Early in the morning, Xueyi and Lilith found a small stream. They splashed water on their faces quickly, then started preparing for the hunt.

Xueyi and Lilith walked through the forest, one after the other. Sensing something, Xueyi stopped and glanced back. But when she turned, she saw nothing.

"Miss Xueyi, what's wrong?" Lilith turned to her.

Xueyi frowned slightly. "Do you feel like something's following us?"

"Following us?" Lilith looked where Xueyi had pointed. She saw nothing. "Could it be your imagination?"

In the forest, vigilance was essential. After resting here last night, tension could spark false sensations.

"Probably," Xueyi murmured. She'd felt a gaze, but seeing no one, she chalked it up to nerves.

They continued walking. The forest still carried a faint bloody scent, but last night's hunters were exhausted now. Their pace had slowed, making this the perfect time for Xueyi and Lilith.

Only after they'd gone far did Lorin dare to move. He'd been frozen behind a tree since earlier, terrified a single twitch would give him away.

"How did that guy get so sharp?" Lorin wiped cold sweat from his brow.

His night clothes had lost their camouflage, barely hiding his face. He'd been careful—logically, he shouldn't have been spotted.

"Gotta keep more distance," he muttered.

This plot twist wasn't in the original story. No teamwork between them either. After creating this nonexistent event, Lorin followed to prevent surprises. He trusted only what he saw.

On his way, he'd seen noble students in the trial. Inexperienced at hunting monsters, they floundered badly in fights.

Xueyi and Lilith, though awkward at first, adapted quickly after a few rounds. They moved with ease now.

Both ranked high in the academy, but Lilith's shadow had always hidden Xueyi from attention.

"Guess I'm not needed here." Lorin climbed a tall tree, watching them from afar.

Unconsciously, they'd slain several monsters. The bag for Monster Cores was slowly bulging.

Lorin yawned. His worries felt pointless. He reached for his food pouch—only to find his waist empty.

He remembered: Zeis had eaten all his supplies. He'd been starving since last night.

"Whatever. I'll eat after this ends."

As Lorin stood to climb down, the forest suddenly shook.

He gripped the tree trunk. "Earthquake?"

Deep in the woods, a massive dust cloud erupted like an explosion. The tremor came from there.

Recalling Zeis's warning, Lorin scratched his head. "Seriously? Someone actually disturbed that thing?"

No surprise, really. These nobles rarely faced wilderness trials. With ranks on the line, some would chase maximum gains recklessly.

If it were just Xueyi, Lorin would worry—she'd do anything to win.

Just then, Xueyi and Lilith noticed the disturbance. After a quick talk, they made a decision and marched straight toward the chaos.

"Hey... hey!" Lorin almost yelled but clamped a hand over his mouth.

"You two..." He pointed at their retreating backs, muttering in disbelief. He never expected this.

He regretted pairing them. Clearly, they were chasing gains too.

Lorin slapped his forehead. Right—Lilith's protagonist trait was loving challenges to surpass herself.

"Those two." He sighed. If not secretly following, he'd scold them face-to-face.

Meanwhile, Lilith said, "I recall this mountain's lord is a giant bear with earth-element magic."

"A giant bear?" Xueyi hadn't heard that before.

"It usually hibernates. This awakening must be from disturbance," Lilith said, eyeing the turmoil. Only the mountain lord could cause such chaos.

"But if we get its Monster Core, our ranks are secure," Xueyi perked up.

"Agreed," Lilith nodded.

Though top-ranked among peers, Lilith always felt she lacked something. She'd come here to fix that gap. Teaming with Xueyi boosted her confidence.

If Lorin knew, he'd be furious. He'd paired them for mutual support—and to mend their strained bond.

"Hmm?" Earlier, Lilith dismissed Xueyi's feeling of being followed. But now, heading toward the disturbance, she sensed a gaze too.

She spun around. Saw nothing, just like Xueyi.

"Am I imagining things as well?" she whispered to herself.

As they neared the epicenter, animals scattered in panic. Xueyi and Lilith exchanged a look and quickened their pace.