After their engagement with the wolves, the cadets commenced their "plan." Uncertainty lingered in their hearts, but they did not let it slow them down.

On the other hand, after finishing their preparations, the group decided it was time to finally face Samael's trials.

After experiencing the myriad of traps littered all over their path as they followed the wolves, the trainees knew for a fact they were on the right track.

"The fog is getting denser as we go further," Ashley said as she snickered in exasperation.

"It's only natural as we're already in the middle part of the forest. This area is mildly infested according to our recent data," Ramon said, further annoying Ashley.

"I know, I'm just trying to vent," Ashley spat back.

"Focus; this fog will help us, so stop complaining," Yuin reprimanded the two.

They've been in the forest for nearly 7 hours now. They've been travelling nonstop and taking occasional breaks to preserve strength.

Unfortunately, what Ashley said was in fact true. While the fog will in fact help them later, it is no doubt an obstacle right now, as Yuin's already lost count of how many times they've gone in circles.

Not to mention the frequency and dangers posed by the traps have increased exponentially, further slowing them down.

"Well, at least we ain't running into more of those damned abominations," Ramon's words were cut swiftly as growls reverberated in the air.

"You just had to jinx it," Ashley scoffed as she unsheathed her weapons.

"Shut up," Ramon shot back as he grasped the handle of his black axe.

Yuin could only shake his head as he took out his daggers.

Soon, multiple figures formed from the dense fog, with their crimson eyes glowing malevolently.

It didn't take long before the grotesque maws of the imgrave wolves snapped at the cadets, and chaos ensued once more.

Yuin swiftly rolled to the side as a wolf lunged out of the fog, nearly grazing his cheek.

Without wasting time, he crouched down and propelled himself forward, delivering a fierce counterattack as he impaled his dagger into the filthy hide of the beast.

Ramon, on the other hand, couldn't be bothered to dodge as he swung his axe with tremendous force, breaking the skull of the attacking wolf with ease.

The rest of the cadets hastily grouped up, ganging up on the lone wolves, separated by the confusion.

Grunts and wimpers echoed in the air as flesh and blood rained down the coarse dirt, staining its decaying surface crimson.

After a few more minutes, the fight had stopped, with the cadets sustaining no injuries and the wolves dead.

Ramon wiped off the beads of sweat on his forehead as he approached Yuin. "Do we dispose of them?" he asked.

Yuin gazed at the corpses of the imgrave wolves before his pupils glew bright.

"No, I have an idea," he said as a mischievous smile crept up his face.

***

Far from the cadets, Samael stood above a tall branch, peering through the dense fog of decay.

He has been keeping a watchful eye, silently observing until the time comes for him to make his move.

While restricted from using his elements and full physical capabilities, Samael was not restricted by his experience.

Should the cadets approach his test without proper preparation, they would only meet defeat.

Back on the trainees, everyone held large bags dragged through the dirt, leaving disturbed marks on the earth as they kept marching forward.

Yuin and the rest kept a lookout for traps, while Ramon made sure to watch the rear for ambushes.

Time has been passing like raindrops falling from the sky; seconds have become minutes, and minutes have become hours.

Fatigue and exhaustion have started pestering the cadets as they take one step after the other.

They did not know whether they were near or far. Regardless, they also did not know whether they would feel better capturing the flag and being hunted by Samael or not.

But they kept pushing.

Then came the next trial.

"What the shit?" Ramon uttered subconsciously.

Yuin and the rest had the same reaction as they viewed the towering maze ahead.

"How the fuck did Sir Samael even build this?" Ramon asked in confusion.

"Safe to assume he had help," Ashley replied as she swallowed.

"We've got no time to waste. Onwards we go," Yuin said before gathering his courage and taking the first step.

The moment he did, a small smile formed on Samael's lips.

"It seems the cadets have made it to their last hurdle," Samael said as he leaned back.

The maze was built by an earthen echo he hired back at the camp. It was quite expensive, to say the least, but it was not a bad investment.

The wall is meant to crumble after a day and is hidden within the sea of fog, so it wouldn't attract much attention.

Samael then did the honours of setting a variety of traps and dead ends and even leading a few abominations in to slow down the cadets.

At the end of it lies the final trial. The flag. The very thing they've been hunting for the last eight hours of their travel.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Back in the maze, the cadets have started to enter the entrance of the labyrinth. However, they soon were halted as Yuin immediately triggered a trap.

Ashley swiftly swept Yuin off his feet as a dull arrow passed just above his head, cracking the wall to his right.

Yuin fell with a thud as he watched the arrow fall down, oozing with a colourless liquid they were all familiar with.

"Shit, even this place is littered with traps," Ramon said again.

Yuin took deep breaths as he rose to his feet. "Keep calm; we're already this far," he said.

The group slowly maintained their composure as they went deeper. The maze was dim, as the fog was as dense as outside. They could barely see what was in front of them, much less the traps hiding in the shadows.

"SHIT! PRESSURE PLATE!" A cadet named Ixia roared.

"Step back!" Ashley warned as she dashed back.

Ixia hastily ran back, narrowly avoiding a pitfall.

Events such as this kept occurring one after the other. Some were shockwaves, while others were logs hurling from above.

Unfortunately, their misery didn't end there.

"WOLVES!" Yuin said as he unsheated his daggers.

From the fog ahead, multiple imgrave wolves ran out, charging at the squad with utter ferocity.

Ramon quickly went into work as he bought down his war hammer, bisecting a wolf in two, but soon another abomination charged at him, giving him no time to raise his weapon.

Out of options, Ramon grabbed the canine fangs of the wolf, using his brute force to keep it from mauling his face off.

"A little help!" Ramon said as he was pushed back to a wall.

Fortunately, an arrow dug itself into the wolf's forehead, rendering it motionless and dead within seconds.

Ramon threw the carcass to the side before shifting his gaze at a cadet holding a bow.

"I owe you one, Sylas," Ramon said before he retrieved his axe.

Ashley and Ixia, on the other hand, fought back-to-back as they slowly chipped through the abomination before delivering the killing blow.

Yuin kept level-headed, using precise attacks as counters and hitting the vital spots of the wolves.

The scent of iron wafted in the air as the squad was bathed in crimson. Eventually, the seemingly endless horde of abominations finally came to an end.

The moment the last beast fell, the cadets slumped down, panting. Sweat, grime, and blood stained their visages as they hungered for air.

"Where the fuck did these things even come from?" Ashley couldn't help but ask as she hissed after wiping a gash in her arm.

Right now, the cadets all have the same questions in mind. Are there more of these ahead?

At this point, they've been at it for the last 11 hours. The night was soon to fall, and the darkness would soon unfold.

"If you're done tending your wounds, then let's move," Yuin said as he went up.

"Fuck it," Ramon said as he followed suit.

One by one, the cadets trailed the two, reaching even deeper in the maze.

The sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the entirety of their march as they were frequently stopped by dead ends and traps.

But they kept their wills steadfast. They could feel they were close.

In the presence of traps and enemies, their observation abilities went through the roof. Some eventually learned to recognise if something was wrong, warning the group beforehand.

As the minutes ticked by, the group soon saw a light at the end of a long corridor.

"Is that?" Ashley muttered.

"IT'S THE EXIT!" Ramon roared.

The cadets cheered in unison as tears streamed down their faces.

Yuin also formed a smile, but he kept his guard up.

"Stay on your toes; we're getting off this damned maze," Yuin said.

As they crept closer to the light, the group was eventually engulfed in it.

The cadets were greeted by the setting sun in the orange sky, and before them stood a red flag dancing under the wind.

However, their mentor was nowhere to be seen.

"It seems we have a grace period after taking the flag," Yuin said.

"It appears, yes," Sylas said.

"Then let's get to work," Yuin uttered, flames of ambition burning behind his pupils.

It was time for their hardest trial.

Back in the towering trees, Samael's eyes flew open as he felt the flag move locations.

It's time, Samael thought as he sat up.

As he promised, he will not use his element, weapon, or full prowess.

"Let the hunt begin," Samael uttered as he stepped off the branch, falling down with a soft thud.

Back on the cadets, Yuin had finished his preparation, as had the other trainees.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Ramon asked.

"There's only one way to find out," Yuin said as he shot a glance at the dense fog.

"He's here," Yuin said.

On que, the sounds of footsteps inching closer whispered in the ears of each and every warrior in the group.

Beads of sweat meandered down their foreheads, some drenching their backs cold as they intently watched Samael's figure form in the dense fog of decay.

"I didn't expect you all to challenge me like this," Samael said, his voice cold and emotionless, sending shivers down the spines of the cadets.

"Four minutes left," Yuin said.

As Samael finally showed himself, his brows rose up as he saw the scene before him.

"How interesting," Samael said.

Each and every cadet wore the carcasses of the imrgave wolves, using the hide of the abominations to hide their bodies. Their faces, on the other hand, were hidden by using the heads of the beasts. Their scents were also overpowered by the stench of blood, giving Samael no gap to exploit.

"Smart plan," Samael praised.

Upon hearing this, everyone dispersed, running off into the woods and vanishing in the dense fog.

"So it begins," Samael said.

***

Deep in the foggy forest where abominations and decay rests ran multiple figures, brushing past the dead trees without even sparring a glance back.

This occurred in multiple parts of the forest. Yuin's plan was simple but effective. Knowing Samael's restrictions, they made use of their best abilities: perception and number.

Yuin utilised the corpses of the imgrave wolves to mask their appearances, making it hard for anyone to recognise who is holding the flag, especially in such dense fog and the night masking their tracks.

Their scent was also well hidden, as the stench of the corpse far overpowered their own smell.

This is why Yuin decided to turn to a chase, as Samael wouldn't have a clue who was holding the flag.

Unfortunately, they missed a detail Samael did not reveal to them.

His heightened senses.

With Samael's natural-born absurd senses, he can see, smell, feel, hear, and taste things far better than any other normal person.

He can see in the dark, distinguish even the smallest difference, and even feel changes in the wind.

But Samael decided to give them a chance.

Deep in the towering trees, Ashley and her group kept at their pace, refusing to talk to avoid revealing who they were.

As they moved with haste, the wind whipped their faces when Ashley caught a movement in his peripheral.

In the darkness, a hand stretched out, smacking a cadet square in the chest and knocking him down the dirt.

The trainee grunted as he pushed himself from the ground—when Samael's foot struck him in the back of his head, knocking him down again.

"One down," Samael said.

Ashley, shocked and scared, was halted in her steps when a hand grabbed her shoulders, dragging her away.

Switching her gaze ahead, the one dragging Ashley was struck by a shadow and dragged off into the darkness without any noise.

"Two down," Samael's voice echoed.

"SHIT RUN!" Ashley roared in a panic as she realised Samael was not checking their identities.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Ixia asked frantically.

"He knows! He knows who is who!" Ashley said as she breezed through the trees.

"But why is he hunting us?!" Ixia asked.

"I—" Ashley's voice was cut off as a hand took hold of her cloak, dragging her up in the darkness above.

Ixia's gaze widened as she glanced around, fear shrouding her eyes. She kept glancing about as shadows shifted in her peripherals.

"Four," a voice whispered in her ears.

Ixia's gaze widened.

Then the darkness took her.

Soon, the decaying forest of Georgo Road was engulfed in the screams and terror of the trainees.

They ran, hid, and fought, but Samael was akin to an unstoppable force. He kept marching, no matter their numbers, traps, or abilities.

He was no shadow but the darkness himself, snuffing out their lights one by one. He was a walking calamity.

Engulfed in fear, the cadets lost track of their location. They ran in circles, playing in the palm of Samael as he took them down one by one.

Back in Ramon's group, they kept moving without stopping when they were halted by a figure ahead, walking through the dense fog.

"Oh shit, that's not good," Ramon uttered as he took a step back.

Ramon's gaze travelled back and forth, but escape was but a fleeting dream.

"Fuck it! Unsheat your wea—" Ramon's words were cut short as Samael's figure lunged at him.

He hastily swung his axe. However, Samael effortlessly sidestepped, nimbly dodging the blade hurling down.

The axe landed with a shattering boom, stirring the dust as it dug itself deep into the coarse dirt.

Ramon's gaze widened as he yanked his arm, only to find himself unable to move.

His axe was stuck.

"Oh, for fucks, sak—"

Then the darkness took him.

The other cadets watched in horror as Ramon's body fell down with a loud thud, unconscious and unmoving.

"34 down..." Samael uttered.

The two remaining cadets bolted away, but to no avail. With one forceful kick, Samael closed off the distance with ease, knocking the two nearly simultaneously, raising his count to 36.

"Last group left," Samael said as he shot a glance forward. Deep in the fog of decay where his last preys wait.