"Huff-Huff," Jake gasped for air.

He was drained to the bone. After killing the ape, all the energy left in him was sapped away.

Seeing nothing left, Jake was about to take his rest, when sensed a beast galloping at him. It was a demonic deer, known for its fast speed and sharp teeth.

Jake tried to move, but he couldn't….he was too tired. His muscles were sore and his bones were creaky.

Just when he thought he was doomed, an arrow flew through the wind like a shooting star.

Accurately, it stuck into the head of the beast. The arrow was shot with a ferocious strength so strong that its pointed end protruded out of the skull.

"Lola, it seems like your skill with the arrow has been getting more refined," Jake heard a familiar voice say.

'That voice. That name. Shit' Jake had desperately tried to avoid this group of people. Even after all his efforts, he still failed

Jake sighed, 'What a sad life.'

Looking at the direction the arrow was shot from, Jake saw the familiar trio, Nico, Lola, and Jaya. They were looking better than when he left them.

Jake sighed again as he stared at the blue sky, 'Are the gods angry at me? No, they must have been jealous of my progress and decided to add this group of misfortune to the mix. They couldn't be that petty....Could they?'

As he was bitterly crying, Nico gave his signature smile as he said, "Hi there fella. It's been a long time."

...

One hour ago.

"Lola, I'm telling you that man ripped me off."

"He didn't. You were just a fool to believe him," giggled Lola.

"Yes, what type of idiot thinks he can find a supreme weapon in a store like that? Pfft. " laughed Jaya.

Her words received the laughter of Jaya. Both girls united to laugh at Nico.

"In my defense, his words were convincing. And I thought I could return it if I didn't want it later," said Nico, still trying to prove his point

"That's what a salesman is, Nico, " sighed Jaya

The group kept silent when they saw Jaya suddenly raise her hand, making a weird sign. It was a sign they had made before they entered the forest. It was to alert the trio, telling them to keep quiet.

Nico, Lola, and Jaya had decided to train in the Dark forest. Upon getting there they saw a gruesome scene. Bloods and messy corpses were littered in the surroundings. The smell of blood in the air was too awful.

"What happened here?" Lola couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know, but I can tell it is not good. Let's leave. I have a bad feeling about this," said Jaya.

"Why should we run? Don't forget, we are now cultivators. Cultivators don't run away from danger; they face it!" shouted a confident Nico.

He was not going to run. Now, that they had power, why would they run? Based on what Master Luca said about talent, they were sure that they had supreme talent. Just in a week, they had completed the Physique Modeling stage, about to break through to the next realm. In fact, if not for the lack of information on the next realm of cultivation, the three of them would have broken through.

"Okay, we will do it your way, but you have to follow my lead," said a tired Jaya.

She wasn't going to argue with Nico as she knew it was pointless.

Lola didn't think too much, she would follow her brother no matter what.

"Hmm, there are footprints. We can trace that," informed Jaya.

She bent down, touching the blood on the muddy ground. The blood was not like beast blood which was dark red

"The blood is still warm, whoever is behind this slaughter should be closeby."

Jaya led them down the bloody path. The trio gasped as they saw the gruesome corpses.

"Was this really necessary? I mean, did they have to be so bloody," grimaced Nico.

"Who knows?" replied Lola.

The trio was new to killing. Their first kill was the zombies they encountered the moment they awoke. They killed the zombies without guilt as the zombies were mindless creatures, but this...

The dead corpses were mutilated in every way. Some of them were left without any limbs and smashed to paste.

Nico and Lola threw up as they saw the scenes, while Jaya managed to hold her disgust.

Suddenly, they saw a huge pillar shoot up to the sky. The light brought shockwaves that swept the trio off their feet.

"That must be our destination. Let's go," guessed Jaya as she stood up.

If before she wasn't, now she was curious about what was really going on.

The twins ran after her, heading towards the direction of the light.

Upon getting to the scene, they were surprised as they saw someone familiar. It was the first boy they met ever since they woke up. The bit left them after they were released by the young master of the Elliot family, Gavin.

They were terrified by what they saw. A whirlpool was behind Jake sucking grey lights out of the dead bodies. The trio was terrified by the whirlpool which looked like it came from hell.

They hid and watched as Jake slaughtered every beast he saw, his surroundings, littered with carcasses and his body, stained with the blood of his enemies.

They watched as he slowly got tired and weak. His attacks began to slow down and some of them were not as clean and swift as they were before.

"He wouldn't make it. We should help him," whispered a kind, Nico.

"Why? He made it very clear that he didn't want to deal with us," whispered back Jaya.

"...But that doesn't mean we should leave him to his death," retorted Nico.

"Let's just watch. It doesn't seem like he would be taken down easily," interjected Lola, as she was frustrated by the argument.

The trio then kept quiet as they watched the spectacle. While they easily possessed the strength to deal with the beasts, Jake had a certain flair to his attacks. They were streamlined and clean. He moved like he had eyes at his back, and each of his attacks had a meaning.

After the whirlpool entered his body, Jake let his guard down as he saw no beast left. They saw a beast sneaking upon him.

"Lola!," Nico whispered

"I know, " briefly said Lola.

She had held her bow and went into position. Taking out an arrow from the quiver she hung at her back, Lola closed her left eye as she shot it at the sneaking beast…...

...

Present time.

"What are you doing here?" Jake asked the trio.

"You know a simple thank you would be okay," replied Jaya, 'It seems like we are not even welcomed here.'

Lola was annoyed by Jake's character, "What an ingrate"

"Don't mind them. We came here to train," said a beaming Nico as he posed in front of Jake.

After the battle, Jake was tired, "Oh, Okay. Bye"

Before he could leave, Jaya furiously shouted, "Wait, Wait. You are just going to leave like that. No thank you."

"I had that covered, but….thanks, " said a desperate Jake, who just wanted to get out of here. In his opinion, the worst that could have happened to him was an injured arm.

Displeased by his attitude, Lola said, "Tch"

"Jake, why don't you tag along with us. We will protect you," Nico offered

"No need."

"What is up with you? Do you have a stick stuck up your ass, " asked the usually quiet Lola. Her patience had been thinning down all this while. She couldn't understand the reason for Jake's hostile attitude.

Jake ignored her. He picked up his bone swords and proceeded to leave.

"Are you just going to leave us like that? You know we saw your secret," threatened a furious Lola. She was already at her tipping point.

Nico interrupted, bumping his chest as he said, "Don't worry, Jake. We would protect it."

As it didn't matter, Jake replied, "Whatever, I also have information on you that you don't want leaking to the public, and also…..I'm too tired to deal with your group of naiveties"

This time, smoke blew out of Lola's ear.

She said, "How dare you? We just saved your life! And this is how you repay us?"

"Look, I have already said my thanks. Now, can I please go?"

Even Jaya was getting infuriated, "Tch"

She looked as Lola asked, her voice teary, "What is your deal? I am sick and tired of you. Why do you resent us so much? "

Yes, why did he dislike them? Jake, himself, didn't know the answer to that question. If he was to give a reason, it would be because of their optimism and youthfulness. They were so full of life and Jake's whose life was dark couldn't stand it. It was like how light and dark don't interact.

"I--," knowing he was at fault, Jake was about to apologize when he heard a scream.

"Help! Help!"

'Here we go again,' sighed Jake as his day was yet again disturbed.

The group looked at the origin of the sound. It was a young man of similar age, running at them.