By the fourth day of the Hunt, routine had carved itself into Noel's bones. Wake up in a cave, make sure the fire hadn't gone out, and check the pouch for what food was left. Same cycle, same grind. At least it kept things simple.

He leaned back against the rough stone wall, chewing on dried bread while the smoke of last night's fire still lingered in the air. Across from him, Selene stirred awake, brushing strands of short blue hair from her face. She blinked a few times, then gave a sharp inhale, catching him watching.

Her cyan eyes narrowed faintly. "What?"

Noel lifted a hand, pretending innocence. "Nothing. You just don't usually look… this unguarded in the mornings."

A faint crease appeared between her brows, but instead of answering she pulled her knees up, busying herself with her wand. Noel's lips twitched—getting her riled up this early wasn't a bad way to start the day.

He dug into the dimensional pouch, laying out strips of dried meat and a handful of hard biscuits. "Eat. Won't get far on an empty stomach."

Selene took her share wordlessly. For a moment, the only sounds were the crunch of dry rations and the faint whistle of the wind outside the cave.

Finally, Noel broke the silence. "Three days left. If we're aiming for the top, we can't waste time on small fry."

Selene's gaze flicked up, cool and steady. "Elites again then."

Noel smirked, biting into another strip of meat. 'Exactly. The system's been stingy, but every Elite is a step closer. Three more days… enough to make this worth it.'

He dusted off his hands and stood. "Let's move. We're burning daylight."

Selene rose as well, frost curling faintly at her boots as if echoing her focus. Another day, another hunt.

The forest outside the cave was quiet at first, the kind of stillness that made Noel's skin prickle. It didn't last long. Branches cracked in the distance, heavy steps crushing undergrowth as shapes emerged from the treeline.

Six hulking forms—scaled quadrupeds with jagged horns jutting from their brows, their hides shimmering faintly like stone—spread into the clearing. Magma steamed from their nostrils as they snarled.

Selene's voice cut through the air, cold and precise. "Stonehide Drakes. Adept—Elite rank."

Noel drew Revenant Fang, fire already coiling along its edge. "Perfect. I'll take the front."

The first drake lunged, claws gouging into the soil. Noel sidestepped, shadows twisting around his legs as he whispered, "Shadow Step." He reappeared beside its flank, Revenant Fang blazing. "Ignition Surge!"

The blade tore through the creature's scales with a molten hiss, splitting its side. The beast howled, only for Selene to strike—her wand flashing as she conjured a sharp array of icicles. "Ice Spike!" Shards erupted from the ground, pinning its limbs before Noel's follow-up strike ended it.

[You have slain Stonehide Drake (Elite – Adept). You received 0.15%.]

The notification flashed in Noel's vision, quickly drowned by more as they carved through the horde. He baited their charges, Revenant Fang glowing with each strike, while Selene froze wings mid-flap, binding limbs with Cryo Grasp before Noel's fire finished the job.

[You have slain Stonehide Drake (Elite – Adept). You received 0.15%.]

[You have slain Stonehide Drake (Elite – Adept). You received 0.15%.]

[Current Core Progress: 10.43% – Mana Core: Ascendant]

The last corpse hit the ground with a thunderous crash, its scales already cooling to dull gray. Noel exhaled, gripping his sword loosely, sweat clinging to his brow.

Selene straightened, lowering her wand. "Efficient."

Noel wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, smirking faintly. "Not bad for a morning warmup."

The day stretched on in a blur of roars, steel, and frost. Every few hours, another cluster of beasts stumbled into their path—sometimes prowling the ridges, other times crashing straight through the trees as if drawn by the scent of battle.

By noon, Noel had stopped counting the number of kills. His focus stayed sharp, Revenant Fang cutting arcs of fire through scaled hides while Selene locked down stragglers with gravity and ice. Her spells thinned their numbers; his strikes ended them.

[You have slain Ironhide Mauler (Elite – Adept). You received 0.15%.]

[You have slain Blightfang Serpent (Elite – Adept). You received 0.15%.]

[You have slain Ashclaw Basilisk (Elite – Adept). You received 0.15%.]

[Current Core Progress: 13.43% – Mana Core: Ascendant]

The constant notifications almost felt surreal. Noel had been stuck at single-digit progress for weeks, but now—thanks to the Hunt—the numbers climbed faster than he could process. 'The system's actually being generous. Not going to complain. By the end of this, I'll be stronger than ever.'

The last serpent thrashed violently before Selene's Glacial Thrust skewered its skull. Noel finished it with a downward slash, Revenant Fang hissing as it cleaved through bone. Silence followed, the clearing littered with steaming corpses and scorched earth.

Selene lowered her wand, frost melting at her feet. She didn't say anything, but her shoulders rose and fell with each breath, betraying the toll the day had taken.

The drones overhead whirred faintly, capturing every movement, every strike. Noel ignored them. The only thing that mattered was the number sitting in his vision—and the fact that Selene was still beside him, steady as ever.

By the time the sun dipped behind the mountains, painting the sky in bruised purples and reds, they were already heading back toward the cave. Noel led the way, Revenant Fang strapped across his back, the faint sound of Selene's steps following behind.

The hunt was over for today. Tomorrow, it would begin again.

Back in the cave, the routine played out almost the same as the nights before. Noel set a small fire near the wall, the flames licking quietly as strips of dried meat sizzled over a flat stone. The smell filled the cramped space, masking the iron tang of monster blood still clinging faintly to their clothes.

Selene sat cross-legged across from him, wand resting at her side, her cyan eyes reflecting the firelight. She accepted her portion of food without a word at first, eating in silence like always. Only after a few minutes did Noel break it.

"You felt that?" he asked, brows narrowing.

Selene paused mid-bite, then gave a single nod. "Yes. Subtle, but… something shifted."

"Didn't think I imagined it," Noel muttered, leaning back against the stone. His gaze flicked toward the mouth of the cave, where the darkness outside was near absolute. Only the faint buzz of one distant drone betrayed the fact they weren't completely alone.

Selene followed his eyes. "At night, most aren't active. By the fourth day, the patriarchs and matriarchs are focused on daytime results. Only a single watcher remains."

"So they're sleeping," Noel said flatly. "Meaning we get privacy."

Selene gave a faint hum of agreement, finishing the last of her food with neat precision. "Better than constant eyes above."

Noel smirked faintly at that, tossing another twig into the fire. "Guess that's one good thing about this cave."

The quiet stretched, filled only by the pop of the flames and the distant whisper of wind outside. For a brief moment, it almost felt safe.

Then the ground trembled.

It started as a low rumble, faint enough that Noel thought it might be thunder. But the vibrations grew, the stone beneath them shuddering violently. Cracks split the floor, light scattering from the fire as the ground gave way.

"Noel—!" Selene's voice cut short as the cave collapsed beneath them.

The fire snuffed out in an instant, and together they plunged into darkness.

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