"If you're reading this, it means I've already perished. The cause of my untimely demise? Utter boredom. Four days of wandering beneath the shadows of colossal beasts, and all we've found are leaves and trees. My soul weeps for the lack of heated combat I've long dreamt of since setting foot in this remote Manaland. I was destined to wage endless battle at the heart of Beast Land… but instead, I was tricked and robbed by heartless people who took advantage of my kindness."
Ayato and Suina watched as their smallest teammate collapsed onto her side, sighing dramatically before she began carving her "final words" into the bark of a fallen tree they'd chosen to rest against.
It had been four days since they embarked on their field training exercise. In all that time, the trio hadn't encountered a single beast. Their journey had devolved into nothing more than a dull cycle of walking and resting, day in and day out.
Yaw-Yan, their newest companion—a local boy from this Manaland—had explained on the first night they met that the reason they hadn't seen any beasts was because they were deep within a place called Safe Valley, where no creature dared tread.
As it turned out, the enormous beast trailing alongside them was driving away all the smaller ones, forcing them to keep their distance from the valley.
The result was a thoroughly disappointing expedition. Worst of all, the time allotted for their training was nearly up, and they had done little more than waste their energy wandering aimlessly.
Even Suina, the ever-optimistic one who had tried again and again to boost morale and find some silver lining in their situation, was starting to grow weary of the endless strolling and the complete lack of action.
Only two days remained before the exercise came to an end. After that, they would return to their academy arc and reunite with their classmates—classmates who, unlike them, had likely experienced something meaningful. The thought left the trio feeling even more disheartened.
Seeing the disheartened looks on his companions' faces, Ayato couldn't help but let out a tired sigh. Their designated field spot was far too quiet. When he asked Yaw-Yan if there was any place nearby where they could find a beast to fight, the tribal boy had told him that the beasts were on the other side of Safe Valley. Unfortunately, that area was outside their assigned zone—and it was likely already occupied by other student teams.
This was the worst. The entire trip had been a complete waste of time and energy. They hadn't even had the chance to use their core weapons against a real beast.
"Amika, don't just plop down there—you'll get bitten by bugs," Suina said as she crouched to help her smaller friend up.
But Amika's body went limp in Suina's arms, her limbs dangling lifelessly as if she had completely given up.
The trio had lost all hope of encountering a real beast. They had to face the reality: their first hands-on experience outside the academy had been a total failure.
"I think we should just tap out and head back to Lincad Ark," Ayato muttered. "We're really just walking in circles at this point."
Amika groaned in disappointment at the suggestion. She didn't want to return empty-handed—but even she had to admit that this zone was a barren wasteland for beast combat. Still, she clenched her fist. Someone was going to pay for tricking them into exchanging field zones. Consequences be damned, she was going to beat those guys black and blue.
Suina let out a long sigh but nodded. Ayato had a point—staying here would accomplish nothing. "At the very least, I want to say goodbye to Yaw-Yan before we leave," she said quietly. "I don't think we'll see him again once we depart."
Ayato and Amika both dropped their shoulders at the thought. The Silao Valley field exercise was a one-time event. After they left Manaland, the Lincad Ark would continue its journey to Oferia, where they would remain and train until they were strong enough to cross the boundaries of the Infant Flow. And once they crossed those boundaries, there was no telling when—or if—they'd ever return to the capital, let alone this small remote Manaland.
So saying goodbye to what might be a once-in-a-lifetime friend was a must. Yaw-Yan's presence had been one of—if not the—best part of their expedition.
Not just because he'd saved their butts by cooking and bringing them food, but also because of the nights they spent sitting around the campfire, telling stories that blew the tribal boy's mind. Those were fun times for the trio.
Especially when they remembered that Yaw-Yan would never be able to experience those things himself. Due to his condition, he couldn't leave the protective bubble of this Manaland. He lacked a sole core, which meant he wasn't protected from the intense mana surges outside the land's Manacore shield.
Sometimes, they felt like it was cruel—telling him stories of things he could never do. But seeing how happy Yaw-Yan looked while listening eased their guilt just a little.
"I'm gonna miss the chocolate," Amika said, making her two companions chuckle.
Ayato and Suina laughed. Despite all the bickering between Amika and Yaw-Yan, it was obvious they'd grown close over the past few days—though Amika would never admit it
"Where is he anyway?" Suina asked. "He's usually here by now when we start strolling."
Ayato and Amika shrugged—they had no idea either.
But then Amika perked up. Her ears twitched, and her eyes scanned the distance. A second later, Ayato and Suina spotted a silhouette approaching. It only took a heartbeat for the trio to recognize who is approaching them.
"YOU'RE LATE, TRIBAL BOY!" Amika shouted with a grin.
Yaw-Yan stopped in front of them, hands on his knees, panting for breath. It wasn't hard to guess he'd run all the way from his tribe's settlement to get here.
"I… I know," he gasped.
The trio exchanged confused glances while waiting for him to catch his breath. Ayato handed him a glass of water, which Yaw-Yan gratefully chugged.
Once he steadied himself, Yaw-Yan finally delivered the news—news he had just learned from the tribe's elders after a troubling issue arose that could affect their survival. But in solving that problem, he had also found a way to help his friends.
"I know where you guys can find a beast to fight right here in Safe Valley."
In an instant, the trio pressed him for more information. Yaw-Yan could practically hear the desperation in their voices.
"Okay, okay! I'll tell you! Just put me down—jeez, you weren't kidding when you said she's strong!"
Ayato and Suina realized they were getting a bit too forceful. Meanwhile, Amika had lifted Yaw-Yan into the air like a ragdoll without even breaking a sweat.
"Amika, please put Yaw-Yan down. He looks uncomfortable," Suina said gently.
Amika blinked, confused, then realized what she was doing and gently set him back on the ground.
Still, the trio couldn't hold back their curiosity.
Yaw-Yan cleared his throat. "When I got back to my tribe, I walked into the middle of an emergency meeting with the chief, the elders, and the hunters. The tribe is facing a crisis that might endanger our survival."
The trio looked at him with concern.
"One of our vital resources for preserving food is on the verge of running out," he continued. "It's the blood of Silao Grande."
The trio's eyes widened at Yaw-yan's words.
"Blood of what? Blood of that!?" Amika shouted, pointing in the direction of Silao Grande with disbelief written all over her face. She looked at Yaw-yan like he had completely lost his mind.
Suina and Ayato slowly turned their heads toward the slumbering giant—and their jaws dropped. The sheer size of the creature was overwhelming. And Yaw-yan's tribe had been casually collecting its blood? They weren't even sure if their Core Weapons could leave so much as a scratch on the mountain-sized beast.
Oblivious to their reactions, Yaw-yan continued, "So apparently, there's this one beast that lives right on top of Silao Grande's back. It's not afraid of the giant because it was born there. It actually needs Silao Grande to survive—since it feeds on its blood."
The trio looked back at Yaw-yan, realization dawning on their faces. From the way he described it, the beast sounded more like a parasite than a predator. It feasted on Silao Grande's blood, and if they were right, the blood Yaw-yan's tribe had been collecting wasn't directly from Silao Grande—it was from that parasite.
"It's been years since my tribe last collected any blood," Yaw-yan explained. "Our reserves are running low. The old chief sent some elders and hunters to slay the bloodsucker and harvest its blood sacs, but when they arrived, they found the beast had not only grown stronger—but had multiplied. They were forced to retreat. None of our hunters were strong enough to take them on"
The trio exchanged looks and nodded in silent agreement. This was the perfect opportunity: a real challenge to hone their combat skills and help a friend.
"Yaw-yan, bro, correct me if I'm wrong," Ayato said, folding his arms, "but… are you asking us to help collect some of that blood for your tribe?"
Yaw-yan's face flushed as he awkwardly scratched his shoulder. "Y-yeah… You guys sound strong, and… we really need that blood. We use it for more than just preserving tribute. I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to use our friendship for something like this."
He bowed deeply, unable to meet their eyes.
Suina stepped forward and gently took his hand. "Yaw-yan, you don't need to apologize. No one's using anyone here. You need the blood for your tribe, and we need combat experience. It's a win-win."
Amika leaned in and poked his chest. "And for your information, we don't just look strong—we are strong. We're gonna wreck those bloodsucking parasites so bad, your great-great-great-grandkids will be swimming in blood reserves." She huffed and crossed her arms with a smug grin.
"Don't worry, Yaw-yan," Ayato added. "We'll thin out their numbers and leave the smaller ones behind so your tribe can continue collecting blood in the future."
Suina and Amika nodded in agreement.
Yaw-yan let out a long sigh of relief, grateful that his friends didn't resent him for asking for help.
Amika turned around, placing one hand on her waist while dramatically pointing at Silao Grande with the other. "Alright, that's our destination—the chill beast's back, here we come!"
"Yeah," Yaw-yan added, "the elders said it won't wake up no matter what—unless it's time for it to change its sleeping spot. And that only happens once every ten years or so."
That bit of information gave the trio a wave of relief. The last thing they wanted was to accidentally wake a mountain-sized beast.
"So what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Amika declared.
Ayato and Suina nodded, and the trio began walking toward Silao Grande.
But they stopped when they noticed Yaw-yan hadn't moved. He just stood there, frozen.
"Oi, tribal boy. Any time of day—preferably now. What are you waiting for?" Amika called back, her hands on her hips.
Yaw-yan's eyes widened at her words. He quickly shook his head, waving his arms.
"N-no! You guys go ahead without me. I'll just slow you down. I don't want to be a burden."
The trio exchanged looks.
"Boi, you ain't gonna weigh us down," Amika scoffed, planting a fist on her chest with a confident smirk. "If you're scared, that's fine. But if you come with us, you'll get your blood faster and you'll get to see us wreck those parasites in action."
"Don't worry, Yaw-yan," Ayato added. "If things get dangerous, it's not just you—we'll all retreat. We're in this together."
Suina nodded at her friends, then smiled warmly at Yaw-yan. "I'm a long-range fighter too, just like you. We can hang back and provide support while Amika and Ayato charge in up front. You won't be alone."
Yaw-yan looked at the trio, all offering him encouragement without judgment. Deep down, he did want to experience fighting a stronger beast. He wanted to grow stronger, too.
With newfound resolve, he nodded—and stepped forward to join them.
Unbeknownst to the four teens heading toward the Silao grande, a pair of eyes watching their movements from afar.
She silently observed them, her gaze shifting to the distant silhouette of Silao Grande… then back to the tribal boy leading the way.
"Her eyes gleamed as memories of their first encounter flickered in her mind."
Noticing the group moving further away, she decided to follow them
End of Chapter 7