One piece: Without a system, I have to survive!

The fire burned low in the village center.

Flames flickered, casting long shadows against the faces of the gathered hunters.

I stood among them—not as an outsider.

Not as prey.

But as one of them.

And yet, as I felt the weight of their gazes, I knew—

This was not the end of my trials.

It was just the beginning.

The Elder's Warning

The elder stepped forward, his face carved with deep lines of wisdom and time.

He studied me, eyes sharp despite his age.

Then, he spoke:

"You have killed, but a hunter is more than his blade."

I remained silent, listening.

"The jungle does not favor the strong," he continued. "It favors the wise. The patient."

He motioned to Shira, who stepped beside him.

"You will learn," she said, her voice cool and steady.

"But first," the elder interrupted, "you must understand why."

Something about his tone made the hunters shift uneasily.

A weight settled in my chest.

This wasn't just a lesson.

It was a warning.

And then, he said the words that made my blood run cold:

"The beast you killed was not the true danger."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

The elder turned, facing the jungle beyond the village.

"The creature you fought—" he paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "—was fleeing from something."

The jungle fell silent.

Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

A chill ran down my spine.

If the beast had been running in fear—

What could possibly be hunting it?

The Watchers in the Dark

The hunters whispered among themselves, uneasy.

Shira folded her arms. "The deeper jungle is forbidden for a reason."

Lokan, the warrior I had fought before, grunted. "Something stirs beyond the old trees. Something that should not wake."

I clenched my fists.

I had barely survived the last fight.

And now, they were telling me something worse was out there?

The elder looked back at me.

"You have proven your strength," he said. "Now, prove your loyalty."

Loyalty.

I wasn't sure if I was ready for that word.

But then, he continued:

"You will go. You will find the signs."

I stiffened.

"You want me to go into the forbidden jungle?"

Shira's gaze didn't waver. "You must understand what it means to be a hunter."

Lokan smirked. "Or you can stay here and let the real hunters handle it."

I met his gaze.

For the first time, I didn't feel like an outsider.

I felt like a challenger.

I turned back to the elder and nodded.

"I'll go."

The elder smiled—just barely.

Then, he whispered:

"Then may the jungle spare you."

Into the Unknown

The night stretched deep as I left the village, Shira beside me.

We moved quickly, the jungle pressing close around us.

Somewhere ahead, past the thick trees and the unseen dangers—

Something was waiting.

And for the first time—

I wasn't sure if I was the hunter.

Or the hunted.