Rylan stirred with a low groan, his eyes fluttering open. He blinked a few times before focusing on the figures around him. The dim light of the cave caught Marcus's silhouette, and his body tensed immediately.
"Marcus…? What the hell is he doing here?" Rylan pushed himself up on one elbow, his tone sharp, suspicion written all over his face.
Liora leaned closer, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. "Easy, Rylan. Relax. He's not an enemy."
Rylan glanced at her, then back at Marcus, still wary. "Not an enemy? Since when? Why's he sitting here like we're allies?"
"Because," Liora said firmly, her eyes locking onto his, "we're talking. He knows our situation, and he wants to help. Just hear him out before you jump to conclusions."
Rylan's jaw tightened, but after a moment, he exhaled slowly, forcing himself to ease back against the cave wall. His eyes, however, never left Marcus, sharp and guarded.
Marcus ignored Rylan's sharp tone, his gaze fixed on Liora instead. "Why our classmates?" he asked, his voice low but edged with skepticism. "You don't actually think they'll accept just because they're in the same class, do you?"
A small smile tugged at Liora's lips. "No," she said softly, shaking her head. "Not because they're in our class. But because each of them is… strange, in their own way."
Day 10
On a wide plain of the island, a savage confrontation was unfolding between two massive bears. One was black, towering at 4 meters, and the other brown, slightly smaller at 3.6 meters with sharp amber eyes. Despite the black bear's size advantage, it was clearly losing.
The black bear lashed out with a powerful swipe of its paw, aiming for the brown's head. The brown twisted swiftly, avoiding the strike, and countered with a sharp swipe to the black bear's side.
Pressing the attack, the brown bear lunged again, claws raking across the black bear's front leg. The black bear stumbled but quickly regained balance, rising to its full height.
In a sudden, explosive movement, the brown and black bears collided in mid-charge, crashing into each other with a thunderous impact. Both scrambled to stay upright, muscles tensing as they balanced on their hind legs.
Immediately, they began clawing at each other fiercely, paw against paw, teeth flashing, aiming for necks, shoulders, and flanks. The air filled with the sound of ripping fur and snarls, each bear testing the other's strength and endurance, neither giving an inch.
Finally, in a calculated strike, the brown bear seized the opening: it sank its teeth into the black bear's throat. Blood flowed freely as the brown held on, its amber eyes blazing with victory.
The black bear staggered backward from the final bite, its massive body trembling and weak. In a swift, brutal motion, the brown bear yanked sharply, ripping the black bear's throat completely.
For a few moments, silence fell over the plain. The brown bear stood over the black, watching it bleed out, its own face and fur drenched in dark, sticky blood. The smell of iron hung heavy in the air, and the plain seemed to hold its breath.
Then, faint wisps of smoke and steam began to rise from the brown bear's body. Its massive form shrank rapidly, the heat and vapor curling around it. Within moments, the imposing bear had disappeared, replaced by a small figure emerging from the haze.
A girl stood where the brown bear had been. She was about 1.55 meters tall, with bronzed skin and chestnut hair that fell around her shoulders. Her slender, compact body contrasted sharply with the monstrous power she had just wielded. And yet, on her face was a fierce, almost feral smile, the memory of the battle still burning in her amber eyes.
Marcus, Liora, and Rylan moved carefully through the dense forest, the soft crunch of leaves and twigs underfoot the only sound breaking the eerie quiet. Shafts of fading sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting shifting patterns across the ground and illuminating the determination on their faces.
Marcus stole a glance at Liora, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Liora… how do you plan to find them?" he asked, his voice low but edged with cautious anticipation.
A small, confident smile tugged at Liora's lips. "Finding Adrian will be easy," she said, her tone calm yet carrying a hint of excitement. "We just need to make him come to us."
She shifted her gaze toward Rylan, her eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "And you… do the honors,"
Rylan stepped forward, taking a deep breath. In an instant, his body shifted and twisted, transforming into a formidable figure. A wave of violet smoke and heat swirled around him as he grew to an imposing 3.50 meters. His physique was both robust and agile, muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike.
His skin shimmered in shades of deep black and purple, contrasting sharply with the loose leather pants that allowed him full movement. Leather pauldrons rested on his shoulders, adding to his intimidating silhouette. His mouth revealed sharp, gleaming fangs, while his black hair jutted upward into pointed spikes.
A sturdy iron mask covered his eyes and nose, leaving only slits for his glowing eyes to peer through, giving him a fearsome, almost otherworldly presence. The violet smoke clung to him, amplifying the aura of power and danger that now radiated from Ryla
Rylan brought his hands to the sides of his mouth and let out a deafening roar:
"ADRIAAAAN!"
Marcus's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. He hadn't expected them to use such a direct, audacious strategy.
Liora noticed the expression immediately and gave him a sly, reassuring smile. "Relax," she said, her voice almost teasing. "If anyone was going to hear that, Adrian would have heard it before the echo even left your lips."
And Marcus soon realized she hadn't been lying.
He caught the faintest sound of footsteps behind him, soft but deliberate, slicing through the quiet of the forest. Spinning around, his eyes locked onto the boy approaching—white hair that shimmered like frost, piercing red eyes that seemed to burn with a cold intensity. He was slight, barely 1.70 meters, his frame fragile-looking, yet every step he took was steady, measured, and full of a quiet, unnerving purpose.
Adrian stopped in front of them, the crunch of leaves under his boots the only sound accompanying his approach. The air was still heavy with the violet smoke Rylan had left behind, and Marcus watched in silence, feeling that this small-framed boy, with his crimson gaze, was far more dangerous than he appeared.
Liora stepped forward. Her eyes shone with that cold confidence that always unsettled Marcus.
"Adrian, I'll get straight to the point," she said without hesitation. "I know how you hunt. Your monstrous form isn't for wasting time on ordinary monsters. You hunt Transformers. But that forces you to stalk someone for days, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And yes, it works… but it's slow. Too slow if you want to climb the ranking."
Adrian remained still, his expression calm, as if nothing he heard surprised him. But his eyes, red like embers, seemed to track every word.
"What I'm proposing is different," Liora continued, her tone gaining strength. "Faster, more efficient. We want to attack an organized group. And we need your skills: your monstrous form, your stealth, your edge. With us, you won't have to spend three or four days following someone until they let their guard down. We strike together, take advantage of surprise, and everyone gains points. You do what you do best: ambush and strike from behind, taking them down in one blow. We handle the rest."
Marcus, who had been quietly listening until now, added with a sly smile:
"In short: with us, your points go up faster, with less effort. You win, we win."
For the first time, Adrian lowered his gaze for a moment, as if weighing the offer. The silence stretched, heavy, until he raised his eyes again.
He said nothing, but a slight nod was enough to make it clear he had heard… and that the offer interested him
Liora glanced at Marcus, her expression calm but resolute.
—We're still missing two members —she said. Then, turning to Adrian, she added—. I need you to find John.
Adrian's crimson eyes met hers briefly. Without a word, he stepped forward. A sudden explosion of white vapor erupted around him, swirling and hissing as his body shifted. Limbs elongated and contracted, his muscles reshaping, until he emerged as a bizarre hybrid: part human, part bat. His pale skin gleamed under the dappled forest light, wings folding along his back, claws flexing at the tips of his fingers.
Then, with a slight nod, he shot off through the forest, moving with a speed and agility that only his transformed body could achieve.