Lucien sat on a fallen log, staring at the flickering flames of his small campfire. Umbra lay curled beside him, his silver-black fur blending into the night. The forest around them was quiet, except for the occasional rustling of leaves from nocturnal creatures.
After everything that had happened, Lucien knew he needed answers.
He glanced at Umbra. "So… do you know what abilities you have?"
Umbra lifted his head, his golden eyes reflecting the firelight. "Not really," he admitted. "I know I can shapeshift, but… it's not perfect. And I can use a little bit of Earth magic, but nothing powerful."
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Shapeshifting?"
Umbra nodded. His body shimmered for a moment before shrinking. In an instant, he had turned into a small black raven.
Lucien's eyes widened. "That's actually impressive."
The raven-Umbra flapped its wings, wobbled slightly, then fell onto its back.
Lucien chuckled. "Not very graceful, though."
Umbra grumbled as he shifted back to his beast form. "I'm still learning."
Lucien patted his head. "Don't worry. We'll figure it out together."
[Aw, look at you, being all supportive. Who knew you had a soft side?]
"Shut up."
Umbra tilted his head. "Are you talking to yourself?"
Lucien sighed. "It's… complicated."
Ignoring the system's laughter in his head, he leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes. Tomorrow was the final day of the combat test. He needed to rest.
The Third Day – The Final Test Begins
As the first rays of sunlight peeked through the dense canopy of Ebonshade Forest, Lucien stretched and stood up. Umbra yawned beside him, shaking off the morning drowsiness.
Lucien tightened his equipment and checked his sword. Today was the last chance to bring back an A-rank monster. He had already defeated one yesterday, but now came the real challenge—making it back to the teleportation site alive.
As he and Umbra moved through the forest, the tension in the air was thicker than before.
The final day had begun.
To be continued…