Akira looked at his hand, still enticed with the fresh feeling of this newfound power.

  “How interesting… So this is how it works, huh.” The boy muttered to himself. “It will take some time to get used to activating it, but if I use it enough it could become like a second nature.”

  Traits, after all, were more than mere abilities. They were an extension of a hunter's very essence, woven into their being like muscle and bone. Mastery wasn’t optional, it was the only option for survival, and Akira would soon learn this lesson in the First Trial.

  Reluctantly, Akira lowered himself onto the makeshift mattress of his bunk.

  The itch to continue experimenting burned within him, but he knew better. Testing his power any further risked drawing attention he couldn’t afford to. Here, in this nest of newly awakened, hungry hunters, secrecy was his best defense.

  The coarse straw beneath him offered little comfort, but it was the closest thing to solace he had. He exhaled softly, letting his body sink into the sparse cushioning. The thrill of discovery still buzzed in his veins, but for now, it would have to wait.

  “Now… What should I do? I already had enough sleep during the night so falling asleep again would be useless. I can’t afford to waste time since they're only taking care of us and our needs for free for one week. I also can’t really afford to risk experimenting with my Trait here any more than I already have.”

  Just as Akira was about to give up on finding something to do and simply meditate for the rest of the day, the door of the barracks opened with a loud thud, the sound echoing in the long and empty room.

  At its frame stood the unmissable outline of his amicable, big hearted, annoying pet, Leo. “Akira! I knew you'd be in here brooding!” The young man exclaimed with excitement as if he already knew had already predicted the boy would be there.

  After taking a few big steps, the man was already in front of Akira’s bed. “Hey, want to do something fun?”

  Akira gave Leo a flat look, already wary of whatever nonsense he was about to propose. “Would you listen to me if I said no?”

  The sun-kissed man gave a hearty laugh before grabbing the boy’s hand and pulling him out of his bunk. “I knew you would agree!” His curly brown hair singing in the dim light that filtered through the small windows.

  Akira let out a resigned sigh as Leo practically hauled him onto his feet. There was no stopping the guy once he got an idea in his head, Akira had at least learned that in the short time they had known each other.

  As Akira was dragged outside of the door, he couldn’t help but ask. “So, where are we going?”

  Leo grinned, his teeth flashing like a wolf about to drag its prey into mischief. "You'll see." He said, practically bouncing on his heels. "But trust me, it's going to be fun!"

  Akira narrowed his grey eyes. Fun? By whose definition?

  …

  Dragging him along, Leo’s deep, ocean-colored eyes shun in the light of the sun with excitement. Leo finally released Akira’s wrist, spinning around to face him. "Alright, we’re here!"

  Akira's eyes swept over the vast, unnerving expanse before him, a field that seemed far too large to exist within the boundaries of the stone walls that loomed high around the space. The walls stood like silent sentinels, their oppressive height casting long shadows over the ground, and yet the field within felt oddly empty, stripped of life. The once-green grass that might have given the place some semblance of vitality was now nothing more than brittle, dead husks, leaving behind a patchwork of dirt and dust that stretched out before him.

  Scattered across the vast expanse were numerous chalk-drawn circles, each spanning roughly ten meters in diameter.

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  Within these circles, groups of newly awakened hunters fought fiercely, their Traits flashing in a chaotic display of power. The harsh thuds of fists against flesh echoed relentlessly, punctuated by the sickening sound of bodies crashing to the ground. Here, pain seemed to fuel their joy, their laughter filling the air with a nauseating sense of camaraderie. Some cheered, others clapped one another on the back, as if this violent spectacle was nothing more than a game to them.

  But it was the laughter, the loud, unrestrained bursts of joy, that unsettled Akira the most.

  The reckless, triumphant whoops of the hunters as they pushed themselves and each other to the brink of something he couldn’t quite comprehend.

  To them, this was play, a game of testing their powers, a test of their strength… To Akira, it was repulsive and utterly meaningless, these people had no idea what a fight for survival actually was, they practiced fighting as if it were a sport.

  “Let’s go Akira, there’s a free spot!” The man already decided that they were going to spar without even consulting Akira.

  Unlike most of these people, Akira understood what it meant to fight to the death, not just as a concept, but as a raw, visceral reality. He had slain monsters, those grotesque and terrifying creatures that lurked in the shadows, each kill a battle of survival, each victory earned with bloodied hands and a gnawing sense of dread. He had faced something far darker, something more horrific than any monster he had ever encountered. He had taken a life, not of a creature, but of another human being. The coldness of that moment still lingered, like the heavy, suffocating fog.

  Akira's eyes flickered to Leo, who was grinning like a child at a carnival, his enthusiasm unchecked by the chaos unfolding around them, bouncing on his heels, a look of giddy anticipation on his face.

  Looks like I have no choice but to do this, I’ll just take a hit and pretend to be too hurt to continue the fight.

  They both stepped inside one of the empty drawn circles, though Akira’s eyes still wandered around, sizing up the people around them and their Traits. Who knows who he would meet in the First Trial and under what circumstances.

  “Come on now, don’t get distracted when we’re about to start, you’re making me feel left out over here.” Leo said with his usual smug smile.

  Akira exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as he stepped further into the chalk-drawn circle. The scent of dust and sweat was thick in the air as he could feel the eyes of nearby hunters flicker toward him, sizing him up, just as he was doing to them.

  Leo bounced on the balls of his feet, radiating excitement. "Alright, Akira. You ready?" His grin stretched wide, the sheer enthusiasm almost infectious. Almost.

  Akira’s expression remained unreadable. "Sure."

  Leo didn’t hesitate. The moment the word left Akira’s lips, he lunged.

  He moved fast, faster than Akira expected for someone of his build, the man’s white tunic fluttering in the air. His tanned skin blurred as he twisted mid-air, one arm arcing high. A superman punch. The kind meant to send someone flying.

  Akira’s eyes widened at the move. Was this man really a Hatchling like him?

  Hey! Are you actually trying to kill me you bastard?!

  The speed. The weight behind the punch. If he took that hit head on, pretending to be hurt wouldn’t be an act, it would be reality.

  Tch.

  At the very last moment, Akira twisted his body just enough to let the blow graze past his cheek. The force of it sent a sharp sting through his skin, and his hair whipped wildly from the passing impact. He felt the weight of the strike, the power behind it, it was absurd.

  What the hell is this guy made of?

  “Oh? See! I knew you weren’t just some weakling who is only good at hiding in the corner!” Leo laughed out loud.

  Akira stumbled back slightly, recovering his balance with swift precision. His grey eyes locked on Leo, narrowing in suspicion.

  Looks like I was a fool thinking he was just a musclehead. He’s trying to push me into a corner and make me use my Trait or show off my abilities, he knows I lied to him, just like Oliver. These guys either have some crazy good intuition or I just suck at lying.

  The young man lunged at the boy again, that annoying smile still plastered on his face, ear to ear.

  This isn’t the kind of strength you use in a sparring match… If I take a hit I might actually get seriously injured, and his physical capabilities are way beyond mine. What should I do?

  Akira shot a few glances at his surroundings, most people were still busy sparring with their partners, yet they were still observing others in the meantime. He let out an internal sigh.

  There’s no other option, I have to focus on taking one blow head on and try to defend myself against it as much as possible, then he won’t have a choice but to stop this. Well, even if he tries to continue it I’ll just roll around and pretend like I got severely injured, let’s hope I only have to pretend.