“How is he doing?” asked Master Yagami as he sits in the center of his Dojo.

“…He’s still breathing, so I wouldn’t worry too much.” said Cecil as he sit by the edge of the veranda.

“…Do you think he’ll hate us for making him go through this?”

“I don’t know, but all I can say is that if he does break in this simple test, then it most likely was a mistake to bring him into the house.” said Cecil as he looks to the moon.

“Where is he currently at?”

“By the cave near the territory of the beaver. He’s taking every opportunity to rest there while he can…but the moment he walks out of that cave, he’ll immediately be found out by the hawk.”

“Hmm, did he ever used his mana once while in this test?”

“Not to my notice, no. But, we didn’t tell him not to use it, its probably his judgement to not rely on magic on this test.”

“Hmm, his made a principle on himself…if he does make it out of that forest without relying on his mana, we’ll reward him with the necessary teaching.” said the master with a proud smile on his face.

“…Do you think we should teach him about the gates of the shadows right about now?” asked Cecil.

“…No, not yet.” said Master as he’s decision was clear on this matter.

“He’s showing quite the talent in surviving our lifestyle. We should at least try to make it clear that he’s actually getting what he deserves. He talked to me about wanting to get stronger…. shouldn’t we reply to his request in proper?” said Cecil.

“Everyone wants to gain a sense of strength, but in time, he will only realize that power isn’t everything in life. its simply his youth that acts on this ambition for power.”

“…” to Cecil’s silence, he understood what his master spoke of in essence.

****

Four days…

Soril had four days left to hunt each animal.

It wasn’t easy but on the first day, he had to hunt the one thing that was the most bothersome of them all. The Hawk. With its sharp eyes and sharp claws, and incredible speed, the hawk was one that caused him the most trouble. The hawk with its free wings, was the most complicated to hunt.

But there was a way to hunt the bird.

Out as the bird was simply roaming the sky, Hamil stood on top of tree branch where he started to cause his own commotion to attract the bird. Not before long, with the hawk’s keen eye, it dived down immediately to where he stood, but to Soril’s action, he jumped off the tree slowly and ran back to where his cave was.

There, in the incredible speed of the Hawk’s diving prowess, he struck Soril right at the back while Soril ran as fast as he could.

“Ack!” shouting in the pain of his injury, he didn’t falter one bit and continued to ran back to the cave.

The Hawk saw how effective his claws were and made no hesitation to chase after Soril through the woods.

When Soril finally made it to the cave, he felt the relief of its home-like nature and with it, he went in. The bird with its superior nature, didn’t hesitate to go in and to that, Soril had already won.

As for the next minute that went by, Soril came out with the bell on his hand.

One would question how it was possible for Soril to claim his victory against the hawk, but that all came under one answer.

With his genuine mind, he crafted a net from the vines found in the forest and placed it upon the cave where once the hawk sweeps in, because of the darkness of the cave, the hawk was unable to fully grasp that he was caught by the net and to it, Soril made no hesitations in forcefully grabbing the bell as fast as he could. Although he was scratched in the face a couple of time by the hawk, he still walked out victorious.

But to his victory, the hawk was able to escape the net and with it, it made no hesitations in aiming at Soril to claim its bell back. Flying at the speed of sound, the hawk exited the cave like a bullet and aimed for Soril beak first.

But before he could reach for Hamil’s neck, a whistling sound was heard across the forest and hearing this, the hawk halted in his attack right before he could claim blood and he returned back to the sky. To that day, the hawk was never seen again for the rest of the remaining days that Soril had in the Forest.

As for Soril, he heard the whistle and he wa curious as to who made that sound, but to it, he was not aware that the hawk aimed for his neck.

Since the day was still young, Soril took this initiative to prepare himself in hunting the dog next. He had to prepare for what he would do to the dog. Seeing as how smart the dog was, Hamil had to take initiative by facing it upfront with everything that he could prepare. It wouldn’t just be his strength that would play a vital role, but his mind and patience.

So for the rest of the days, he gathered the supplies needed and rested as the next day went by.

To it, by fifth day, he had himself shown to the dog as the dog was simply carrying a stick on its mouth.

As soon as they saw each other face to face, the dog growled at Soril and he leaped to him. It was on sight as their stares were filled with both a purpose and hate.

Bringing out his wooden spear on hand, Soril thrust his weapon straight at where the Dog aimed to land, but the dog was smarter than him in a tactical point.

Bending his head to where the spear would miss, the Dog’s jaw then slips down to the spear’s center, then with a strong close, the Dog bites down and broke the spear with ease.

Caught surprised by this, Soril made the instinctive effort to reach out for the dog’s bell, but the dog simply kicked his hand away at such a pace, that it yet again, surprises Soril.

As the dog landed, what he had on his mouth was the sharp end of the spear. The dog then throws the spear far from Soril’s reach and he glares down on Soril with quite the bloodlust.

“…You’re one tough bastard.” said Soril as then brings out two more spears, this time, they were much shorter.

Having to dual wield two spears on hand, he took the initiative and made the effort to beat the dog no matter how brutal it may be.

But seeing as how Soril was holding two weapons, the dog didn’t take this chance to attack and instead, he ran rather than face Soril. Running away at such a fast pace, he didn’t take into the consideration that running away from a spear would be his mistake.

Because by the next second the dog took the initiative to run away, with its thoughts simply focused on running away, Soril had already made the initiative to throw his spear.

Timing…planning…leading…

Soril made sure that he took his chance well.

So without fail, the spear was thrown and to it, the dog was hit.

“!?” strike down on his hind, the dog was caught surprised by this.

To its nature of being injured, he fell on all fours and to it, Soril took this chance to dash forward with another spear on hand.

Although the wooden spear didn’t dug itself deep into the dog’s leg, it was good enough to cause a strain of pain that disabled him to move for the seconds that passed.

As Soril got close, he positioned his hand to throw his spear again if the dog made the decision to attack.

Face to face, the dog growled at him and he stared back.

“…”

“…Don’t fucking move…or else I’ll end you where you lie.” said Soril, making sure that no chances were made in this front.

To that notion, he slowly made his way to grab the bell that was tied to the dog’s neck and he secured it by pulling it away. By there, the dog’s glare loosened and soon a whistle was heard again far deep in the forest.

“…!?” to that noise, the dog took this advantage to escape Soril and with it, it ran as fast as it could with its state of injury.

“Two more to go.” said Soril as he then makes his way back to the cave to rest and prepare.

By the sixth day, Soril stood in front of the river with a long bamboo stick that he found in the forest.

There, as he took a sip of the water, he made sure that the snake would notice his presence.

And as he then falls into the river, he started to drift like a log, to this notice, the snake followed him in its usual pattern of hunting. But to its unprofound nature, Soril suddenly stands back up from the river and there, he swings his bamboo down to the river where a hook was found at its end. The wide swing of the bamboo with a hook caught the snake deep in the river’s water and it pushed him out like he was a fish.

To it, Soril was able to fool the snake by pretending to fall victim to the paralyzing water.

There, as the snake was bare for Soril to handle, the snake suddenly lunges back at him with a force of power so intense that if the snake were to strike a tree, it could easily break through it, but Soril knew just how much of a danger that was…so to his advantage, he simply dodge.

And as the snake flew past him, Soril then readied his grip and he latches down to the snakes tail like a clamp.

There, he swung down the snake straight to the ground, strong enough that it caused the earth to break.

*Boom*

It that instant, the snake was immobilized.

Just like how gorillas are able to kill a snake by smashing it straight at a rock like a whip, Soril simply did the same.

As he took the bell from the snake’s body, he went on his way back.

With that, another whistle was heard and to it, but when Soril turned to where that whistle was coming from, he saw that the snake had already vanished from the ground.

“…”

Seeing as how it happens each time he was able to claim a bell, it didn’t so strange hearing it the third time.

So with that said, he went back to his cave to prepare. By then, as he was able to get three bells…he then made the preparations for hunting the beaver..

By the last day, he waited until the beaver had fallen asleep in its own home deep inside the dam that it built itself. By there, as it rested inside, all of a sudden, a tree falls directly on the dam and to it, the beaver was shocked by this. It broke the dam and everything that was made by his own hands…

As he pocked his head out, it was there that Soril instantly took the beaver by surprise. It was at that time that Soril snatched the beaver’s bell and he made a run for it.

To it, He thought that a whistle would sound off by now, but yet nothing was heard.

And while he was running the beaver didn’t take this action of terror lightly, as it still followed Soril across the forest.

Although it was slower then Soril, it didn’t stop.

Soon as Soril finally got far from the beaver, he was finally on the prospects of heading back to the Dojo. But all of a sudden, a whistle was heard across the forest.

*Phheeeewt*

*Phheeeewt*

*Phheeeewt*

*Phheeeewt*

Four whistling sounds rang across the forest and to it, all four animals were suddenly on the tail of Soril’s back.

“!?”

Seeing their fast speeds, with how the hawk carried the beaver and the snake and Dog followed by the trail, Soril was simply shocked by this development.

He didn’t stop running. With the dog being the most fastest out of the three at the current situation, the dog was already at the same side of Soril.

“.…Damn mut!”

*Bark!*

The dog barked and he then leaped to bite Soril but Soril made the choice to take a turn where the dog was able to miss his mark.

Soril ran and ran as much as he could, Escaping in any possible way that he could. Jumping to a tree to make sure that the dog was out of reach, making necessary rolls, escaping the traps and about, everything was for the pursuit of his completion towards this test.

The chase was pacing for about an hour…during then, Soril was finally at the sight of the cliff where he had to climb in order to make it back to the Dojo.

‘There!’ he exclaimed as his feet suddenly paced at the excitement of it all.

To this action, he ran…

And when he finally made it to the cliff, he jumped.

Here, he brought out the only last thing that could be to his advantage.

A hook used when he fought the snake.

Using the hook, he climbed his way up the cliff like a spider.

The dog was unable to catch him and so was the snake, but the hawk still had the chance.

Climbing at a rate of a meter per second, Soril was in the factual end of his strength.

Exerting everything that he could, he had to win this and moved on forward.

But the hawk didn’t made it easy for him.

The hawk tossed the beaver that it was carrying and the beaver used its heavy tail to smack him down to fall. As the beaver fell towards Soril, Soril took notice of this tactic and to it, he then lets go of the hook and he jumps off of the cliff where he was currently about 50 meters off the ground. Thinkign that Soril might have fallen, the hawk rejoiced, but all of a sudden, Soril stops falling midway as he hangs in the air.

*THUD!*

The beaver misses as he smacks the cliff. His tail was powerful enough to smash rock so to it, the rock were crumbling down, and falling unto Soril’s hanging body.

To their sight, they saw that Soril was hanging unto a 3 meter vine that he used as a net once against the hawk. And the vine was attached to the hook. So to it, as the beaver missed, it started to fall down, but the hawk was able to catch it before its crashed on the floor.

To it, Soril then climbs back up to the hook and he paces himself at a fast rate at climbing the cliff.

Faster and faster, he was starting to lose breath.

By god’s will, he should have fallen by now, but in his mind only forms of statement were made.

[I’m almost there]

[Keep going.]

[Don’t stop.]

[Just breath…move…you’re still not there yet.]

These were simple but effective words that hyped his entire body into moving forward.

And he moved forward…until finally, he caught the glimpse of his master’s face waiting for him as he looked as terrible as ever.

“…Master.”

“Hmm, you’ve done well, my student.”

“Master…I did it.” he said as he made his last climb and falls to the ground like a tired soldier.

“You did…I’m proud of you.”