The Hunt's end

Lyra exhaled sharply, pulling out her sleek, jet-black bow, her fingers expertly tightening the string as she observed the battlefield.
"Alright, listen up." She kept her voice low and focused, her sharp eyes darting between the three-headed black panther and the Skelvane, both now locked in a tense standoff.
"The Skelvane's weak spot is its ribcage—the flames inside it are its energy source. We take that out, and it crumbles." She pointed at the panther. "As for that thing, we'll need to take out at least one of its heads to cripple its attack power. So here's what we'll do—"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever—"
WHOOSH!
Ro-Ro ignored her completely and dashed straight into the battlefield, cracking his knuckles with a cocky grin.
Lyra's eye twitched. "You—WHA—" She clenched her fists. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"
Ro-Ro stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders. "I don't got time for fancy strategies! Plans are for nerds!"
Lyra snapped. "PLANS ARE WHAT KEEP YOU FROM DYING, YOU ABSOLUTE MORON!"
The argument was loud enough that the three-headed panther and Skelvane stopped fighting for a second—visibly confused.
Even the damn monsters were like: Who are these idiots?
Lyra facepalmed so hard it might've left a dent in her skull.
"You—You brainless, muscle-headed, delinquent-wannabe-badass-"*
Ro-Ro just grinned. "You done talking? Cuz I got some ass to kick."
Lyra stomped her foot. "You—You don't even KNOW what you're doing!!"
"Sure I do," Ro-Ro smirked. "I'm punching things until they stop moving."
Lyra looked like she was physically in pain. "I swear, Ro-Ro, if you get yourself killed, I am NOT reviving you!"
Ro-Ro winked. "Aw, don't be mad. I know you care about me."
Lyra's face turned red—but not from anger this time.
"W-WHAT?! I DO NOT—"
Ro-Ro was already gone, rushing straight at the Skelvane with zero hesitation.
"UGH! This idiot is going to get himself killed!" Lyra groaned, raising her bow. "Fine! Guess I have to clean up his mess!"


The Skelvane roared, slamming its obsidian claws into the ground, sending a shockwave of fire toward Ro-Ro.
Ro-Ro grinned. "Ohhh, spicy!"
WHOOSH! He sidestepped, the flames searing the dirt as he launched himself forward, Ti-Bu flaring through his fist.
"FIST!"
BOOM!
Ro-Ro's punch collided with the Skelvane's ribcage, cracking the bones slightly.
"Hah! Not so tough, are y—"
WHAM!
The panther blindsided him, ramming him full force into a tree.
Ro-Ro coughed. "Okay. Ow."
The middle head unleashed an ultrasound wave, rattling Ro-Ro's skull.
"AGH— STOP YELLING IN MY FACE!"* He gritted his teeth, forcing himself up.
The left head charged a fire blast, while the right one prepared a water cannon.

Just as the fire and water attacks blasted toward him—
FWIP! FWIP! FWIP!
Three arrows cut through the air, hitting the panther square in the eyes of each head.
"BULLSEYE."
Ro-Ro glanced up. Lyra was perched on a tree branch, bow in hand, smirking.
"Y'know, if you actually followed my plan, you wouldn't have gotten your ribs crushed," she teased.
Ro-Ro wiped some blood off his lip and grinned. "Yeah, yeah, keep talking. You totally just saved me 'cause you care."
Lyra aimed another arrow. "I can still shoot you next, dumbass."
The Skelvane wasn't done yet.
Its ribcage cracks glowed fiercely, and it unleashed a massive fire explosion, engulfing the entire area in flames.
Ro-Ro's eyes narrowed.
"Alright. No more playing around."


Ro-Ro rushed in again, this time moving faster, his Ti-Bu sparking around his arms.
The Skelvane swung down its claws—
BOOM! Ro-Ro dodged last second, sliding under it and delivering an uppercut straight to its flaming ribcage.
"SECOND HIT!"
The Skelvane staggered back, bones cracking further.
But before Ro-Ro could finish it—
The panther lunged from behind.
"Not this time!" Lyra shouted.
She released another arrow—this one charged with Ti-Bu.
THUNK! It pierced through the panther's left head, severing it completely.
"Hell yeah!" Ro-Ro grinned.
Lyra smirked. "Told you I was useful."
Ro-Ro jumped high, flipping mid-air.
His final punch charged up, Ti-Bu surging.
"FINAL HIT!"
BOOM!
His fist shattered the Skelvane's ribs, the flames snuffing out instantly.
The Skelvane groaned one last time—then collapsed into a pile of bones.
The panther, now missing a head, whimpered and collapsed too.
Victory.

Ro-Ro panted, dropping onto the ground, exhausted.
Lyra walked over, hands on her hips. "That was reckless."
Ro-Ro smirked. "But it was badass."
She rolled her eyes. "And stupid."
Ro-Ro stretched out, leaning back on his arms. "C'mon, admit it—you're impressed."
Lyra scoffed, but there was a tiny smile on her lips.
"You're lucky I don't punch people."
Ro-Ro grinned. "Hah! So you do care."
Lyra turned away. "Shut up."
Ro-Ro just chuckled.
A few minutes earlier, Kai walked through the dense forest, arms crossed in thought.
Kai wandered through the dense forest, his eyes scanning for any sign of a kangaroo. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
"Alright… where could a kangaroo be hiding? Hmm… wait, do kangaroos even hide? Maybe they like carrots? No, that's rabbits…" He sighed, scratching his head.
Just then, he spotted a familiar figure moving ahead. "Oh, it's you! Uh… wait, what was your name again?"
The mutant turned, his expression flat and unimpressed. "Zoi."
"Right! Zoi! Nice to meet you again. So, what are you looking for?" Kai asked with his usual enthusiasm.
"A squirrel," Zoi answered curtly.
Kai nodded sagely. "A noble quest. Need any help?"
"No."
"Alright, cool, cool—oh! Hey, look! There's one right now!" Kai pointed at a nearby tree.
Before he could even react, Zoi had already disappeared, reappearing in an instant with a struggling squirrel held by the tail. He gave Kai a glance and muttered, "Hmph… thanks."
Kai grinned. "No problem! That was awesome, by the way. You're crazy fast!"
Just then, a voice rang out from behind them.
"Yo, you can stop hiding now."
From the shadows stepped Hiroki, licking his lips with an unsettling grin. "Zoi, you knew I was here the whole time and didn't say anything? Were you secretly enjoying my presence?"
Zoi didn't even look at him. "No."
Hiroki sighed dramatically. "Such a shame." Then he turned to Kai. "And my dear sidekick!"
"I AIN'T YOUR SIDEKICK!" Kai shouted.
Hiroki chuckled. "Believe what you want." Then, with a casual flick of his wrist, he pulled something from the bush—a dead kangaroo.
Kai's eyes widened in horror. "Dude! You didn't have to kill it!"
Hiroki shrugged. "Well, you were mumbling about it earlier, so I figured I'd help. And as for why I killed it… let's just say I haven't gotten my hands dirty yet. Consider it a stress reliever."
Kai's face twisted in disapproval. "You… need better ways to deal with stress, man."
Zoi folded his arms. "What about your animal?"
Hiroki smirked. "Oh, I got mine first thing. A raccoon. Found it as soon as everyone entered the forest."
Zoi scoffed and turned away, walking off without another word.
Kai shot Hiroki a look. "I'm watching you."
Hiroki's grin widened. "So am I."
Kai shook his head, letting out an exaggerated sigh as he followed after Zoi. "Man… what a day."
Throughout the dense, sprawling forest, competitors scattered in every direction, each locked in their own struggle to capture their assigned animals. The air was filled with rustling leaves, hurried footsteps, and the occasional curse or triumphant cheer.
A burly contestant with a jagged scar across his nose grunted as he tackled a wild boar, wrestling with its powerful thrashing. "Damn thing's stronger than it looks!" he growled, tightening his grip around its torso. With a final heave, he slammed it onto its side and held it down, panting.
Nearby, a girl with twin daggers, her face calm as still water, stalked a falcon perched high on a tree branch. With a flick of her wrist, she threw a small blade, cutting the branch just enough to make it wobble. As the falcon took off in surprise, she leaped into the air, twisting mid-flight, and snatched it clean out of the sky. She landed gracefully, the bird squawking in her grip. "Gotcha."
Not too far away, a lanky boy with nervous energy clutched a net, creeping up on a rabbit. His fingers twitched, sweat rolling down his temple. "Okay… slow and steady… you got this…" Just as he was about to throw the net, another competitor, a brute of a man, stomped past, scaring the rabbit off. "No! No, no, no—ugh, come on!" The brute barely acknowledged him, already chasing a large lizard.
A duo worked together to capture a massive bull, one acting as bait while the other prepared a rope trap. The bull snorted aggressively, stomping its hoof before charging. At the last second, the bait-diver flipped out of the way, and his partner yanked the rope, tripping the beast. The two shared a triumphant high-five.
Elsewhere, a silent figure stood, completely still. A raccoon sniffed at his boot, cautiously stepping forward. The figure didn't move—until, in a blink, his hand shot down, snatching the raccoon by the scruff. "Easy."
Across the field, chaos reigned as a group of three found themselves overwhelmed by a massive, rampaging moose. One of them, a girl with wild hair, screamed, "Why did it have to be a moose?!" Another tried to climb a tree but was immediately knocked off by a well-placed kick from the beast.
All around, competitors used different strategies—some relying on brute strength, others on speed, trickery, or teamwork. The forest, once peaceful, had become a battleground of skill, wit, and sheer determination as time ticked away.
Everyone returned, turning in their captured animals one by one. My-My handed hers in with a satisfied grin, brushing the dirt off her jacket.
Renji stretched his arms. "Alright, I’ll go find mine now," he said, his tone casual but focused.
My-My clasped her hands together. "Good luck, Renji! You got this!"
Renji waved as he disappeared into the forest. Meanwhile, Kai, Zoi, and Hiroki strolled into the clearing. My-My’s eyes lit up the moment she spotted Kai, and she rushed toward him without hesitation.
"Kai!!" she called out, throwing her arms around him.
Kai blinked in surprise before flashing a wide grin. "My-My! I’m glad you’re safe too!"
Hiroki groaned dramatically. "Ugh, please, get a room."
My-My quickly let go, flailing her arms. "It’s not like that!!"
Kai chuckled. "She’s just happy, that’s all."
Hiroki smirked before shifting his attention. "Oh, Tokuma! My lizard friend, you made it before me."
Tokuma nodded. "Indeed I did."
Hiroki crossed his arms. "And? What was your animal?"
"A damn blood wolf," Tokuma replied bluntly. "And I just so happened to kill it."
Hiroki smirked. "Funny, because I also killed mine."
"Indeed you did," Tokuma muttered, his eyes narrowing slightly.
(So, Veger... you gunslinger bastard... you know about who I’m guarding. But how? Were you bluffing? Or did you stumble upon our location and see me standing watch? Let’s say one of those is true—but even if it is, you'd still have to get past this tournament to reach Ougo. And that’s where I’m stationed. Wait. I came here to have fun. But they… they came here because I was here. Now it’s starting to make sense.)
Tokuma’s expression remained unreadable, but his mind raced through the possibilities. His lips curled into a slow smirk.
Hiroki tilted his head. "You look deep in thought, buddy. Something on your mind?"
Tokuma merely chuckled. "Nothing at all."

As soon as Ro and Lyra stepped into the clearing, My-My spotted her brother and launched herself at him like a missile.
"RO-ROOOO!!!" she screamed, leaping onto his back, her arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders.
"GAH! Get off me, you crazy idiot!" Ro growled, stumbling forward under her weight. He tried prying her off, but she clung to him like a stubborn koala.
"No way!! I missed you! What if you got lost or eaten or kidnapped or—"
Ro sighed, still struggling to shake her off. "Damn it, My, I was gone for like—what?—an few minutes?"
"That's too long!"
Lyra giggled at the sight, covering her mouth. "She really loves you, huh?"
Ro groaned. "More like she's a damn parasite."
Eventually, My-My slid off him, bouncing on her heels. Ro and Lyra turned in their captured animals, with Ro making a quick glance toward Veger and Bojack, who stood off to the side, observing the crowd with cold, unreadable expressions. He clicked his tongue and turned back to the others.
"Where the hell is Renji?" he asked.
My-My tilted her head. "Oh! He went to look for his animal!"
Kai folded his arms, his expression serious. "If the final part of this test involves fighting, that means he'll have to go up against some real monsters." He turned his gaze toward Zoi, Hiroki, and Tokuma, nodding toward them. "That means fighting them."
Ro cracked his knuckles. "And those two bastards over there," he added, eyeing Veger and Bojack again.
Lyra shrugged. "Don't worry about the fight. We'll deal with it when we get there."
Just as she said that, a loud commotion erupted at the edge of the clearing. Heads turned as Renji came barreling toward them—riding a frozen Venomous Razorback Boar.
"OH SHIT!" someone in the crowd yelled, scrambling out of the way.
Renji had an enormous grin on his face as the massive beast skidded across the dirt, its entire body coated in thick ice. It thrashed and snarled, trying to break free, but Renji expertly balanced himself, riding it straight into the collection area. He hopped off at the last second, letting the boar slide to a stop, completely immobilized.
He dusted off his hands. "Here. My animal."
The proctor blinked at the frozen beast, then at Renji. "Huh. Neat."
He looked at the rest of the competitors, squinting. "Alright… so… how many of you are left? Uh… 200? Or is it 100? Maybe 50?" He scratched his head. "Ah, whatever. You did it. You all passed."
A loud cheer erupted from some of the participants, while others simply sighed in relief.
"Now follow me," the proctor continued, turning away. "We’re heading to the hotel. Get some rest. You’ll need it."
Ro exhaled sharply. "Tch. About damn time."
My-My practically vibrated with excitement. "A hotel?! Ohhh, do they have a pool?! Do they have a candy shop?! Can we get massages?! OH! What if there’s an all-you-can-eat buffet?!"
Kai clapped a hand on her shoulder, grinning. "If there is, My-My, I’ll race you to it!"
As the group followed the proctor, Ro glanced at Lyra and muttered, "You're pretty good."
Lyra smirked. "You're just now realizing that?"
Ro clicked his tongue. "Tch. I knew. Just confirming."
She giggled. "Try not to stare too hard, Ro-Ro. Wouldn't want to get distracted."
"Shut up."
She laughed, nudging him as they walked toward the hotel