The First Night Hunt
1443 Words
A deep, ancient horn echoed across the Moon Forest.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Its haunting sound rolled through towering trees, mist-covered valleys, hidden rivers, and forgotten ruins.
The Moon Forest Trial had officially begun.
For a heartbeat...
The entire forest remained silent.
Then chaos erupted.
Students scattered in every direction, disappearing into the dense wilderness.
Some sprinted toward the mountains.
Others hid inside caves.
Many immediately climbed trees, hoping to avoid confrontation.
No one wanted to become the first person eliminated.
High above the forest, hundreds of floating crystal screens displayed every participant to the professors gathered inside the Observation Hall.
Dean Aurelius folded his hands behind his back.
"The hunt has begun."
Professor Orion smiled faintly.
"Let's see which students rely on strength..."
"...and which rely on wisdom."
---
Astera stood motionless on the branch of an enormous ancient oak.
The tiny dragon hid beneath her cloak, only its golden eyes peeking out.
She looked across the endless forest.
Students were already fighting.
Far below...
A loud roar shook the trees.
One by one...
Wolves emerged.
For the first time in her life...
Astera witnessed hundreds of werewolves transforming together.
The sight stole her breath.
Fire Pack students transformed into magnificent wolves covered in crimson fur streaked with glowing lava-like markings. Flames danced beneath their paws without burning the earth.
Each step left burning footprints.
Each roar carried blazing heat.
Not far away...
Ocean Pack students transformed into elegant blue-and-silver wolves.
Water rose from nearby rivers, forming whips, shields, spears, and flowing currents around them.
Some healed injured teammates while fighting.
Others used water to trap their opponents.
Across another clearing...
Earth Pack wolves appeared.
Massive.
Powerful.
Brown fur blended with stone-like armor that naturally formed across their shoulders and legs.
With a single stomp...
Walls of rock burst from the ground.
Roots twisted around nearby trees.
The earth itself obeyed them.
Then...
The sky suddenly exploded with powerful winds.
Sky Pack students transformed into silver-white wolves.
Lightning flashed across their fur.
Wind gathered beneath their paws.
They moved so quickly that only blurred afterimages remained.
Branches bent as they passed.
Leaves spiraled into miniature storms.
Astera watched in complete silence.
"So..."
"This is what I've been missing all my life."
There was no jealousy.
Only curiosity.
And a quiet determination.
"One day..."
"I'll discover what my wolf truly looks like."
---
Elsewhere...
A frightened group of first-year students had gathered together.
"There are seven of us."
"We'll be safe."
Before anyone could answer...
Three shadows dropped from the trees.
Second-year students.
Their academy badges gleamed beneath the sunlight.
The leader smiled confidently.
"Hand over your tokens."
"We don't want unnecessary injuries."
One first-year stepped forward.
"We'll never surrender."
The senior sighed.
"So be it."
Flames erupted around him.
Within seconds, all three seniors transformed into enormous wolves.
The first-years transformed as well.
Fire collided with water.
Stone walls shattered beneath blazing claws.
Wind blades sliced through tree trunks.
The forest trembled beneath the clash of elemental powers.
Yet...
Experience decided the battle.
The seniors anticipated every attack.
Worked together.
Protected one another.
Within minutes...
The first-years lay exhausted on the ground.
Their Moon Tokens floated into the air.
The academy bracelets around their wrists glowed brightly.
One by one...
They disappeared in silver light.
Eliminated.
---
Inside the Observation Hall...
Professor Selene nodded thoughtfully.
"Most first-years depend entirely on instinct."
Master Kael crossed his arms.
"And instinct alone isn't enough."
Dean Aurelius remained silent.
His eyes were fixed on another crystal screen.
Astera.
---
Unlike everyone else...
She wasn't searching for opponents.
She wasn't running.
She wasn't fighting.
Instead...
She climbed from tree to tree using the grappling hook hidden inside her bracelet.
Every few hundred meters, she stopped.
Opened her notebook.
Marked rivers.
Measured distances.
Recorded caves.
Hidden cliffs.
Natural choke points.
She carefully studied the forest itself.
"Battles aren't won by strength alone..."
"They're won by controlling the battlefield."
The tiny dragon climbed onto a nearby branch, sniffing the air before pointing its tiny paw toward the west.
Astera immediately understood.
"Someone's coming."
She quietly jumped down.
Instead of preparing to fight...
She began working.
Within minutes...
Thin metallic wires stretched invisibly between trees.
Tiny crystal sensors hid beneath fallen leaves.
Smoke capsules rested beneath loose branches.
Magnetic hooks secured hidden nets high above the ground.
Everything blended perfectly into the forest.
She stepped back and smiled faintly.
"Perfect."
---
Not far away...
Draven Ashfire walked calmly through the forest.
His golden eyes remained alert.
A third-year student blocked his path.
"I've heard plenty about the Fire Prince."
"Let's see if the rumors are true."
Draven simply nodded.
"If that's what you want."
Crimson flames erupted around him.
His body shifted.
Moments later...
A magnificent black wolf stood beneath the trees.
Glowing crimson markings spread across his fur like flowing magma.
Golden eyes burned with calm authority.
The third-year attacked first.
Draven sidestepped effortlessly.
One precise strike.
A wall of crimson fire erupted beneath his opponent.
Seconds later...
The student's token floated into Draven's waiting hand.
The defeated student vanished in silver light.
Draven returned to human form without celebration.
He quietly continued walking.
---
Across another part of the forest...
Flint Earthclaw faced two opponents simultaneously.
He transformed into a gigantic earth-colored wolf.
Stone armor covered his shoulders.
His paws struck the ground.
Massive walls of rock rose instantly.
Every attack against him shattered harmlessly.
He never rushed.
He simply waited.
Patiently.
When his opponents finally exhausted themselves...
One powerful earth wave knocked both from their feet.
Two more tokens joined his collection.
---
High above the forest canopy...
Laughter echoed through the wind.
Zephyr Stormwind raced across the treetops in wolf form.
Silver-white fur blended with the rushing air.
His opponents chased after him.
Only to discover...
They were following illusions.
A sudden gust scattered them in different directions.
Zephyr reappeared behind them.
"Too slow."
Within moments...
Three more tokens belonged to him.
---
Near a crystal lake...
Nerina stood surrounded by four challengers.
Blue water rose gracefully around her.
She transformed.
Her elegant wolf form shimmered beneath flowing currents.
Water chains shot forward like living serpents.
One by one...
Her opponents found themselves bound.
Unable to move.
Their tokens floated away.
She smiled proudly.
"As expected."
---
The magical leaderboard floating above the professors updated instantly.
Current Rankings
1. Draven Ashfire
2. Nerina Tidecrest
3. Flint Earthclaw
4. Zephyr Stormwind
The four heirs immediately occupied the highest positions.
No one seemed surprised.
---
Meanwhile...
Astera finished setting her final trap.
The tiny dragon suddenly tugged gently at her sleeve.
She looked up.
Footsteps.
A second-year student approached confidently.
His eyes immediately landed on the academy bracelet around her wrist.
Then...
He noticed something else.
"No wolf scent..."
His smile widened.
"So the rumors are true."
"You're that strange first-year."
Astera remained calm.
"I don't want to fight."
The senior laughed.
"That's unfortunate."
"Because I do."
Astera turned and ran.
The senior chased after her confidently.
"Running won't save you!"
She sprinted between towering trees.
Jumped over fallen logs.
Crossed a narrow stream.
The distance between them rapidly closed.
The senior grinned.
"Got you!"
Click.
His foot landed exactly where Astera wanted.
Hidden wires activated.
Smoke exploded around him.
His vision disappeared.
"What—?"
Metal cables shot from nearby trees, wrapping around his arms and legs.
A concealed net dropped from above.
The senior struggled desperately.
"I'll break free!"
Another click.
A sleeping-gas capsule burst beneath him.
Within seconds...
His movements slowed.
His eyes closed.
Silence.
Astera stepped calmly from behind a tree.
She looked down at the unconscious student.
"I'm sorry."
"But strategy is part of the trial."
She gently removed his Moon Token.
The academy bracelet flashed.
The senior disappeared in silver light.
Astera looked at the glowing crystal now resting in her hand.
"My first victory..."
Without revealing her hidden powers.
Without transforming.
Without unnecessary violence.
The tiny dragon proudly chirped.
Astera smiled faintly.
"I couldn't have done it without my assistant."
The creature puffed out its tiny chest proudly.
---
Far above...
Professor Orion couldn't hide his smile.
"Remarkable."
Professor Selene nodded slowly.
"She defeated a senior..."
"...without using mana."
Master Kael leaned forward.
"She doesn't fight like a werewolf."
Dean Aurelius continued watching Astera's screen in silence.
After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"No..."
"She fights like someone who has survived a world where strength alone was never enough."
Far away, hidden in the deepest shadows of the Moon Forest...
A cloaked figure watched Astera through glowing crimson eyes.
"So..."
"The chosen one has begun walking the path of destiny."
The figure disappeared into the darkness...
Leaving only silence behind.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD