After resting for a bit following their fight with the spider beast, the group started moving again.
The forest surrounding them was dense, making it easy to get lost in the woods. Thankfully, it was clear where the center of the dome was — the place they needed to reach.
So, they knew their destination.
How did they know?
Because at the center stood a tall mountain, its peak visible from anywhere within the dome.
As they continued moving forward, they stumbled upon more Spirit Beasts, though none as formidable as the spider.
They encountered two more Bladewraiths, both of which were taken down by Alexia.
Then, they were ambushed by a grotesque creature that appeared to be a mix between a giant cockroach and a mouse.
Michael managed to slay two of those abominations, with heavy assistance from Alexia.
It seemed that Alexia was pushing herself too hard, perhaps because she hadn’t been much help during the earlier battles.
Regardless of the reason, they had successfully completed their first objective of slaying seven Spirit Beasts.
Now, all that remained was to reach the center of the dome, enter the cave where the Essence Stone was located, crush the Essence Stone, and win the test.
Of course, accomplishing all of this was easier said than done.
Because as they ventured deeper into the forest, the air became increasingly dry, making it painful to breathe.
Everyone was visibly struggling.
Everyone except for Michael, that is.
Well, truth be told, even he was starting to have a hard time, but his condition was still significantly better than the others.
It wasn’t long after that when they came across another team of Cadets.
Michael considered handling the situation calmly, hoping to avoid a fight. However, before he could even let a word out, the other team attacked them.
Surprisingly — though he probably shouldn’t have been so surprised — Samael was the first to react. He used his Flame Lash and immediately knocked out one of the opposing Cadets.
Before they could process what had just happened, the golden-haired boy was already upon his second victim, bashing his knee into his opponent’s face.
By that point, the rest of the group had joined the skirmish as well, quickly overpowering the opposing team.
But the sounds of their battle attracted even more teams to their location. And soon, the situation devolved into a chaotic free-for-all.
The air was filled with the sounds of clashing weapons, the crackling of flames, and the occasional grunt of pain.
They fought in that chaos for some time before deciding to tactically retreat. It wasn’t a battle worth fighting.
After all, their objective wasn’t to eliminate all the other teams but to reach the center of the dome and win.
So, they dashed through the forest, not bothering to look back. They had no time to waste.
The test was set to end in forty minutes, and Michael was certain that thirty of those minutes had already passed.
Fortunately, they were close to the center.
Unfortunately, their retreat hadn’t gone unnoticed.
A few other teams had come running after them in pursuit.
But even more unfortunately, Michael spotted something imposing and hideous emerging from the woods to his distant right.
It was a giant spider. Its body was dark and glistening, with twisted humanoid faces covering its torso.
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet, and a shrill, unnatural screech split the air.
Almost immediately, the spider beast began chasing them, closing in from their right.
“Oh, not again!” Alexia cried out in exasperation.
“Keep running! Keep running!” Samael shouted, coughing violently as he breathed in the acrid air. “We are in no condition to fight it!”
The problem was that the spider was coming from their right. It would intercept them if they continued running straight.
However, they couldn’t retreat either, as another team was chasing them from behind.
It was a tough situation.
Michael thought about proposing the only solution he could think of.
“I will hold back the spider beast,” he said with the bravado of a hero sacrificing himself at the end of a movie. “You all go ahead—”
But before he could finish his sentence, Samael stopped in his tracks, summoned his Origin Card, and knelt on the ground.
Suddenly, a barrage of sharp spikes erupted from the ground between them and the spider, forcing the creature to change its course.
However, when the spider tried to circumvent the wall of jagged protrusions, it ended up getting closer to the other teams that were chasing them.
And as if sensing an easier target, the creature pivoted, turning its attention on those teams instead.
The abomination had found its new prey.
Before the pursuing group of Cadets could even realize the gravity of the situation they were in, the spider beast crashed into their ranks, its massive legs slicing through the air with unnatural speed.
Screams of terror echoed as the spider’s monstrous form loomed over them, its many faces snarling in a sickening harmony.
“Run! Run! Run, you idiot!” Samael shouted, smacking Michael on the back of the head as he ran past him.
Michael stood dumbstruck for a moment before he finally snapped out of it and started running as well.
Honestly, he didn’t know what to make of Samael anymore.
The guy was still selfish, snobby, and unbelievably annoying. Just looking at him made Michael’s blood boil.
But there was something different about him now.
Something just wasn’t the same.
Michael couldn’t quite place a finger on it, but it had been nagging at him for a while.
It all started when he met Samael during the Evaluation Exam.
At first, he was just as annoying as ever. But the more Michael observed him, the clearer it became — Samael had changed.
Drastically.
Michael remembered back in high school when Samael’s eyes were always filled with cold malice.
He took pleasure in causing pain, feeding off the suffering of those around him like it was some kind of sick game.
He was cruel. And he reveled in it.
…Okay, maybe Michael was exaggerating a bit.
But he couldn’t help it. He had a bias against that bastard.
And, if he was being honest with himself, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable.
Samael never really targeted Michael directly in school — at least, not until that whole fiasco with Lily.
But he never stopped his friends from bullying Michael, either.
In fact, Samael would stand there, with that insufferable, arrogant smile plastered on his face, while his so-called friends made Michael’s life hell.
He and his gang would torment anyone they wished.
And Samael didn’t just watch. He encouraged it — like everyone’s pain was nothing more than entertainment for him.
It was as if everyone was his subjects, and their misery brought him amusement.
The worst part? He never seemed to care.
He never cared about the people his friends tormented, not about how his actions affected others, not about anything.
And Michael hated him for it.
He hated him for his indifferent cruelty, for his arrogance, and for that smug sense of superiority of his.
Just because he was born into the great Theosbane family, just because he had a powerful Origin Card, he thought he could get away with anything!
Michael’s hatred wasn’t just some small annoyance. It ran deep, almost irrationally so. But in his mind, it was justified.
He hated him.
More than anyone.
But the Samael he hated… wasn’t here anymore.
This person running in front of him wasn’t the Samael he knew.
The Samael he knew was a sadistic, spiteful brat.
He never would’ve let go of his feud with Michael. He never would’ve tried to strike a deal with him. He would’ve done anything to destroy him.
Honestly, that’s what Michael thought Samael’s agenda was when he joined this Squad.
But instead, Samael had been nothing but helpful.
And now that Michael thought about it, it had all been strategic.
Even during the first fight with the spider, Samael positioned himself near Lily, knowing her foresight could be useful in any unexpected situation.
And that’s exactly what happened — he ended up saving Alexia.
After that, Samael kept stepping up to assist in the other fights as well.
He was the first to react against that other Squad.
And just now, he diverted the Spirit Beast toward the group of Cadets behind them, cleverly killing two birds with one stone.
It was clear.
The Samael before him was different.
He was more focused. More driven — but not in the same way he used to be.
There was something in his eyes. The fire in them wasn’t the same.
Before, Samael treated the world as his personal stage, where everything and everyone merely existed to please him.
But now? Michael could see something else. There was purpose behind his actions — purpose in his self-centered behavior.
But Michael didn’t know what that purpose was.
“Get a move on!” Samael barked, snapping Michael out of his thoughts. “If we lose this test because of you dragging us down, I’ll kill you!”
Michael clenched his jaw. He hadn’t even realized he’d been slowing down.
He shook his head and pushed himself forward, catching up to Samael, then overtaking him to get in the lead.
Right.
Nothing had changed.
He still despised that guy.
…At least until he figured out what was going on in that head of his.