- Elena POV -

Elena moved swiftly through the undergrowth, her platinum-blond hair catching the streaks of sunlight that filtered between the branches. Every step felt like part of the forest itself—fluid, controlled, deliberate. She had spent years refining this connection with nature, and here, in the Hunt, it paid off.

The ground shook as a scaled beast lunged out from the brush, its claws leaving deep scars in the dirt. Its molten breath hissed as it slammed against the bark of nearby trees, trying to corner her.

Elena didn't flinch. Her hand swept across the ground, summoning roots that coiled beneath the creature's feet. "Snare Bloom!"

The monster roared as thorny vines erupted upward, wrapping its legs in a living snare. Elena surged forward, her body spinning as leaves spiraled around her. "Leaf Dancer!"

She became a streak of green and silver, carving across its chest in a single sweeping slash of natural energy. The beast staggered back, molten saliva splattering uselessly onto the forest floor.

Not giving it time to recover, Elena pressed her palm to the earth, calling upon the roots below. "Root Snap!"

The ground detonated beneath the creature, blasting it off its feet. Its screech cut short as she stepped closer, arm outstretched. A thorn-tipped vine erupted from the soil like a spear. "Vine Fang!"

The strike pierced clean through its neck. The creature's weight collapsed against the earth with a heavy thud, lifeless.

Elena exhaled, steadying her breathing as the vines withdrew. Around her, the forest was quiet again—save for the faint hum of drones above, recording her every move.

'That should earn me some points,' she thought, brushing a strand of hair from her temple. But her expression softened almost immediately. 'Noel… I wonder how you're doing out here…'

Before the thought could linger, a splash of water echoed from deeper in the woods, followed by a familiar flare of azure flame.

Elena's amber eyes widened. She smiled faintly. "Found you."

Elena followed the sounds through the trees, her steps swift and silent. The forest opened into a rocky clearing where chaos unfolded.

Marcus stood at the center, his stance grounded as his voice rang out: "Stoneburst!"

The ground beneath three lunging beasts exploded in jagged fragments, sending them stumbling. Before they could recover, Clara raised her hands, water spiraling into a focused stream. "Tidal Pierce!" The blast shot forward, drilling through the torso of one monster and knocking it flat.

Another lunged toward Marcus's side. He didn't hesitate—his hand ignited with blue fire. "Azure Flare Strike!" The flare punched through the creature's chest, bursting in sparks of azure heat.

Clara darted closer, a ripple of water forming around her arms as she muttered another spell. A shimmering shield of liquid intercepted claws that would've torn into Marcus's back. Their movements were seamless, two halves of the same flow.

Elena didn't waste time. With a flick of her wrist, thick roots erupted from the soil. "Snare Bloom!" They coiled around the legs of the last beast, dragging it down with a strangled roar.

Marcus blinked at the sudden assist but smirked when he spotted her. "About time you showed up!"

"Didn't want to steal your spotlight," Elena shot back, stepping into the clearing.

Clara's face brightened immediately, even as she thrust another stream of water to crush the pinned beast. "Elena!"

The vines snapped tight, holding the monster long enough for Marcus to finish it with a molten lance of fire and earth. The creature fell, smoke rising from its carcass.

The battlefield fell quiet. Elena's amber eyes softened as she took in the two of them together—moving so naturally, so in sync. She couldn't help but feel a flicker of pride.

The three of them moved away from the carcasses, finding a flat stone at the edge of the clearing to sit and catch their breath. Clara used a trickle of water to wash the blood from her arms, while Marcus coaxed a small flame into existence, the glow flickering warmly against their tired faces.

Marcus leaned back on his hands, exhaling loudly. "So, Elena. How's the Hunt treating you this year? You won last time, didn't you?"

Clara tilted her head toward her friend, curiosity lighting her eyes. "That's right. You finished at the top. How's it going now?"

Elena hesitated, brushing dust from her gloves before answering. "Last year… was different."

Her amber eyes softened for a moment as a memory flickered—Noel's calm, steady voice beside her, the way he had stood against a monster far beyond what any of them should have faced. She remembered how he struck the decisive blow, only to step back and let the credit fall on her shoulders. Without him, her victory last year wouldn't have been possible. That secret remained between the two of them, unspoken, but never forgotten.

Out loud, she said only, "I pushed harder than I should have. This year, I'm taking it more lightly."

Marcus arched a brow. "Lightly? That doesn't sound like you."

Elena gave a small, knowing smile. "Don't misunderstand. I'll still aim high. I believe I can place well again. But… I don't feel the need to prove anything this time. Not the same way I did before."

Clara rested her chin on her hand, studying her. "You sound more confident. If this is what you want it to be, you seem happier this way."

"Yes... the change to patriarch has been a big change in my family." Elena admitted, her voice low but steady.

The clearing had grown quiet, the fire crackling low between the three of them. Marcus leaned back against a rock, Clara rested her chin on her knees, and Elena let herself breathe in the stillness. It almost felt normal—like old times at the academy.

Then the ground trembled.

At first it was subtle, a faint vibration under their boots. But it grew, the stones rattling around the fire, roots shuddering as if the earth itself recoiled.

Clara shot to her feet instantly. "What is that?"

Elena's amber eyes swept the treeline, narrowing. "I don't know but it's coming closer."

The trees groaned as something massive forced its way through. Branches snapped like twigs, dirt sprayed into the air—and then it stepped into view.

The creature towered above them, at least eight meters tall. Its body was a twisted fusion of hardened carapace and sinew, each step sinking deep into the soil. Twin tusks jutted from its jaw, dripping with venom that hissed against the ground. Its back was armored with jagged ridges, glowing faintly with molten cracks that pulsed like veins of fire.

Marcus muttered under his breath, eyes wide but steady. "That's… bigger than anything we've seen yet."

"Dune Titan," Clara whispered, her voice tight. "Elite Adept."

The beast raised its head and unleashed a guttural roar that shook the canopy. Birds fled in a frenzy, the echoes bouncing across the mountains like thunder.

Elena's fingers twitched, roots already stirring beneath the earth. "Stay foicus. This isn't like the others."

Marcus pulled his sword free, blue fire coiling along the blade. Clara's hands rose, water gathering in a shimmering sphere at her side.

The Titan's massive claw slammed into the ground, sending a shockwave through the clearing. The fire they had built moments ago snuffed out in an instant.

The three of them stood shoulder to shoulder, eyes locked on the monster.

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