A year had passed since Jade first entered the trial.
In that single year, many things had changed.
The frightened boy who once struggled to survive his first battle against a snow wolf no longer existed. The trial had shaped him, hardened him, and slowly turned him into something far more dangerous.
Among the participants who had survived this long, Jade had gained a reputation.
A name.
They called him Blood Slayer.
The name spread through the trial like wildfire. Anyone who had seen him fight understood why the title suited him perfectly.
Jade did not fight like the others.
Most participants relied on weapons, brute strength, or teamwork to survive against the creatures of the trial.
Jade fought differently.
His vines were his weapons.
They struck like living spears, pierced flesh, wrapped around enemies, and drained the blood from monsters with terrifying efficiency.
Many creatures that crossed his path never lived long enough to escape.
Because of this, the name Blood Slayer slowly became something people whispered with both respect and fear.
But Jade himself didn't care much about the name.
For him, surviving was the only thing that mattered.
After a year inside the trial, Jade's appearance had changed greatly.
The harsh environment and constant battles had reshaped his body.
His physique was now powerful and well built. The boyish softness that once remained in his face had disappeared completely.
He stood tall—almost two meters in height.
To be more precise, around 1.9 meters.
His body had grown strong and lean, the result of endless battles and daily hunting.
Small strands of beard had begun to grow along his jaw and chin. They were still faint, but they gave his face a much more mature appearance.
Jade was now seventeen years old.
But no one would mistake him for a teenager anymore.
At first glance, he looked more like a young warrior in his early twenties.
His hair had also grown much longer.
Once short and tidy, it was now messy and wild, falling loosely to his shoulders. The long black strands moved slightly whenever the cold wind of the forest blew past him.
The trial had turned him from a boy into something closer to a man.
Despite all the hardships, Jade had not been alone during that year.
Little Black and Little Gold had stayed by his side since the day they hatched from the strange egg.
At first, Jade believed they would grow stronger quickly and help him hunt monsters.
But something unexpected happened.
Both creatures were able to absorb shards just like Jade.
However, after absorbing a certain amount of fragments, their bodies suddenly transformed.
Instead of evolving immediately, they became encased inside glowing eggs that rested within Jade's soul sea.
The two eggs floated quietly inside that strange inner world.
At first, Jade was worried.
But the system assured him that they were simply evolving.
So Jade waited.
Even though Little Black and Little Gold could no longer accompany him physically, they were still with him.
He could feel their presence inside his soul sea.
Their quiet existence gave him a strange sense of comfort.
During that lonely year, they had been his only companions.
And even now, while they slept within their eggs, Jade often thought about them.
They reminded him of something important.
That he was not truly alone.
That somewhere far away, he still had a family waiting for him.
During that year, Jade had also formed an unexpected friendship.
Henry.
After their first meeting during the snow wolf battle, the two slowly began working together occasionally.
Henry had survived the trial as well, proving that he was not just some sheltered son of a powerful family.
He was skilled.
Very skilled.
Henry taught Jade several useful combat techniques over time.
Footwork.
Timing.
Positioning.
How to observe enemies before attacking.
These lessons greatly improved Jade's fighting ability.
In return, Jade helped Henry in a very different way.
Cooking.
Inside the trial, most participants ate monster meat raw or poorly cooked.
Few people cared about taste.
Survival was the only goal.
But Jade discovered something interesting during his hunts.
Certain plants in the trial could be used as spices.
Some leaves added flavor.
Some roots produced strong aromas.
Some seeds even improved the taste of roasted monster meat.
Using these natural ingredients, Jade began experimenting with cooking.
To everyone's surprise, the meals he prepared were actually delicious.
Soon, word spread among the survivors inside the Bone Shelter.
If Jade was cooking that day, people would gather nearby.
Even hardened hunters who had spent months eating tasteless meat looked forward to his food.
In a strange way, Jade had gained two reputations inside the trial.
The feared Blood Slayer on the battlefield.
And the surprisingly skilled cook at the shelter.
It was an odd combination.
But Jade didn't mind.
Over time, Jade also began learning more about the trial itself.
Many survivors believed that the trial had a hidden objective.
According to rumors spreading through the shelter, there existed a place known as the Shadowed Area.
It was said to be deeper inside the forest, far beyond the normal hunting grounds.
Unlike other areas of the trial, the Shadowed Area was always covered in unnatural darkness.
Even during the day, the sunlight barely reached the ground there.
Monsters living inside that region were said to be far stronger than ordinary creatures.
But that place also held something important.
A treasure.
A powerful treasure guarded by a great monster.
According to the rumor, if someone could enter the Shadowed Area, survive the entire night, and defeat the monster guarding the treasure…
The trial would end.
Everyone still alive would be sent home.
No one knew if the rumor was true.
But many participants believed it.
For Jade, it didn't matter whether it was true or not.
If there was even a small chance of leaving the trial…
He would take it.
But Jade also understood something clearly.
To face such a powerful monster, he needed to become stronger.
Much stronger.
And the only way to do that was simple.
Absorb more shards.
One afternoon, Jade was walking alone through a wide forest clearing.
The trees here were thin and scattered, allowing patches of pale sunlight to reach the ground.
Jade scratched lightly at his shin while walking.
His senses remained alert as always.
Suddenly—
The system's voice whispered inside his mind.
"You have slain Fang Rat."
Jade looked down at the small corpse lying nearby.
The creature had been hiding beneath the snow before attacking him.
But Jade's vines had reacted instantly.
The monster never even had the chance to bite him.
Jade raised his hand slightly.
A vine slipped out from his chest and moved across the ground like a living snake.
The vine reached the dead Fang Rat and pierced into its body.
After a few seconds, it pulled something out.
A shard.
Jade grabbed the fragment and absorbed it immediately.
The system spoke again.
"You have received three Beast Fragments."
Then the familiar notification appeared.
Beast Fragments: 20 / 50
Jade exhaled slowly.
"Still a long way to go."
But just as he was about to move again—
Something happened.
A loud roar suddenly echoed through the forest.
The sound was deep.
Powerful.
Terrifying.
The ground trembled slightly as the roar spread through the trees.
Jade froze instantly.
Then—
He felt it.
A powerful aura swept through the forest like an invisible wave.
The pressure was overwhelming.
It pressed down on his body, making the air feel heavy.
Even Jade, who had grown much stronger after a year of fighting, felt the crushing force of that presence.
His muscles tensed.
His instincts screamed danger.
"…A strong one."
Jade muttered quietly.
Somewhere nearby…
A powerful monster had just appeared.
And its aura alone was enough to suppress the surrounding creatures.
Jade slowly straightened his posture.
His eyes became sharp.
The vines beneath his skin stirred slightly, ready to strike at any moment.
The forest had suddenly become silent.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
Then—
Another roar echoed through the trees.
And Jade knew one thing for certain.
A dangerous battle was about to begin.