movements.

  He pulled back the bowstring, exhaled.

  Then,

  THWACK!

  The arrow struck a bird’s side. It spiraled down, landing safely on the ground, dazed but unharmed.

  Nix jogged over, checked on it, then let it go.

  Vix whistled. “Alright, now do it again.”

  And so he did.

  For hours, he repeated the process.

  Each shot was smoother, faster, more precise.

  By midday, he was hitting his targets with over 80% accuracy.

  Phase Two – Shooting While Moving

  Hitting a moving target was one thing.

  Shooting while moving? That was a different beast.

  Nix set up a challenge for himself. He marked several trees with scrap metal plates, each painted with a red dot in the center.

  Vix’s voice echoed in his ear.

  “Let’s see if you can handle real combat conditions.”

  The rule was simple:

  ? Keep moving.

  ? No stopping.

  ? Hit every target while running, rolling, and dodging.

  Nix launched into a sprint.

  ? He leaped over a fallen log, loosed an arrow mid-air, direct hit.

  ? He rolled behind cover, fired blind, another hit.

  ? He slid under a rusted pipe, pivoted, and shot, dead center.

  His muscles burned, his breath steady.

  This was real combat training.

  By sunset, he could fire at full speed without breaking rhythm.

  Vix’s tone changed.

  “You’re not just good, Nix. You’re fast. Faster than most soldiers I have data on.”

  Nix wiped sweat from his brow, grinning.

  “Good. Because I still have more to do.”

  He wasn’t just training.

  He was preparing.

  Phase Three – Real life experience.

  Nix was about to call it a day when he saw it.

  A giant white rooster, soaring across the sky like some majestic feathered demon.

  Nix’s instincts kicked in immediately.

  A flying target this big? Perfect practice.

  He drew his bow, carefully adjusting for distance.

  Vix chimed in.

  “Uh, Nix? That’s a big bird.”

  “Bigger target, easier shot.” He smirked.

  He released the arrow. It cut through the air, spiraling toward its target.

  Then,

  SNAP!

  The giant rooster grabbed the arrow mid-air.

  Nix’s jaw dropped.

  The bird examined the arrow, then—CRACK!—snapped it in half like a twig.

  “…Oh, shit.”

  The rooster looking bird with its sharp black eyes locked onto him.

  There was a long silence.

  Then,

  It screamed.

  A deafening, unholy screech that rattled Nix’s bones.

  Vix panicked.

  “RUN!”

  Nix didn’t hesitate. He turned and bolted.

  The rooster dove after him, wings flapping with unnatural speed.

  Nix zigzagged between trees, leaped over logs, rolled under debris.

  But the damn thing was relentless.

  Twenty minutes.

  Twenty whole minutes of running.

  Finally, after slipping down a small cliffside and into a pile of garbage, Nix managed to lose the beast.

  He collapsed against a metal sheet, breathing heavily.

  “That… was crazy.”

  Vix finally spoke, her voice still shaken.

  “Nix… that was a Monster Beast.”

  Nix blinked. “No shit.”

  Vix continued.

  “I don’t know how it got into our territory, but those things are deadly. You’re lucky it didn’t tear you apart.”

  Nix let out a weak laugh. “Lucky isn’t the word I’d use.”

  Then he thought about it.

  If Monster Beasts were creeping into human territory… what else was out there?

  Vix sighed.

  “If my camera could be upgraded, I’d be able to identify them quicker from a safe distance. Sorry it took me so long to recognize it.”

  Nix waved it off. “It’s alright. It’s not a big deal. Just scared the hell out of me.”

  Vix muttered. “I’d call that a big deal.”

  Nix stared up at the sky, watching for any more giant feathered monsters.

  “Next time, I’m bringing explosives.”

  Nix sat against the metal sheet, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Twenty whole minutes of running. He looked up at the sky, making sure the damn thing was really gone.

  Vix's voice broke the silence.

  "I just completed the ID scans... That thing wasn’t a rooster, Nix."

  Nix blinked. “…What?”

  “That was a Stormcrest.”

  Nix narrowed his eyes. “The hell is a Stormcrest?”

  Vix pulled up an image on his tablet. A massive bird, feathers bright white with streaks of red, a crowned head, and razor-sharp talons. It looked even bigger on the screen than it had in real life.

  “Stormcrests are classified as a 2 star Monster Beasts. They’re rare and extremely territorial. Known for their intelligence, reflexes, and the fact that they can tear through steel with their beaks.”

  Nix stared at the screen, unblinking.

  “…So, I shot an arrow at that thing?”

  “Yep.”

  “And it caught it mid-air?”

  “Yep.”

  Nix groaned, tilting his head back. “…I’m an idiot.”

  Vix let out a mock sigh. “We been knew.”

  Nix looked down at his hands.

  He had spent weeks training, hours of archery, dodging, rolling, sprinting, just to run for his life like a rabbit.

  He flexed his fingers. All that training, all that effort… and when the moment came, he still ran.

  Vix picked up on his thoughts.

  “You know… it’d be nice if you could spar with something like that.”

  Nix froze.

  A slow, crazy grin spread across his face.

  Vix’s virtual form suddenly stiffened. “…Nix?”

  Nix tilted his head. “Hey, let’s play with it every day.”

  Vix smacked her virtual forehead.

  “I should have NOT said that.”

  Nix burst out laughing.

  Vix hovered above the tablet. “You’re really making this a mission, huh?”

  Nix smirked. “I’m gonna hit it. Just once. That’s all I need.”

  Vix folded her arms. “And then?”

  Nix grinned. “Then I’ll call my training complete.”

  Vix sighed. “…You really are insane.”

  Nix just stretched, popping his shoulders.

  Tomorrow, the game continued.