The jungle stretched in all directions, an unbroken sea of green and shadow. The midday sun barely crawling through the canopy, casting shifting golden patches against the damp earth. Kurai strode through the dense undergrowth, his senses keener than before. Every rustling leaf, every distant birdcall, even the faintest scent carried on the wind felt clearer, more defined.

The Aether Manual's knowledge still burned fresh in his mind. While he had yet to fully implement its teachings, he already felt a deeper connection to the energy coursing through his veins. It responded to his will, shifting subtly when he focused, but the control was delicate—fledgling. It would take time before he could wield it as anything more than an undercurrent of strength.

He exhaled slowly, pushing aside the tempting pull of experimentation. There would be time to refine his control later. Now, he had a different goal.

He wasn't alone this time.

A short distance behind him, Jace, Elias, and Theo followed with wary steps. Each clutched their makeshift spears with varying levels of confidence—Elias with the ease of experience, Jace with stubborn determination, and Theo with the nervous grip of a man who knew he was out of his depth.

Mira had stayed behind at the camp to reinforce their supplies and tend to their growing stockpile of meat, but she had armed herself with a spear nonetheless, just in case. This time, though, it was the three men who had insisted on joining Kurai for the hunt. Even Theo, who had hesitated at the idea of fighting, had steeled his resolve after seeing Kurai return stronger with every battle.

Kurai had been conflicted. He recognized his need for personal safety, and the prospect of yet another betrayal loomed in his mind. Still, he understood that there might come a time when he would require their help. His encounters so far had been within his scope of skills, but he could feel the tides shifting. The air itself seemed heavier, thick with the unspoken promise of greater dangers yet to come.

"You're sure about this?" Kurai asked without turning, his voice steady. He could hear their measured footsteps behind him.

"We need the points," Jace said firmly. "Sitting around while you do all the work isn't gonna cut it anymore."

Kurai didn't argue. He had anticipated this. Jace had been brooding for days, clearly frustrated by his own perceived weakness. The others were beginning to understand that survival meant more than just hiding behind sharpened sticks.

"Then we do this my way," Kurai said, stopping suddenly and turning to face them. His sharp gaze swept over each of them. "If you hesitate, you die. If you break formation, you die. If you act recklessly—" his gaze lingered on Jace, "—you die."

Jace exhaled sharply, but nodded. Theo swallowed audibly. Elias, for his part, remained calm.

Kurai studied them for a moment longer before nodding. "Good. We move."

They pressed forward, deeper into the jungle, until the air itself felt thicker, laced with the scent of damp earth and the distant musk of something alive. Kurai's fingers tightened on his spear as he gestured for the others to halt. He crouched, motioning for them to do the same.

"There," he whispered, nodding toward a clearing ahead.

A lone prowler lurked near a moss-covered log, its sleek body taut with predatory stillness. Unlike the packs Kurai had fought before, this one was alone—wounded, from the look of the jagged gash running along its hind leg.

Perfect.

"This is your first kill," Kurai said, his voice low but firm. "Elias, Jace, you'll flank it. Theo, you stay back—use your spear if it tries to run."

Theo nodded quickly, relief flickering across his features at not being on the front line.

Jace tightened his grip on his weapon. "Let's do this."

Elias gave a curt nod. "We take it slow. No sudden movements."

Kurai watched as the two men fanned out, slipping slowly into the undergrowth . Elias moved with natural caution, every step measured. Jace, though slightly less fluid, held himself with rigid focus. The prowler had yet to notice them.

Then, in a blur of motion, Elias struck.

His spear lashed out, catching the beast's wounded leg, forcing it to snarl and whip around. Jace lunged from the opposite side, driving his weapon toward its exposed ribs. The prowler reacted with startling speed, twisting away from the worst of the blow, but Jace's spear still grazed its flank, drawing blood.

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It let out a piercing screech, muscles bunching, preparing to bolt—

"Now, Theo!" Kurai snapped.

Theo's eyes widened in panic, but he reacted. He thrust his spear forward just as the prowler lunged, catching it in the shoulder. The impact wasn't deep enough to kill, but it was enough to stagger the beast. That hesitation was all Elias needed.

He drove his spear forward, straight into the creature's exposed throat.

The prowler gurgled, convulsed, then went still.

Silence followed, save for their ragged breathing.

Jace lowered his spear, staring at the corpse. Theo's hands trembled as he slowly withdrew his weapon. Elias remained still, watching the beast's form to ensure it was truly dead.

Then, the voice came.

"You have absorbed another creature's Aether. You have grown stronger. 10 points have been allocated."

Elias exhaled as the sensation of Aether passed through him for the first time. His stance shifted—slightly more grounded, slightly more aware. Jace and Theo, however, remained still, their expressions tight with realization.

Jace flexed his fingers. "Wait… so only Elias got the points?"

Kurai watched intensely "That seems to be the case.."

Theo exhaled, half laughing, but there was an edge to it. "That's… brutal."

Elias observed his hand with a small smile, as if feeling the Aetheric energy coursing through him. "So only the killer gets rewarded… guess that means we'll have to hunt a lot more if we all want to grow."

Kurai nodded in quiet approval. "You did well. But one kill means nothing if you can't repeat it." He gestured toward the body. "We'll go see if we can find some more, get you guys a couple each if possible. Just remember—only the one who deals the killing blow gets the reward. That means you need to be precise, but I won't tolerate any infighting over a kill. Survival comes first."

They all nodded, the weight of his words seemed to settle in each of them. Good, Kurai thought.

As they prepared to leave, he turned his gaze toward the trees. The jungle had been watching. Ever vigilant, he remained on high alert.

The sun hung low in the sky, bleeding streaks of red and gold across the treetops as Kurai and the others made their way back to camp. The jungle had begun its eerie transition into night, the calls of distant creatures shifting from the chatter of birds to the guttural growls of prowlers lurking just beyond sight. The weight of their kills, both physical and psychological, bore down on them with each step.

Elias, Jace, and Theo each carried the carcasses of their own slain beasts, two per person. The group had been triumphant in their hunt, and for the first time, they walked with a sense of achievement rather than blind fear. Even Theo, who had been hesitant before, now carried himself with a newfound sense of confidence. He had earned his kills. He had felt the surge of Aether flow into his veins, solidifying his place among the living in this brutal world.

Despite their victories, Kurai remained silent.

The others basked in their growth, yet he had seen the reality of their battles. They had been sloppy. Careless. There had been a moment, just before Theo's second kill, where the beast had nearly gutted him. If Kurai hadn't intervened with a quick distraction, Theo wouldn't be walking back to camp right now. Even Jace, emboldened by his newfound strength, had left himself wide open during his second encounter, requiring a swift warning from Kurai to avoid a fatal mistake.

He glanced at them now, their faces illuminated by the fading light. They didn't see it. They saw the points, the rewards, the feeling of power coursing through their limbs. But they hadn't grasped the weight of what came with it. Not yet.

As they stepped into the clearing where their camp lay, Mira looked up from tending the fire. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the carcasses, and then a slow smile formed on her lips. "You actually did it."

Jace grinned, tossing down his kill. "Two each," he announced. "Turns out, we're pretty damn good at this."

Elias exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "It was a hard push, but we managed."

Theo collapsed onto a nearby log, rubbing his face. "I thought I was dead at least twice," he admitted with a shaky laugh. "But we made it."

Mira glanced at Kurai, noting his lack of reaction. "And? What do you think?"

Kurai set his own spear down and crossed his arms. "You all got stronger," he acknowledged. "But you weren't careful enough."

The fire crackled in the silence that followed. The others exchanged glances.

Jace frowned. "We got our kills, didn't we?"

"You got lucky," Kurai countered, his voice calm but firm. "If I hadn't been there, Theo would be bleeding out in the dirt. Jace, you left yourself open twice. Elias, your footwork almost cost you. Strength without discipline is just a delayed death sentence."

Theo's face fell, the pride dimming from his eyes. Jace opened his mouth to argue, but Elias placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head.

Kurai let out a slow breath. "Tomorrow, you hunt as a group of four. I won't be there."

Mira blinked. "You're leaving?"

"No," Kurai replied. "But you have your first kills. You understand what's required. Now you either survive on your own or you don't."

The weight of his words settled over them like a cold wind. The safety net they hadn't even realized they relied on was being pulled away.

Elias nodded after a moment. "I get it. You need to keep growing."

Jace exhaled sharply, but didn't argue this time. "Fine. We'll handle it."

Kurai turned, staring into the jungle beyond the camp. He had noticed the two desperate hunters he had previously slain were nowhere to be found, no blood, no remains except their bloodstained spears. The thought made him uneasy for some reason. It could've been the prowlers, sure. But somehow the idea didn't stick, something else was amiss. The unease gnawed at him, he couldn't stop growing now. His own survival dependent on it.

Giving them a head start had been necessary, but he had his own path to walk. There were things in this world he needed to understand, powers he needed to unlock. If he stagnated now, he might as well have died with the others who had been too weak to adapt.

The others could hunt together. They could grow at their own pace.

Night settled in, the fire crackling as the jungle loomed around them.