The Winged Wolf Queen

First Battle

The Moon Forest had changed.

The cheerful sounds that had filled the woods that morning had vanished. The songs of birds had been replaced by distant howls, crashing trees, and the occasional burst of elemental energy echoing through the valleys.

The trial had entered its next stage.

No longer were students wandering cautiously.

They had become hunters.

Astera moved silently through the dense forest, her emerald eyes constantly scanning her surroundings. She walked with measured steps, avoiding dry leaves and loose branches that could betray her position.

The tiny dragon rested inside her backpack with only its fluffy head peeking out. Its bright golden eyes darted from one direction to another, acting as an extra pair of watchful eyes.

Astera unfolded the handmade map she had been creating since entering the Moon Forest.

She had marked rivers, caves, abandoned ruins, cliffs, hidden trails, and even the territories of several magical beasts she had observed from a distance.

"This forest isn't random," she whispered.

"It has patterns."

Her finger traced a narrow valley between two rocky hills.

"If I were hunting students..."

"...I'd force them through here."

She smiled faintly before rolling the map and placing it back into her bag.

The first rule of survival was simple.

Never fight on your enemy's terms.

---

High above the forest, inside the Observation Hall, dozens of floating crystal screens displayed every participant.

Professors quietly observed each battle.

Some students relied entirely on brute force.

Others displayed extraordinary elemental abilities.

A few had already formed temporary alliances.

Professor Orion crossed his arms.

"The first-years are adapting faster than expected."

Master Kael nodded.

"Some are."

He gestured toward another crystal screen.

"Others won't survive until tomorrow."

On another screen, a frightened first-year attempted to outrun two second-year students.

Within moments...

Water chains wrapped around his legs.

His Moon Token floated away.

A beam of silver light surrounded him as he disappeared from the forest.

"Eliminated."

The magical leaderboard immediately updated.

---

Elsewhere...

Draven Ashfire calmly walked through the forest.

He had already collected several Moon Tokens.

His academy uniform showed almost no signs of battle.

A Fire Pack student approached him cautiously.

"My Prince."

"Word is spreading."

Draven looked at him.

"What word?"

"A first-year has already defeated a senior."

Draven raised an eyebrow.

"Who?"

The student hesitated.

"I think her name is..."

"...Arina Tidewell."

For reasons he couldn't explain...

Draven stopped walking.

That name again.

Arina.

The quiet girl who preferred notebooks over weapons.

The mysterious student whose fighting style didn't resemble any wolf he had ever seen.

His wolf remained completely silent.

Yet...

That strange feeling returned.

Almost as though he had forgotten something important.

Draven looked toward the western side of the forest.

Without another word...

He changed direction.

---

Meanwhile...

Astera reached the entrance of a narrow rocky canyon.

Steep cliffs surrounded both sides.

Only one path led through it.

Perfect.

She carefully examined the area.

Several large boulders rested near the cliff edge.

Strong trees stood close together.

Loose vines hung naturally between them.

She nodded.

"This will work."

The tiny dragon jumped from her backpack and landed beside a pile of stones.

It looked at her curiously.

Astera smiled.

"Time to build."

For nearly half an hour...

She worked without stopping.

Thin metallic cables stretched almost invisibly between trees.

Small crystal sensors disappeared beneath leaves.

Smoke capsules were buried beneath loose soil.

A collapsible net was hidden high among the branches.

She even positioned several reflective crystals to create optical illusions once sunlight struck them.

Everything blended perfectly into nature.

When she finally stepped back...

Nothing looked unusual.

Exactly as she wanted.

---

A sudden breeze swept through the canyon.

The tiny dragon immediately became alert.

Its ears twitched.

It let out a low warning chirp.

Astera's expression became serious.

Someone was approaching.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the narrow pass.

Unlike experienced hunters...

These footsteps carried absolute confidence.

Moments later...

A tall young man stepped into view.

His academy uniform bore the silver-and-brown crest of the Earth Pack.

Judging from the insignia on his sleeve...

He was a third-year student.

The young man looked around before his eyes settled on Astera.

A confident smile spread across his face.

"Well..."

"My luck is improving."

Astera remained calm.

"I'm not sure I'd call it luck."

He laughed.

"So you're Arina Tidewell."

"The mysterious first-year."

"I've heard plenty about you."

Astera said nothing.

The senior folded his arms.

"They say you're clever."

"They also say..."

"...you don't even have a wolf."

His gaze shifted toward the Moon Token hanging from her belt.

"I was hoping to challenge one of the academy stars."

"But I suppose an easy token is still a token."

The tiny dragon growled softly from behind Astera's feet.

The senior frowned.

"What kind of creature is that?"

Astera gently nudged the little dragon behind her boot.

"My travel companion."

"Hm."

"I've never seen one before."

His attention quickly returned to the glowing token.

"I'll make this simple."

"Hand me your token."

"I'll send you back without unnecessary pain."

Astera quietly adjusted the strap of her backpack.

"I'd rather not fight."

The senior smirked.

"That's unfortunate."

"Because I enjoy easy victories."

Without another word...

Golden mana erupted around him.

His body began to transform.

Bones shifted.

Muscles expanded.

Brown fur covered his skin as rocky armor spread across his shoulders and forelegs.

Within seconds...

A massive Earth Wolf stood before her.

Each step shook the ground.

His amber eyes gleamed with confidence.

Astera didn't move.

She couldn't reveal her wings.

She couldn't reveal the mysterious power sleeping inside her.

Everything depended on her mind.

The giant wolf lowered his body.

Preparing to charge.

Astera quietly pressed a hidden switch beneath her bracelet.

A tiny green light blinked once.

The first stage of her plan had begun.

The wolf lunged forward with explosive speed.

Instead of standing her ground...

Astera turned and ran.

The senior burst into laughter.

"So the famous Arina Tidewell is running away!"

His powerful paws crashed against the earth as he chased after her through the narrow canyon.

Astera never looked back.

She knew exactly where she was leading him.

Exactly where every trap she had prepared was waiting.

And just as the giant wolf crossed the first invisible wire hidden beneath the leaves...

A faint metallic click echoed through the silent forest.

The faint metallic sound echoed through the narrow canyon.

The Earth Wolf paid no attention.

His eyes remained fixed on his prey.

Astera continued running, her breathing steady, never once looking over her shoulder.

The giant wolf smirked inwardly.

"She's panicking."

"This will be over in seconds."

He pushed harder, closing the distance between them.

Only five meters remained.

Four.

Three.

He gathered his strength and leaped.

At that exact moment...

Astera slammed her palm against a small crystal attached to her bracelet.

"Activate."

Suddenly, dozens of hidden cables sprang from both sides of the canyon.

The steel wires wrapped tightly around the wolf's front legs.

"What?!"

The wolf crashed heavily into the ground, rolling across the rocky path before finally stopping.

Before he could recover...

Astera pressed another switch.

The large boulders she had balanced earlier began rolling down the slope.

The wolf's eyes widened.

He immediately slammed his paws against the ground.

"Earth Wall!"

Stone pillars burst upward.

The first boulder shattered against the rocky barrier.

The second exploded into countless fragments.

The third forced the barrier backward, creating a cloud of dust.

The senior smiled confidently.

"You almost had me."

"But tricks won't defeat an Earth Pack warrior."

He charged again.

Astera smiled faintly.

"I know."

"This wasn't the real trap."

The wolf frowned.

"What?"

Suddenly...

The crystal sensors hidden beneath the leaves activated.

Brilliant flashes of reflected sunlight filled the canyon.

Every reflective crystal bounced light in different directions.

The wolf instinctively shut his eyes.

For a few precious seconds...

He couldn't see.

Astera used the opportunity to disappear behind a group of trees.

The senior roared angrily.

"Come out!"

His ears twitched.

Footsteps echoed behind him.

He spun.

Nothing.

Another sound came from his left.

He attacked.

Only empty air.

The sounds weren't real.

Tiny sound-amplifying devices hidden around the canyon were creating echoes from every direction.

Astera quietly observed him from above.

"Exactly as planned."

The tiny dragon climbed onto the branch beside her and chirped proudly.

She gently scratched beneath its chin.

"Not yet."

"We're almost finished."

Below them, the Earth Wolf had become frustrated.

He slammed his paws into the ground.

Large stone spikes erupted in every direction.

Several hidden devices were destroyed.

Astera sighed.

"So much for reusing those."

The wolf suddenly looked upward.

"There you are!"

He leaped toward her branch.

Astera immediately fired her grappling cable.

The hook caught another tree.

She swung gracefully across the canyon.

The wolf landed where she had been standing only moments before.

The branch cracked beneath his weight.

He growled.

"Stop running!"

Astera landed safely on another cliff.

"I told you."

"I'm not running."

"I'm guiding you."

The senior froze.

Only then did he realize...

She had deliberately led him into this place.

Every step.

Every turn.

Every movement.

Everything had been planned.

His confident smile disappeared.

Astera pressed one final switch.

A hidden net dropped from the trees.

The wolf slashed through it instantly.

But that was exactly what she expected.

The torn ropes released dozens of small crystal capsules.

They shattered against the ground.

A thick silver mist spread rapidly throughout the canyon.

The wolf inhaled before covering his nose.

Sleeping Mist.

His movements immediately slowed.

"No..."

His vision blurred.

He forced himself forward.

"I..."

"...won't..."

Astera calmly walked toward him.

The wolf gathered every ounce of strength he had left and swung one massive paw.

She stepped aside effortlessly.

The attack struck nothing but empty air.

A second later...

The sleeping mist completely overwhelmed him.

His enormous body collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Silence returned to the canyon.

Astera waited several moments before approaching.

She never underestimated an opponent.

Only after confirming he was unconscious did she kneel beside him.

"I'm sorry."

"But intelligence is strength too."

She gently removed the glowing Moon Token hanging around his neck.

The crystal floated into her hand.

At once, the academy bracelet around the senior's wrist shone brightly.

A pillar of silver light surrounded him.

In an instant...

He disappeared.

Eliminated.

Astera looked down at the two Moon Tokens now resting in her palm.

"My first extra token."

She slipped it carefully into her pouch.

The tiny dragon flew onto her shoulder and rubbed its tiny head against her cheek.

Astera chuckled softly.

"I know."

"We did well."

The little creature proudly puffed out its fluffy chest.

Astera looked around the battlefield.

Several of her inventions had been destroyed.

The smoke capsules were gone.

Most of the steel cables had snapped.

She sighed dramatically.

"You know..."

"Winning battles is expensive."

The dragon tilted its head.

She smiled.

"I'll have to build everything again."

The tiny creature chirped sympathetically.

Astera began collecting the reusable parts while making notes inside her invention journal.

Moon Forest Trial – Battle Report

Opponent: Third-Year Earth Pack Student.

Result: Victory.

Method: Environmental manipulation, misdirection, traps, and controlled movement.

Observation: Earth users rely heavily on direct confrontation. Effective against strength. Vulnerable to psychological pressure and unfamiliar technology.

She paused before adding another line.

Never reveal hidden abilities unless absolutely necessary.

She closed the notebook.

"My wings stay secret."

"And so does everything else."

High above the forest...

Inside the Observation Hall...

Complete silence filled the room.

Every professor had watched the battle from beginning to end.

Professor Orion broke the silence first.

"...Remarkable."

Master Kael slowly nodded.

"She defeated a third-year without transforming."

Professor Selene adjusted her glasses.

"She never relied on brute force."

"She forced her opponent to fight on her terms."

Another professor leaned forward.

"She used the environment as her weapon."

Dean Aurelius continued watching Astera through the crystal screen.

His usually unreadable expression softened into a faint smile.

"Many students believe victory belongs to the strongest."

He folded his hands behind his back.

"But true warriors understand something far more important."

"The battlefield itself can become a weapon."

Professor Orion looked at another screen displaying the rankings.

"The first-year called Arina Tidewell now has two tokens."

Several professors exchanged surprised glances.

"Interesting..."

Far away...

Draven Ashfire had just defeated another opponent when his academy bracelet emitted a soft glow.

The updated rankings appeared before him.

His eyes immediately stopped on one name.

Arina Tidewell — 2 Tokens

A small smile appeared on his face.

"So..."

"You defeated a senior."

His wolf remained strangely silent.

Yet that familiar feeling returned once again.

He looked toward the western side of the forest.

"Who are you... Arina Tidewell?"

Back in the canyon, Astera tightened the straps of her backpack and looked deeper into the Moon Forest.

The trial had only begun.

More powerful opponents were still out there.

The academy stars.

The senior champions.

And perhaps...

Someone who might finally force her to reveal more than just her intelligence.

Without another word, she disappeared into the shadows of the forest, while the tiny dragon happily rode on her shoulder, unaware that this quiet victory was only the beginning of a far greater challenge.