Kevin, standing beside Goshi Subaru, had veins bulging in his neck. He had never anticipated that Isakawa, once a mere weak child, would become so strong. The supposed failure of the ability project on Isakawa had turned out to be a staggering success.
"You guys are nothing but ants trying to bring down a dragon," Isakawa declared.
"Isakawa, enough!" Goshi Subaru barked, slamming his hand on the table in frustration.
If it became known that Isakawa, the outcast of the Subaru family, was actually an SSS Class Hero, the top families would be the laughingstock of the entire community. Goshi gritted his teeth, forcing himself to calm down.
"One more thing. For your own sake, don’t mess with my daughter, or you'll deeply regret it," Isakawa warned, his presence overwhelming the room with an oppressive pressure. The dark, sinister aura that emanated from him made it clear he was not making idle threats. Jennifer tugged at his sleeve, noticing his grim expression, and shook her head.
Isakawa quickly regained his composure, and the suffocating atmosphere in the room dissipated.
Glares were exchanged, and though Isakawa’s provocation was clear, only Tomita seemed to grasp his true intentions. There was a fleeting hint of fear on Isakawa's face when he mentioned his daughter—perhaps he should have warned his son instead not to mess with her.
"Ahem," Riko cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. "Mr. Goshi Subaru, concerning the children’s safety, should any strong monsters appear or if some children break the rules, what precautions are in place?" he asked, his voice tinged with nervousness.
"Don’t worry," Goshi Subaru replied swiftly, "We've stationed well-trained Ability Users around the Rift to monitor for any unusual activity."
"Thank you, Sir. Also, will the children be required to announce their abilities?" Riko asked eagerly.
Goshi Subaru shook his head. "No, that won’t be necessary. We’ll see their abilities in full when the games start tomorrow."
Jennifer, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, "Mr. Goshi Subaru, could you provide a clear explanation of how the family games will be conducted?"
A lady beside Mutsuba looked at Jennifer with calm, light purple eyes and offered a sweet smile. "Haven’t you heard? In this year’s Family Games, the children will form groups of five, survive in the Rift for three days on their own, kill monsters, and return. The group that kills the most monsters will win," she explained, flipping her dark grey hair with a casual grace.
The woman looked at Jennifer with a hint of jealousy. 'I can understand why Yue is making such a fuss. It's a shame to let a man like him slip away. But then again, I have my husband and child. I’m going to win these Games, no matter what.' A devilish grin spread across her face, hidden behind the elegant cover of her hand fan.
____
The next day, the entire Subaru family gathered outside a massive Rift that seemed to be a gateway to a lush, plant-filled expanse.
Thirty children stood in front of the Rift, lined up before their parents. A tall woman with light purple eyes stepped forward. Her right eye was unclouded, but her left had been destroyed during a mission, leaving a scar. Her gaze landed on a boy with dark purple hair and dull purple eyes.
Tina’s body trembled as recognition hit her. She wanted to strike him down on the spot—he was the one who had taken her eye and, with it, half of her power. But she forced herself to stay composed, her rage simmering.
“If you’ve chosen your groups of five, please step forward so I can announce them,” she instructed.
The children shuffled to form their groups, awaiting Tina’s announcement.
“Group 1: Ray, Meiru, Heili, Kamare, and Nero.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“Group 2: Gaius, Alter, Soji, Xiao, and Rui.”
“Group 3: Asura, Yue'er, Lance, Jason, and Saito.”
“Group 4: Ibuki, Orion, Tristan, Xinjie, and Cyan.”
“Group 5: Iris, Tael, Ozymandias, Krumi, and Sheila.”
“Group 6: Erice, Vritra, Edward, Francis, and Ivan.”
As Tina finished announcing the groups, the parents looked on, satisfied with the arrangements for their children. Riko, in particular, appeared the happiest, confident that his daughters would be in the safest group.
The children entered the Rift, equipped only with a space bag for storing the bodies of any monsters they defeated. These magical tools, capable of holding large quantities before reaching capacity, were notoriously expensive, but to the price was not an issue to the Subarus.
As the children dispersed within the Rift, their parents were transported to a room similar to that of a luxurious theater, complete with plush seating and a giant screen. Here, they would monitor their children's progress in the Games.
---
Krumi, Sheila, Ozymandias, Tael, and Iris moved cautiously through the Rift they found themselves in.
Upon entry, a message materialized in front of them:
[Welcome to The Rift Of Unknown Wonders.
Capacity: ???
Monster levels: 10- ???
Required level: Any
Rewards for conquering: ???]
The children exchanged glances, puzzled. The Rift usually provided specific details, but this area was notoriously strange. It had been conquered three times by their families, yet remained largely a mystery.
"Iris, stay with us!" Sheila called out anxiously, as Iris had wandered ahead of the group.
The team had opted for tracksuits for their practicality and comfort during combat, except Iris, whose suit was adorned with bunny patterns.
They set up camp near a cluster of tall trees, contemplating their next move. Their excitement was tinged with fear, knowing they could be attacked by monsters or even other humans at any moment.
The rules forbade family members from killing each other, but they didn’t specify that breaking limbs was off-limits.
Ozymandias, who rarely spoke, stood out in the group. Despite appearing around 5 years old and nearly the same height as Iris, his dark hair and deep grey eyes, combined with his petite stature and a red tracksuit, made him seem almost fragile. His expression was notably somber, a stark contrast to the others. He was the one Tael had selected during the dinner.
"There's no need to worry just yet. A monster wouldn't attack right after we enter," Iris reassured, gathering wood for their camp. Unbeknownst to her, a massive shadow loomed behind her.
"Iris, look out!" Sheila shouted as a giant centipede monster emerged from the shadows. Tael acted swiftly, grabbing Iris and summoning his scythe. He slashed at the monster's eyes, causing it to screech in agony.
"The shell’s tougher than I expected," Tael noted, his scythe gleaming.
[You have discovered Cemra Centipede]
[A being resembling a centipede, 17 meters in length and 6 meters thick. It possesses two enormous claws near its mouth, specialized for crushing its enemies. Its entire body is covered in dark, thick black scales that are hard to penetrate.]
---
[ Level: 30
Class Rank: D
HP: 20,000/20,000
Strength: 900
Defense: 2,000
INT: 80
AGI: 6,000 ]
[ Daily Quest ]
[ Kill two monsters ]
[ Reward: 2 HP potions and 2 MP potions, +25 EXP
Failure to complete quest: HP reduction by -5 ]
---
[ Name: Iris
Class: Soul Eater, Death Master
Race: Human and ??
Level: 3
Age: 5
EXP: 1/50
HP: 80/80
STR: 5
VIT: 20
INT: 6
Magic Power: 40
AGI: 7
Defense: 9
Charm: 100
Luck: 20
Skill Points: 0
Skills:
{Immortal Body} (Resistance to all element attributes; rapid recovery from injuries.)
Blood Sword: Bloody Puppet: Dark Scythe: Devour
{Eternal} (???) ]
---
Iris quickly regained her footing and began to strategize.
Krumi dashed toward Tael and cast Lightning Blast. The sky darkened as a massive bolt of lightning struck the monster. Krumi, visibly drained from the spell, knew she couldn't cast it again without leaving herself vulnerable.
“Tael and Krumi! Over here!” Iris shouted, guiding them back toward the group.
As the monster pursued them, Tael and Krumi changed direction, sprinting towards Iris and the others. “You need to run!” Tael yelled, desperately trying to fend off the centipede.
Iris concentrated on the monster and noticed a glowing green ball of energy surrounding it.
“Yes, I have that skill,” Iris murmured, narrowing her eyes in focus.
“What skill, Iris?” Sheila asked, hope mingled with anxiety. Could Iris's skill be their solution?
“Everyone, keep moving forward! I haven’t used it before, so it might not work as planned,” Iris warned.
“Iris, we’re not leaving you behind,” Krumi said firmly.
“…Okay,” Iris agreed. “But Tael, I’m not sure if I can cast the skill while you’re carrying me.”
“Just do it,” Tael urged.
Iris closed her eyes and focused. “Blood Puppet,” she whispered.
Tael shivered at the sound of her words.
Iris’s teddy bear began to vibrate uncontrollably before launching from her hand. “Meishu Bear!” Iris cried out as the bear was enveloped in a bright red light. It transformed into a blood-covered knight, towering nearly 20 feet.
The knight brandished its sword with incredible speed, slicing the monster in two within moments. The centipede’s body twitched before collapsing, lifeless, having barely registered the attack.