Lord Victor sat on the edge of his seat, his eyes glued to the holographic projection disyed by the magic circle in front of him.


    He leaned forward, almost unconsciously, as he watched Lyerin, the little rogue who had intrigued him more than he cared to admit. His heart pounded in his chest as the scene unfolded.


    He had witnessed many things in his time—plenty of battles, many hunts, but this… this was different. His entire body tensed up when he saw Lyerin nearly discovered by the Carnivorous st Ape.


    If that ape had used its echolocation ability at that moment, it could have located Lyerin with terrifying precision and torn him apart in seconds.


    Lord Victor swallowed hard.


    The thought of Lyerin getting caught didn''t sit well with him, though he wasn''t sure why.


    This was a test, after all.


    Lyerin either proved himself worthy or he failed, and in failure, death was always a possibility. Yet there was something about this young man, something that made Victor strangely invested in his survival.


    And then something even more curious happened. The st Ape didn''t use its echolocation. It moved past Lyerin, almost as if it didn''t sense him.


    Victor narrowed his eyes.


    "That''s odd," he murmured, stroking his chin. "It didn''t use its ability. Why?"


    At first, he chalked it up to sheer luck. Perhaps the ape was simply distracted or maybe it hadn''t sensed Lyerin''s presence at all. But as Victor continued watching, a strange thought began to gnaw at the back of his mind.


    It was as if Lyerin had known that the ape wouldn''t use its echolocation—as if he had been perfectly aware of its behavior.


    But that couldn''t be possible, could it?


    Lyerin hadn''t shown any signs of knowing about the specific abilities of the st Apes. And yet, there was something unsettling about the way Lyerin moved, as if he was always one step ahead of the danger, anticipating it in ways that defied ordinary logic.


    Lord Victor''s lips curled into a smile, his amusement growing. "What are you going to do next, Lyerin?" he whispered. "You''ve piqued my interest more than I expected."


    …


    Meanwhile, deep within the forest, Lyerin stood ankle-deep in the murky river, the cool water flowing swiftly around his legs. He had positioned himself upstream from the Cragar''Throm n mana beasts, far enough to stay out of sight but close enough to feel the tension in the air.


    The vines he had tied to the beasts were still held tightly in his grip, and his mind was racing with thoughts of what was toe. He had to act fast, but every move had to be calcted, deliberate. There was no room for error.


    The moment he heard it—a distant roar of anger followed by the rapid approach of somethingrge and powerful—his pulse quickened. The st Apes had arrived.


    Lyerin took a deep breath and dove into the water, holding the vines tightly in his hands.


    The coldness of the river enveloped him as he submerged himself beneath the surface, feeling the pressure of the water against his skin. Hey low, keeping his head down, letting the current pull him along.


    The muffled sound of rushing water filled his ears, and for a moment, everything seemed calm.


    Then, it happened.


    Bang!


    The first explosion ripped through the air, followed by a chorus of deafening sts.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The jungle around him shook as the st Apes unleashed their fury on the Cragar''Throm mana beasts.


    Lyerin could feel the vibrations of the explosions even beneath the water, the force of them strong enough to rattle his bones.


    His beasts didn''t even have time to roar in protest.


    They were consumed by the devastating sts in an instant, their bodies torn apart by the concussive force.


    Lyerin could feel the tension in the vines, some of them snapping as the connection to his beasts was severed.


    Without hesitation, Lyerin pulled hard on the remaining vines, trying to salvage what was left. He could feel the resistance in the ropes as he tugged, the weight of the dead or dying beasts pulling against him. But Lyerin knew better than to try and save them all.


    He let go of some of the vines, releasing the mana beasts that had been lost to the explosions.


    Boom!


    Another explosion.


    The ground shook violently, sending ripples through the water as more of the st Apes detonated their vtile mana. Lyerin gritted his teeth, holding on tightly to the vines that remained in his hands. He pulled them toward him, dragging what was left of the Cragar''Throm n mana beasts with him into the deeper parts of the river.


    His heart pounded in his chest as he pulled himself up against arge rock jutting out of the water. He pressed his back against it, using the rock as cover, and then slowly, carefully, he raised his head above the surface of the water to take in a breath of air.


    The cool night air filled his lungs, and for a moment, Lyerin felt a small sense of relief.


    But it was fleeting.


    The apes weren''t done. He could hear them—snarling, gnawing, tearing at the remains of the mana beasts that had been caught in the sts.


    The sound was unnerving, like the crunch of bone and flesh being devoured by feral beasts.


    Lyerin ducked his head back down beneath the water, pulling the remaining vines with him. He kept his body pressed against the rock, his breaths shallow as he listened to the apes move through the jungle. He could hear them fighting amongst themselves, their angry roars reverberating through the forest.


    The chaos above was deafening, but Lyerin remained still, waiting patiently for the right moment to act. His eyes narrowed in focus, and his thoughts raced through potential strategies.


    Suddenly, the gnawing sounds grew closer.


    The apes were moving in his direction, drawn by the scent of blood and the remnants of the Cragar''Throm mana beasts.


    Lyerin''s heart skipped a beat as he realized just how close they were getting.


    Grrraahhh!


    One of the apes let out a bone-chilling growl, followed by the sound of heavy footfalls crashing through the underbrush.


    Lyerin could feel the vibrations in the ground even through the water.


    The apes were closing in, as if their primal instincts were driving them toward his location.


    Lyerin''s began to think of possible thanks he could do. He had to think fast.


    He tightened his grip on the vines, pulling them closer to him as he huddled beneath the water. He shifted his position, trying to stay as hidden as possible.


    The water flowed over him, masking his scent and his movements, but he knew that wouldn''t be enough if the apes decided to search the river.


    The air around him felt tense, thick with anticipation. He could hear the apes moving closer, their growls low and menacing.


    The jungle had fallen into an eerie silence, save for the sounds of the st Apes stalking their prey.


    Lyerin''s pulse quickened, but he remained calm, focused. He knew that panicking would only get him killed.


    Instead, he relied on his instincts—those same instincts that had carried him through countless battles and near-death experiences in his past life.


    Slowly, cautiously, he adjusted his grip on the vines and prepared for what was toe next. He would have to rely on his cunning and his knowledge of the creatures to survive.


    The st Apes were dangerous, vtile creatures, but Lyerin had faced worse before.


    He just needed to stay one step ahead.


    As the apes drew nearer, Lyerin whispered to himself, "Stay calm. Just stay calm."


    His body was tense, his muscles coiled like a spring, ready to react at a moment''s notice. He waited, his breath shallow and measured, as the st Apes closed in on his position.