The sound of the wind howling through the forest was sharp, like the edge of a de.


    The moment Lyerin and his groupnded, the first thing they noticed was the forest itself—a wild, untamed ce, unlike anything they had ever seen.


    Swoosh!


    The leaves on the trees shimmered under the faint light, but there was something menacing about them.


    As the wind whistlingly blew, they would hear a sharp hiss filling the airs around them, and Lyerin''s sharp eyes caught a glimpse of one of the leaves slicing through a nearby branch as though it were made of paper.


    ''This ce is lethal'', he thought.


    The entire forest was a death trap, every part of it a weapon waiting to tear them apart.


    The others, however, didn''t realize it yet.


    They were too entranced by the sight of something they hadn''t seen in ages: greenery. Real, vibrant, living greenery.


    "Is this... a forest?" one of the neers whispered, his voice trembling in awe.


    A murmur spread through the group.


    Most of them had only seen ruins, dust, and decay since the apocalypse had struck.


    The sight of green trees, thick undergrowth, and towering nts was almost alien to them now.


    But Lyerin knew better.


    The people in his group had little time to marvel at the forest before they caught sight of the creatures that lurked within.


    Emerging from the thick underbrush were massive humanoid beasts.


    They were covered in fur and muscle, their bodies towering over any normal human.


    They moved with a primal grace, each step deliberate and powerful.


    Some had horns like those of rams, twisting and curling around their heads, while others bore horns resembling those of ibex or goats, jagged and sharp.


    Their eyes glowed faintly in the low light, filled with an intelligence and malice that sent a shiver down the spines of the new arrivals.


    These creatures were unlike the horses back at the Stonehooves Tribe.


    They were hulking and wild, built for destruction, and looked capable of tearing a human apart with ease.


    "What... what are those things? Are they still our guardian beasts?" Sophia asked, her voice shaking as she took a step back, her eyes wide with fear.


    The look of the beats were different, they look like the beasts that helped them level up but they also looked different.


    More furry and more dangerous.


    Corora, standing beside her, looked just as rmed. "Where are we? This doesn''t look like the tribe," she added, ncing toward Lyerin.


    Her eyes were filled with suspicion and fear, emotions she was trying to mask with a cool demeanor.


    The other girls—Maria, Elena, Lydia, Fiona, Emily, and Natalie—were equally on edge.


    They exchanged uneasy nces, their hands drifting to their weapons, though they knew they were no match for the beasts before them.


    One by one, they voiced their concerns.


    Maria was the first to speak after Corora, her brow furrowed in confusion. "I don''t understand. Weren''t we supposed to be going back to the tribe? This... this doesn''t look like anything we''ve seen before."


    Elena followed with a sharp tone, "Lyerin, what is this ce? Why does it feel like we''ve stepped into a nightmare?"


    Lydia, her usual calm demeanor faltering, nced around warily, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "This forest... it''s dangerous, isn''t it? I can feel it. It''s like the air itself is ready to slice us apart."


    Fiona, normally the most cheerful among them, had gone pale. Her eyes darted around, taking in the hulking beasts and deadly flora. "This isn''t the tribe''s territory, Lyerin. What''s going on?"


    Even Emily, who rarely spoke, whispered, "Are we in danger?"


    Finally, Natalie, who had always been the most grounded of the group, stepped forward. "Lyerin, we need answers now please answer us."


    The tension in the air was thick.


    The beasts watched them from a distance, their glowing eyes following their every move. Yet, despite the danger surrounding them, Lyerin remained calm.


    He was silent for a moment, lost in thought.


    Memories of his past life flooded his mind, piecing together fragments of information that had long been buried.


    This is just like before, he realized.


    In his previous life, there had been events like this like in the ruined magical world—devoureds like Earth, where entire civilizations were brought to the ruined magical world''s most dangerous zones.


    They were left to fend for themselves, battling against the elements and the monstrous creatures that roamed thesends.


    The strong survived, and the weak were eliminated.


    He had been one of the strong ones.


    He had fought, killed, and survived. But this... this was different.


    In his past life, he had only heard of individuals being sent to such ces, never entiremunities. And certainly not tribes like his.


    What happens if my tribe wins?


    Lyerin wondered.


    He had never heard of a tribe seeding in such a trial ormunity.


    Maybe those are hidden to him because he was always alone.


    The rules of this game had always been vague, shrouded in mystery, but the rewards were said to be plentiful—an abundance of resources, power, and knowledge beyondprehension. But those were for individual victors.


    He didn''t know what the reward would be for a tribe. And right now, the rules weren''t even clear or shown yet.


    His thoughts were interrupted by Corora''s voice once again. "Lyerin, what is happening?"


    The others echoed her question, their voices filled with growing fear and frustration.


    Even the neers were looking to him for answers, desperate to understand what kind of hell they had been dropped into.


    Lyerin''s eyes flicked over the group.


    He could see the panic setting in, the fear gnawing at the edges of their resolve.


    They were looking to him for leadership, for guidance, and he couldn''t afford to show them any weakness.


    "It''s nothing," he said, his voice calm and even.


    But Corora wasn''t satisfied with that answer. "Nothing?"


    Lyerin paused, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the horizon, where the forest seemed to stretch endlessly. His mind was racing, but outwardly, he remainedposed.


    "There''s nothing to worry about," he said again, his tone firmer this time.


    And then, after a long pause, he added quietly, "Nothing but war."


    The words hung in the air like a dark cloud.


    War.


    That was what this was.


    They had been thrown into the deadliest arena of all, forced into a conflict they had no choice but to fight in.


    The ruined magical world had never been a ce for the weak, and now his tribe—his war tribe—would have to prove themselves or be annihted.


    The girls, along with the neers, stared at Lyerin in disbelief.


    War?


    What is the meaning of that?


    This wasn''t just a newnd.


    Lyerin would say, "thisnd was a battlefield. A warzone where only the strongest would survive."


    But Lyerin wasn''t afraid.


    This was what he had been preparing for all along. His war tribe would not be defeated.


    They would grow stronger, evolve, and rise above all others. His eyes flicked back toward the forest, where the beasts still watched them from the shadows.


    Let the games begin, he thought with a dark smile.


    The beasts moved,with their massive forms slowly disappearing into the forest as if sensing what was about to unfold. Discover more at m-vlempy _r.


    The wind carried the faint sound of rustling leaves, sharp as knives, a warning of the trials toe.


    And Lyerin, standing tall before his tribe, was ready.