On the very first night, just after a few hours, Adrian Kovács's name became the most attention-grabbing thing. He was perched atop the rankings with over 10,000 points.

  This not only left everyone speechless with disbelief but also carried a hint of terror about his capabilities. Including Nathan.

  Nathan had eliminated Tier 1 and Tier 2 monsters. A lizard monster, even in its early Phases, wasn't easy to defeat. Yet it only yielded just over 200 points. With some deduction, a Tier 2, Phase 9 monster like Argentius might bring in a thousand points. If not one thousand, then two to three thousand. To accumulate ten thousand points in such a short time, Adrian must have encountered a pack of Argentius-level creatures.

  Or it was a Tier 3 monster, Nathan shuddered at the thought.

  He wasn't sure whether this Adrian person was unlucky or fortunate anymore. Currently, he couldn't continue studying the rankings because he needed to welcome his newly arrived guest.

  Evelyn similarly raised her head with amazement after glancing at the notification from her bracelet. Second place had barely over a thousand points, while first place was already so far ahead.

  She looked at the young man before her, her crystal-blue eyes dancing like sparks under the campfire's light.

  Both stared at each other for a moment. Finally, Nathan spoke up.

  "Um, hello?"

  "Hi," Evelyn replied curtly, mouth opening to say something but then stopping.

  Nathan noticed she had communication issues, so he pushed aside thoughts about two weeks ago and invited her to sit.

  "You can sit here if you'd like."

  Evelyn nodded and complied. Nathan was somewhat surprised by her compliance. He had expected her to have the cold, aloof air of a beauty, while also being strong. Even now, he hadn't forgotten how she single-handedly helped three people escape from the Nightmare Weaver's encirclement.

  "Tonight we have lizard meat," Nathan said. "You can join if you want to eat."

  Evelyn took out a cloth to place on the ground before sitting. She tilted her head and asked.

  "You sound like you don't want to eat what you cooked?"

  "That's right," Nathan laughed. "I don't like lizard."

  He still hadn't forgotten the prank his mischievous friends played when they put lizard tail in his food plate when he was very young.

  "Excellent," Argentius sent a signal through the mental channel upon hearing this.

  "Me neither," Evelyn said. "Call your friend back. I won't take advantage of someone who once helped me."

  Nathan nodded. There was no need to call as Argentius would find his way back anyway. His evening was still here after all.

  While stoking the fire to grill the meat, both of them blurted out simultaneously.

  "Why did you come this way?"

  "Why didn't you message me?"

  Nathan's movements paused for a few seconds before he let out a chuckle.

  Evelyn's eyes blinked, unclear whether due to her mana aspect's characteristics or her own nature, maintaining her calm demeanor.

  "Well, I was shy," Nathan scratched his head. "Sorry for making such an unreasonable request. I only learned afterward that I shouldn't ask for someone's blood like that."

  Evelyn furrowed her brows in disbelief.

  "Really," Nathan quickly added. "I'm clueless about everything."

  "You shouldn't be like that," Evelyn said.

  "Right. Someone's blood should really be handled carefully."

  "No. I mean you shouldn't be clueless about everything. To protect yourself."

  Nathan raised an eyebrow at that. He understood Evelyn was saying that not knowing such common knowledge would easily lead him into difficult situations. Take this blood incident for example. After learning everything, Darkan had told him that he had dealt with it all. The blood collected during his outer sect tournament examination had been retrieved and destroyed. Currently, since he couldn't use spirit to disrupt blood structure, he needed to let it be contaminated when leaving his body to limit issues.

  "Thanks for the reminder," Nathan said cheerfully, not bothered by being cautioned by others. "Besides, I didn't dare approach someone like you. If I didn't get a response, my fragile little ego would have shattered."

  After saying this, he plastered an exaggerated look of mock pain on his face.

  "Why?" Evelyn asked, puzzled.

  "Because you're so beautiful," Nathan shrugged.

  Evelyn's face froze.

  "Hey," Nathan's eyes widened. "This can't be the first time someone's complimented you like that."

  "No one is usually this direct," Evelyn muttered.

  "I didn't say anything wrong. It's just the truth. Please forgive my actions if they were offensive. I didn't mean anything like suggesting you're arrogant or distant. It's just leftovers from my past. My fault. Not yours."

  After closing his mouth, Nathan wondered what the hell he had just done, talking so much yet saying nothing substantial. If Zeryn were here, he would have handled this better than him.

  "What does that have to do with anything?" Evelyn said, slightly irritated. "Appearances don't dictate behavior."

  "My fault. Not yours. Not anyone else's."

  Hearing Nathan's firm response, Evelyn didn't pursue the topic further. She just wanted him to understand that unless someone was clearly bothering her, she wouldn't respond with silence.

  "Our situation is about repaying a debt. I would have responded if you had messaged me."

  "Then let's pretend I didn't know what to ask for," Nathan said.

  At this moment, Argentius returned. The transformation seemed to limit its movement abilities; normally, it wouldn't be this sluggish.

  "What an idiot," Argentius's wireless message carried a contemptuous vibration. "I gave you time to talk with the girl. Yet you don't know how to take advantage. You blockhead."

  "Say one more word and I'll kick over the grilling meat," Nathan snapped.

  Argentius instantly became obedient, slowly moving to lie down next to Nathan. Its eyes were fixed on the lizard body rotating over the fire.

  Evelyn's hands and feet were somewhat restless, as if she couldn't contain herself.

  Seeing an opportunity for revenge for daring to insult him, Nathan seized it immediately.

  "Cute, isn't it?" he gestured with his chin toward Argentius.

  Evelyn responded with a nod.

  Argentius glared with its eyes on its chubby cat face.

  "Look how angry it is," Nathan teased. "Still doesn't lose that adorable charm."

  Evelyn very agreeably nodded again.

  Argentius angrily roared. The funny part was that what came out wasn't a forest-shaking sound, but rather like kittens demanding food.

  The monster tiger immediately shut its mouth, head held high as if trying to salvage its image. One human laughed uncontrollably while the other covered her mouth.

  Without needing to ask, Nathan guessed this transformation had limitations. The first was that it couldn't return to its original form immediately. Or it could, but it would require consuming energy.

  The meat was cooked, so Nathan took it down and placed it beside his companion. Though it was just a small cat that could be easily grabbed, its eating speed was still faster than normal people. While biting, one could see Argentius's nose wrinkling in displeasure. It truly wasn't used to processing delicious food this slowly.

  Nathan took out some dried food he had prepared and gave Evelyn a portion. Both watched Argentius with interest. The monster transformed into something adorable tried not to respond to anything.

  "Why did you name it that?" Evelyn spoke up to ask. "Argentius?"

  "It roughly means silver-like, like its fur," Nathan swallowed a piece of meat and answered. "Do you have any ideas?"

  "Sort of."

  "Let's hear it."

  After hesitating and mumbling for a while, Evelyn blurted out.

  "Galaxy Devourer."

  Thump!

  Nathan dropped his piece of meat.

  Argentius opened its mouth wide, dropping its food.

  One side blinked their eyes with amusement.

  One side blinked their eyes with anticipation.

  Evelyn's face slightly reddened, and she continued as if trying to fix the situation, but only made it more awkward.

  "Universe Destroyer works too, or Worlds Annihilator," as if to explain why she chose these names, she added. "It looks like that, after all."

  "Cute enough to destroy the universe?" Nathan couldn't hold back his thoughts.

  Before Evelyn could answer, Argentius had already jumped out, baring its teeth at Nathan.

  "Change my name," Argentius demanded.

  "You just gave it ideas it shouldn't have," Nathan ignored it and said to Evelyn. "It'll think it's strong enough to deserve names like that."

  "It could be a future goal," Evelyn remained firm in her suggestion.

  "But it's mouthful," Nathan analyzed. "By the time we finish calling it, whatever needs to be done would probably be finished already."

  "You can communicate mentally, can't you? So there shouldn't be any problem."

  "You've really thought this through, haven't you?" Nathan asked with a smile.

  Evelyn turned her face away, not answering. She had only thought about this idly after seeing Mirela playing with Argentius in Moirath Forest.

  Nathan obviously wouldn't change the name, no matter how much Argentius demanded. Just thinking about the pompous attitude every time he called it that way was already problematic. Later, when introducing it to others, he'd probably be embarrassed enough to dig a hole and bury himself.

  After whining unsuccessfully, Argentius irritably returned to its dinner. It maintained its sharp gaze glaring at Nathan.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "Not just because of the bracelet," Evelyn said after finishing eating, "but also thanks to sensing a certain item that I came here. Currently, I can't sense it anymore."

  The bracelet was according to Argentius. As for that item, it must be the stone in the lake.

  "You can sense items like that?" Nathan asked.

  "Yes. A kind of essential connection. It might carry water or ice properties that resonate with me."

  "Are all Tier 2s like you?"

  "Not exactly."

  Evelyn didn't say more, leaving Nathan to understand her meaning.

  So she's like a mobile radar, Nathan silently concluded.

  Before coming here, Evelyn had passed by the lake where the lizard monsters once ruled. The battle traces there told her the culprits were likely the two sitting here. However, if they didn't disclose it, she wouldn't be tactless enough to probe.

  Nathan also wouldn't thoughtlessly give away items he'd obtained. Moreover, strictly speaking, the stone belonged to Argentius. He was just keeping it safe. He wasn't unreasonable enough to consider a dinner as payment for such a valuable item.

  If some people knew this thought of his, they would be envious of Argentius's position. Being cooked for by him at a cheap price was such an honor.

  After thinking for a while, Nathan spoke up.

  "So we part ways from here, right?"

  "Would you mind forming an alliance?" Evelyn blinked her enchanted eyes.

  A gentle breeze blew through the forest, making her blue hair flutter like ripples in the night sea.

  Closing his eyes to regain composure, Nathan could finally ask.

  "Why would we need to do that?"

  "So I can have a chance to repay my debt to you," Evelyn's voice was steady. "I don't want this weighing on my mind. If we encounter any troubles along the way, I can help."

  "You're weird, you know that? And that's a compliment."

  "No one compliments like that," Evelyn's face fell.

  "Well, now you know someone who does," Nathan said casually. "About that offer, I accept."

  Evelyn nodded, returning to her silent state as if letting Nathan decide everything.

  He didn't understand why she was so composed and seemingly indifferent. Other contestants should either be excited or at least somewhat anxious about The Shifting Trials.

  He accepted the alliance as a form of insurance. Surely most contestants would sooner or later have their own teams. If not, then the socializing and networking from before would have no purpose. Although hindered by the inability to communicate through PsiLink, situations like Evelyn and Nathan randomly meeting could occur. From there, forming companionship could lead to deeper progression into the inner rounds.

  "What's your assessment of Adrian?" having confirmed their current relationship, he didn't hesitate to discuss. "I'm guessing he just took down a Tier 3 monster."

  "You're not wrong," Evelyn replied, waving her hand to display the rankings. "Currently, I have over 500 points. Results from defeating a Tier 2 Phase 3 monster and several Tier 1s."

  After asking Argentius a question about the lizard pack leader's level, Nathan concluded.

  "So a Tier 2 Phase 2 is worth two hundred points. Phase 3 is three hundred points. Though not certain, let's assume it progresses that way. By the time we reach Tier 3, it multiplies tenfold."

  "Probably," Evelyn appeared thoughtful. "If that's the case, there won't be many Tier 3 monsters to hunt."

  Nathan nodded. Even if the Tier 4s could gather a group of Tier 3 monsters, they wouldn't recklessly throw them into The Shifting Trials. First, not everyone was an outlier like Adrian. A Tier 3 monster could still knock out a Tier 2 cultivator in a short time. Against something like Argentius, even six Tier 2s working together might not achieve absolute victory, let alone facing something beyond their level.

  The other reason was controlling these monsters in different areas. If there were too many, constant fighting would break out. At that point, The Shifting Trials wouldn't be for contestants but would become the monsters' playground.

  The logistics and distribution problem was there for the organizers to establish such a system.

  "So our targets are Tier 3 monsters for points," Nathan concluded. "Or fighting enough Tier 2s. Though I'm quite skeptical about the feasibility of the latter case."

  Evelyn didn't object.

  Tier 2s were likely the most sought-after targets for many contestants due to their lower risk. Tier 3s would require more careful calculation. Teams would need certain cohesion and trust. A grueling battle with a Tier 3 would certainly lead to exhaustion immediately afterward. Whether others would take advantage of the situation was a thorny problem.

  Nathan had Argentius, so he wasn't too worried about numbers or strength. He also wasn't surprised that The Shifting Trials would set Tier 3 beings as targets for contestants. Not only for challenge but also to test the young talent's reputation. Tier 2 cultivators weren't rare, so to deserve the genius title, fighting above one's level should be expected.

  After Argentius finished eating, Evelyn and Nathan agreed to scout the surroundings, expanding their information. Unclear how long The Shifting Trials would last, they couldn't be careless and sit in one place too long.

  The rankings had stopped updating. Perhaps they would change the following night.

  Eliminating the northern direction where they encountered the lizard monsters and the western direction where Evelyn came from, both advanced south from their campsite.

  Nathan used his physical strength to move through the terrain of trees. If not jumping, he would swing from tree to tree, a skill that had become part of his body after learning from the Vermilion Apes. Evelyn easily kept up by using skills from her ice mana aspect. She created small grooves on the ground to glide along, reducing friction that would slow her down.

  Thanks to [Cold Resistance Aura], Nathan never had to shiver from the blue-haired girl's power anymore.

  One person searched for information from above, while the other sought information from below. After traveling like this for about half an hour, ignoring the scattered Tier 1 monsters, they received signals of a Tier 2 monster from their bracelets.

  "Over there," Argentius pointed its tiny paw in one direction after raising its nose to sniff.

  Nathan nodded to his companion perching on his shoulder, changing direction. Sadly, the transformation made Argentius more passive than ever. He just wasn't sure if this was the truth or if Argentius was playing tricks on him.

  Nathan and Evelyn approached a massive, ancient tree. White flowers bloomed on its canopy, surrounded by luminescent powder that lit up like dancing fireflies.

  Evelyn stopped beside Nathan after he landed from his jump.

  The bracelets on both of them flashed continuously, stronger than before, signaling a Tier 2 monster beside Argentius nearby. Nathan swept his eyes around, pointed at the ancient tree, and turned to ask Evelyn.

  "Is it that one?"

  The girl nodded. Argentius raised its nose to sniff again, confirming the signal. This tree was the most peculiar thing here, so there was no doubt.

  To test, Evelyn raised her hand, creating an ice bolt to shoot at the trunk. The sparkling projectile's tip flew through the air. When it nearly reached its target, a branch swatted it away, sending it vanishing into the forest's darkness.

  Both immediately entered a state of alertness.

  Rumbling creaks echoed as the tree moved. Its roots lifted from the ground, moving like four legs. Most notable was its upper portion. The branches and twigs twisted, extended, retracted, and wove together to form snake-like heads. Each head had flowers arranged into pairs of eyes. Leaves rolled together to create pairs of horns. When it fully rose, more than twelve flower eyes glared at the two humans.

  Waving for Argentius to retreat, Nathan flexed his muscles preparing for battle. He thought this would be an upgraded version of the Woodwraith from Moirath Forest. But Evelyn quickly tapped him.

  "Forest Hydra. Cut off one head and it will use the life force of surrounding trees to regenerate. This is its favorable environment."

  Nathan paused, wondering if the girl beside him really spent time memorizing this information. He thought about how he wasn't from this world and had only been here for over two years. If he spent his whole life here, he should know a thing or two even without PsiLink.

  "Any strategies?" he asked.

  Evelyn was about to answer when one of the monster's heads snapped forward, separating the two as they jumped aside to dodge.

  Nathan countered the next head with a kick, making its mouth emit a sound as if expressing pain. Evelyn created an ice path to slide on, avoiding another strike.

  Two more heads opened their mouths, shooting sharp wooden spikes at their targets.

  Before Nathan could move, he was caught by the tongue of the head he'd just kicked. Recognizing his situation, he raised his vambrace to block. The crisp shattering sound of the weak mana shield rang out. However, it was enough to slow down the incoming spike. With a swift motion, he grabbed it, then hurled it straight at the head that had its tongue around him.

  Wood scattered after a cracking sound. The Forest Hydra's head tried to retract its tongue in pain but found it couldn't. When its flower-made eye blinked at Nathan, it discovered the human was holding on tight.

  Letting out a roar, Nathan yanked the tongue toward himself, forcing that damned head to be pulled forward. His prepared punch hadn't landed when another head whipped in, throwing him back a distance.

  On the other side, Evelyn easily defended with an ice wall, landing gracefully beside Nathan.

  "This is troublesome," Nathan muttered.

  They hadn't even cut off a single head yet and were already struggling.

  "Cover me," Evelyn said.

  Nathan nodded. Though he didn't know what the girl planned to do, he just needed to do what he was good at.

  He put on Alaric's gift that Darkan had confiscated earlier. It was a Tier 2 glove capable of creating a sharp outer layer when infused with mana. Currently, he couldn't use this function. However, he could still use the solid metal surface to increase his damage output. He inserted a Lesser Mana Stone into the recently opened slot of his Vambrace. Once done, he sprang up because the monster wasn't waiting for them to prepare anything more.

  Nathan simultaneously punched at two heads. Shockwaves from the collision spread around, blowing up dust. The wooden surface of the two snake heads caved in with a miserable shriek.

  Evelyn jumped high to avoid two snaps from two other heads. The final two heads continued their old strategy, shooting projectiles from their mouths.

  Not letting them have their way, Nathan kicked one head with full force from [Amplifying Strike] combined with [Flowing Strikes], making it fly up to take a projectile instead of Evelyn. The remaining arrow was caught by Nathan as he jumped up, using all his strength to stab it into the head that hadn't recovered from earlier. The wood from the sharp and solid projectile allowed him to successfully pin one head to the ground. It thrashed but still couldn't break free.

  A cold wind blew past, making Nathan look up. Without knowing when, two circular ice discs had appeared in Evelyn's hands, emanating a thin mist. They spun rapidly like sawblades. With a wave of her hands, the two sawblades were thrown in an arc. They flashed in the air once before reaching their targets. With just a soft cutting sound, two of the Forest Hydra's heads were severed. The dull thud of their fall echoed on the ground. The remaining neck portions wiggled as if not understanding what happened.

  The monster's remaining heads screamed in pain. From trunk to neck, it tried to pull all its parts back together. This meant torturing the head Nathan had pinned to the ground. With a crack, that head was split in half, swaying in the air looking truly horrifying.

  Two more ice sawblades were thrown, but the Forest Hydra was prepared. Its branches bristled out like a porcupine, forming a defensive layer. The two sawblades still advanced, cutting through layers of branches. However, after a while, they were stopped, forced to shatter into small ice chunks.

  Nathan wanted to advance, but the roots under the monster's feet broke through the ground, wrapping around him. He drew out a decent quality sword to slash. Under his immense strength, roots were cut and the sword shattered. Without hesitation, he took out a better quality sword, capable of self-channeling mana to create a blue-glowing edge. He continued clearing his path forward.

  His eyes glanced to both sides, noticing the life force from surrounding trees gradually becoming desolate. They withered at a speed visible to the naked eye. The soil and weeds around accordingly changed color.

  When he got close, the Forest Hydra's ear-piercing roar made him look up.

  Six heads had been regenerated, the three destroyed ones returning intact. Six pairs of eyes made from small white flowers narrowed in anger. Their mouths opened wide, like rifles firing frantically at the two people.

  Nathan used his sword and movement abilities to skillfully dodge. [Quick Feet] and [Improved Balance] helped him avoid slipping whenever root whips struck his feet. Sometimes his body could automatically react thanks to [Counter Strike] to counter-attack.

  Evelyn created ice discs in mid-air, using them as platforms to jump from place to place. Simultaneously, she waved her hands to create icebolts for counterattacks, bombarding the monster. When an icebolt penetrated one head's mouth, it instantly exploded, freezing it up to the neck. With a clench of her hand, the head exploded. But it regenerated immediately afterward.

  The Forest Hydra alternated between projectile attacks and head strikes, with roots beneath whipping everywhere. Its ferocity created difficulties for Nathan and Evelyn. Both sides exchanged equally powerful attacks. Not just Evelyn, but Nathan's punches could also shatter the Forest Hydra's heads. The main problem was the monster's regenerative ability.

  Seeing no progress in the situation, Evelyn called out loudly.

  "Can you hold it alone?"

  "Unless your technique needs until morning to use," Nathan replied confidently.

  Through the battle, he had grasped the monster's general capabilities. Combined with [Improved Pattern Recognition], he could predict its movements. Speaking of endurance, he was confident he wouldn't be too inferior to it.

  Hearing this, Evelyn quickly retreated, hiding from the monster's attack range.

  Left alone, Nathan received attacks continuously. The mana shield created by the Vambrace shattered again, consuming another mana stone. He switched to a Standard Mana Stone to improve quality, preparing for the possibility of the vambrace breaking from overload.

  During brief respites, he drank from his alcohol flask. Essence surged wildly within him. Creating another layer of protection from Qi Armor, he laughed loudly as he charged toward the monster.

  Under the Forest Hydra's relentless assault, he countered with his combination of punches and kicks. Sometimes he jumped up, using the One-inch punch technique to break necks, other times using both hands to tear apart its mouths. He skillfully used his sword to cut the roots wrapping around his body, then drew another sword from his spatial pouch after they broke. If nothing else, he had prepared these items carefully before coming here. Making money was precisely for times like this.

  He enthusiastically fought back and forth with the monster, placing his trust in his newly formed teammate. Even if Evelyn abandoned him, he wasn't afraid because if he couldn't win, he could still escape. Confident in his persistence, he had truly met his match. This Forest Hydra was among the Tier 2 monsters he always avoided during training in Moirath Forest. It possessed a mana aspect that could counter him. If he could use fire, this monster wouldn't have been such a big problem.

  "Nathan, fall back!" Evelyn shouted from behind.

  Triggered [Tingling Sense]. One credit given.

  Triggered [Adrenaline Boost]. One credit given.

  A wind carrying tiny snowflakes approached from behind.

  Despite having [Cold Resistance Aura], Nathan still felt the lethal danger. When he wanted to run, he saw the Forest Hydra, like him, recognized the threat when it no longer saw the second human and had prepared beforehand. Its lower body grew two legs, wanting to jump away, dodging Evelyn's attack.

  Nathan didn't hesitate to jump forward, both hands grabbing one of the largest roots in front of him. He jumped up, legs tensing, then stomped down hard. His strength made him sink into the ground. His arms showed blue veins from the pulling force.

  The Forest Hydra's six heads were simultaneously jerked backward, turning their heads furiously toward the human on the ground. When they were about to cut off their own roots, Evelyn's technique arrived. Looking like just an ordinary wind, its true terror was only revealed upon contact.

  The Forest Hydra's movements gradually slowed, becoming rigid. Six pairs of eyes widened. Each head pointed in different directions as if trying to escape. The outer layer of wood and vapor cooled down, freezing into a patchy white layer. The massive Forest Hydra stood there like an imposing ice statue.

  Nathan, under the technique's influence, wasn't comfortable either. Thankfully, with passive skills from the system and Physical Cultivation training, his mind remained clear. He immediately used essence to force his blood circulation through the pain. The result brought warmth to his body.

  A gust of wind arrived beside him as Evelyn appeared. Her hand reached out toward him.

  She narrowed her eyes when she realized she didn't need to draw away the cold affecting Nathan anymore.

  "Finish it," Nathan said, lips trembling from cold.

  Evelyn nodded, summoning two sawblades from her hands. She gently swung them. They cut through all six heads. The sound of wood breaking and ice shattering rang through the air. Six heads fell to the ground.

  "Someone's coming," Argentius warned through Nathan's mind.

  "Lachlan," Evelyn narrowed her eyes looking in one direction, said.

  Where's my essence? Nathan silently cried out.

  The Forest Hydra wasn't dead yet.