Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Despite having arrived relatively early in the morning, around 9 AM, the first seven hours of the Test revolved around simply gathering information. This caused a number of people to feel bored out of their minds, but, with Khun taking command, he made sure to keep everyone occupied and on high alert. The only exceptions to this rule were Vahn and Gandr, both disappearing almost immediately after their arrival in the testing grounds.Despite several people noticing their absence, even Khun largely ignored them after hearing Phae playfully remark, "My Lord is making sure the Administration plays fair. As for Gandr, he has been given a secret mission. Don't worry, when that boy got serious, even clairvoyants wouldn't be able to sense his presence."Though he had yet to voice his thoughts to anyone else, Khun was starting to get the impression that Gandr had been reared as an Assassin by the Aldrnari Empire. After all, not only was the boy extremely talented at getting close to people, his senses were extremely refined, his battle instincts were off the charts, and, most importantly, he had the ability to, quite literally, conceal his presence and phase through solid objects.Fortunately, though he would never trust them completely, it didn't seem like the Imperial Trio had any real interest in the Tower and its politics. Rather, Vahn gave off an impression similar to a force of nature, something that simply couldn't be opposed. He was like a tidal wave that only got larger the further it traveled, sweeping over everything that didn't resist and destroying anything that tried to bar his passage...---Just as Rak had complained for the eighty-seventh time about being bored, Khun instantly became alert when Shibisu, assigned to monitor and protect the Net Dolphins alongside Endorsi and Anak, reported, "Khun, it seems like they're finally beginning to move."Exhaling a sigh of relief, Khun, within the relative safety of his Lighthouse, opened up channels to each of the other groups, explaining, "The Herders are on the move. Hatsu, inform me immediately after the Thieves begin their pursuit. Spear-Bearers, make your preparations but don't attack until we locate the Chasers. Even if you have a higher vantage point, fending off hundreds of enemies on your own is suicide."While the individual Barnacle Goblin was no match even for an average Ranker, they always traveled in large packs. They also had extremely high durability and Shinsu resistance, so, even if it was Anak, Endorsi, and Laure, they would only be able to deal with a few dozen of the relatively intelligent and highly coordinated creatures before being overwhelmed. It didn't matter how much talent they had, as, without time to grow and develop their Shinsu control and abilities, they were only really strong compared to other Regulars of the same Rank.In response to Khun's orders, Hatsu answered in the affirmative while overlooking a veritable army of Barnacle Goblins and Giant Marsh Worms from atop a cliff. As for Rak, Aleksai, and the leech-like Parakewl, the latter two remained silent as the former shouted, "It's about time! Watch closely, you pathetic turtles! I'll show you how a real Hunter catches his prey...!"Resisting the urge to face-palm, Khun shifted his attention to the team comprised of Laure, Nare, and Chunhwa, asking, "Any luck on finding the Chasers?"As the Scout assigned to help map the underground tunnels using her baby Shinheuh's special sonar ability, it was Nare who hastily replied, "There are no signs of them just yet! We've mapped this entire region but I haven't found any traces of them at all!"Seeing the girl's face a little too close to the Observer, almost as if she was embracing it near her body, a wry smile spread across Khun's face as he said, "Okay. Go ahead and progress to Plan B. I will make sure you are properly compensated once the Test has completed."Releasing the Observer from her embrace, a mischievous glimmer appeared in Nare's eyes as she performed a rather childish salute and asserted, "Leave it to me! I won't let that Bagworm nap his way through this one~!"Finding Laure's impending suffering rather amusing, Khun couldn't help but chuckle in response to Nare's statement. Immediately after that, however, his expression returned to his usual seriousness as he connected his Lighthouse to the unusual golden one that hovered above the testing ground, far beyond the range of a traditional F-Rank Light Bearer.Though nobody knew where she had obtained it, Phae made use of a unique Lighthouse that was covered in mysterious runes that even an A-Rank Pocket like Baam's couldn't interpret. She never explained what these runes did, but, based on the feats others had observed, it's basic capabilities were comparable to those of a B-Rank Lighthouse. It was also 'extremely' durable, so much so that it hadn't accumulated a single scratch, even during combat training.Seeing Khun appear on her primary display, Phae offered a polite smile as she set aside her tea and asked, "Is there something you required of me, Mr. Khun?"Responding with a wry smile of his own, Khun explained, "I'm certain you have already taken notice, but I wanted to inform you that things are finally getting underway. Is there anything from your end that I need to know about?"After briefly considering her words, Phae issued a light hum before answering, "My Master has yet to report anything, but Gandr has noticed some abnormalities near the Net Dolphin habitat. I doubt there will be any serious issues, but you should consider warning Endorsi, Anak, and Shibisu to stay on their toes. It is pretty obvious that the Administration doesn't want Baam to pass this Test so we should expect the Bull to make an appearance at any-"Before she could even finish her statement, both Khun and Phae fell silent when they heard Shibisu cry out in an extremely stressed tone, "Khun! The Bull has just appeared! I also haven't been able to get into contact with either Endorsi or Anak! I thought they had just gone off to use the bathroom, but they haven't returned even after twenty minutes! Tell them to return as fast as possible! I won't be able to hold back this monster on my own...!"With a visible bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face, yet another wry smile appeared on Khun's face as he looked toward Phae and said, "Forgive me, Lady Phae, but it seems my attention is required elsewhere. Please contact me if there are any important changes I need to know about."Chuckling in response to Khun's words, Phae lightly nodded in affirmation, saying, "Don't worry. If either Gandr or my Lord takes action, I will inform you immediately. Good luck, Mr. Khun..."---Though they had been led to believe that the Bull was a ruthless Apex Predator that had wiped out numerous teams of Regulars in the past, Shibisu's experience with the slimy black humanoid could only be described as 'comical'. It didn't seem to consider him a threat in the slightest, so, other than a few middling attempts to bite his head off, it had largely been toying with him.The Bull was a vaguely humanoid Shinheuh that stood roughly five meters in height. It had a lean yet muscular body, three-toed feet, hands with opposable thumbs, a whip-like tail, and a peculiar head with a single large eye and a massive maw adorned with puffy red lips that concealed several rows of teeth. There was also a whisker-like tentacle that dangled from his curiously 'twisted' head, the end of which formed a bulbous protrusion that functioned similarly to an Angler Fish's lure, but, what stood out the most was the fact that the creature had a fleshy red mantle and an inordinately long black spear...Fortunately for Shibisu, the Bull hadn't attempted to skewer him using its spear. Instead, it would twist its head nearly 90 degrees, staring at him from various angles before attempting to bite him with its head turned sideways. It would also periodically trip him using its tentacle, demonstrating a surprising amount of dexterity with the slimy appendage as it clearly enjoying toying with the man fumbling around in a purple tracksuit.Having been knocked down by the much larger creature, Shibisu managed to roll to the side just as the Bull attempted to bite his face. Immediately after that, he attempted to kick its neck and body, but, almost as if the former was made of slippery hard leather, his attack had absolutely no effect. It didn't even seem to annoy the Bull, eliciting a curious head roll from the creature before it promptly attempted a second bite.Since the Bull wasn't proactively trying to keep him pinned down, Shibisu was able to evade using a second roll before quickly bounding to his feet and making a break for a nearby stalagmite. Before he could make it more than a few steps, however, the Bull tripped him using its tentacle, a peculiar 'kurururururu~' escaping its toothy maw as it slowly crawled over to him.Lamenting both his lack of strength and his misfortune for being the first to encounter the cat-like monstrosity, Shibisu manipulated his Observer to try and hit the eye of the Bull. Other than simply closing its eye, however, it didn't seem particularly concerned by the attempt to blind it. Instead, it continued releasing what Shibisu interpreted as a laugh, its red lips forming an expression similar to a smile as it grabbed him by the ankle.Feeling his end fast-approaching, Shibisu began to desperately to kick at the Bull's vice-like hand, shouting, "I hope you get indigestion and diarrhea you fishy son of a bitch...!"As there were very few Shinheuh capable of speech, the Bull just continued to 'laugh' at Shibisu's desperate struggles. Before it could dangle him above its mouth, however, a thin red line pierced through its bicep as a green 'whip' slammed into its body, forcing it to separate from Shibisu as it released an ear-piercing screech.Immediately after piercing the Bull's bicep, the red line performed an arc like a boomerang before returning to the hands of its owner, none other than Endorsi. As for the origin of the green 'whip', it was obviously Anak's Green April, a weapon seemingly capable of changing its shape and size even in its inert state.Seeing who had come to his aid, moisture began to build up in Shibisu's eyes as he muttered, "Talk about a sight for sore eyes..." before immediately adopting an angry expression and shouting, "You two sure took your sweet time! Where were you for the last half an hour!?"As the only people she really got along with were Phae, Anak, Gandr, and Baam, Endorsi crossed her arms in response to Shibisu's outburst, retorting, "That's none of your business. You should be grateful we arrived when we did. Another couple of seconds and you would have been warming the belly of that slimy lizard. Speaking of which, this isn't one of your relatives, is it?"With Endorsi turning to face her, Anak instantly understood what she was trying to say, a large vein appearing near her temple as she answered, "Screw you, cake-face."Nearly dropping the compressed needle she had been twirling between her fingers, the upper-half of Endorsi's face became beet red as she shouted, "I don't wear that much makeup! I'm already one of the most beautiful women in the entire Tower! You're the one that could use a facelift you lizard brat...!"Though she had been paying more attention to it recently, Anak had never been the type to care about her appearance. Thus, in response to Endorsi's outburst, she pretended like she was cleaning wax from her ear as she lazily replied, "Yeah, it's just a coincidence you look like a complete stranger after taking a bath..."With the blush on her face becoming even more prominent, Endorsi was considering hitting the top of Anak's head when the Bull suddenly released another ear-piercing scream. This put both of them on alert, but, much to their surprise, it didn't even try to stick around and fight. Instead, it smacked Shibisu one last time with its tentacle before running off into the darkness at extreme speeds.Seeing Shibisu slam into the side of the cave with enough force to produce a few cracks, a slightly concerned look appeared on Anak's face as she instantly leaped over to his side. As for Endorsi, she followed the Bull's retreat with her eyes, saying, "I'm chasing after the Bull. Move the little mouse to a safe area and then follow after me. I shouldn't need help, but its better to be safe than sorry."Without waiting for a response, Endorsi immediately took off in the direction of the Bull. Her natural speed was a little slower than the surprisingly swift creature, but, with the enhancement of Shinsu, it wouldn't take her very long to catch up. The only danger was that it would hide in one of the many pools of water that connected to the vast underground network of tunnels. She didn't really want to get wet, so, if it came to an underwater battle, she would let Anak go swimming while she used her Reel Inventory to provide support from dry land. After all, she was a Fisherman, not a fish...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Shadow Assassin Gandr (o,...,o)~!','Shibisu needs to start working on them gains...','Ghost Pepper Cake :D...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Unaware of the battle taking place beneath the surface, a relatively handsome man with short green hair and matching eyes could be seen exhaling an exasperated sigh as he caused yet another small cave in. Behind him, a rather childish-looking girl with blonde hair could be seen giggling next to a rather knightly-looking man with short brown hair. The former had the flat of a dagger held against an extremely plush pillow while the latter, less enthused about the situation, smiled wryly as he held a comfortable-looking blanket hostage.With an expression most would reserve for their nemesis, the green-haired man, Laure, looked back at the distant duo, coldly demanding, "There, I'm finished. Return my blanket and pillow to me..."A stark contrast to her childish appearance, the blonde-haired 'woman', Nare, giggled rather darkly in response to Laure's threatening tone before musing, "Nope! Until the Test is over, I intend to put you to work! You had more than seven hours to sleep while we were scouting the area. You can stay awake until the end of the Test."Since their agreement only required him to collapse a series of tunnels, Laure's expression became even more enraged as he exclaimed, "That wasn't part of our agreement! You can't just change the terms however you please! Return my babies to me, you tyrannical thug...!"Rather than lose her smile, the edges of Nare's lips curled up as she lightly tapped the pillow with her dagger, asking, "You're pretty bold. Should I cut this up to teach you a lesson~?"Hearing Nare's threat, Chunhwa couldn't help releasing a sigh. As for Laure, he performed a near-perfect dogeza, pressing his head to the ground as he politely stated, "Forgive me, my Goddess. I did not mean to offend you..."Nodding her head in approval, Nare was about to have Chunhwa return Laure's blanket when the latter suddenly raised his head, half-turning as he said, "They're coming. I can sense them...the Dogs are on the move..."---After quickly treating Shibisu's wounds using Shinsu, Anak left the tracksuit-clad man to fend for himself as she ventured into the darkness with only a baseball-sized Observer to light her way. It wasn't that she wasn't worried about Shibisu, but, unless there ended up being a second Bull, there was no need to babysit him.With Observers on the same team being able to locate each other, Anak was confident she would quickly catch up to Endorsi. Her speed and power were marginally better than her Ghost-Eyed Aunt, so, unless the former had disappeared beneath the mirror-like surface of the underground lake, her Observer would guide her directly to the location of the battle.Not wanting to miss the opportunity to battle against an opponent said to strike fear in the hearts of some Rankers, Anak used Shinsu to strengthen her body before focusing a greater volume into her legs. As a result, her steps created watery ripples within the void, the Shinsu in the atmosphere reacting to create a phenomenon that loosely resembled the distortion of space.With her Shinsu-enhanced body, Anak was able to largely mitigate the drag forces that acted on her body while moving at high speeds. This was one of the greatest benefits of Shinsu for those who specialized in body reinforcement, as, depending on your level of control, you could actually move significantly faster than normal. It was a unique form of Flow Control that basically allowed you to create a 'current', drastically decreasing the amount of stamina used to cover vast distances in a short period of time. At higher levels, this same skill would allow those who had mastered it to basically fly through dense fields of Shinsu, much like how Shinheuh themselves were able to 'swim' through the substance.Enjoying the feeling of 'gliding' through the inordinately dense Shinsu found in the underground cave system, a burgeoning smile gradually replaced Anak's characteristically annoyed expression. This was actually a skill Gandr had taught her, so, for a brief moment, her mind wandered to all the times they had raced against each other. Unfortunately, as was often the case with happy moments, Anak's expression immediately reverted to a deep frown as a wooly figure appeared in her path.Remembering the concerned warning Gandr had given her prior to the Test, Anak's grip on the Green April tightened as she glared at the mascot-like figure and asked, "What are you doing here, Administrator...fluffball...?"Though he was a little annoyed that Anak seemed to have forgotten his name, Administrator Yuga didn't show it externally. Instead, he giggled eerily before musing, "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter too much if you remember my alias. After all, my true identity is far more interesting~!"Despite feeling her instincts kicking into overdrive, Anak did her best to appear calm on the surface as she half-turned, shouldering the Green April as she said, "I don't have time for this. Get lost."Seeing Anak turn away from him, Yuga felt an almost irresistible urge to just kill her then and there. However, much like the Bull he controlled, he lived for the moments when he could torture his prey until they begged for death. Thus, even though his body had started to tremble noticeably, he kept a jovial tone as he mused, "Oho? Wasn't revenge the reason you decided to climb the Tower? What an unfilial mutt...your mother must not have been all that important if you can't even make time for her killer~!"Though she was about to leap away at high speeds, Anak's body froze the moment she heard the man's words. She obviously didn't believe him, as her mother was a High Ranker that had earned the right to possess one of the Thirteen Month Series, but that didn't stop her from looking back at him with a murderous glimmer in her eyes.Chuckling loudly in response to Anak's reaction, Yuga emulated her act of half-turning away from her, his tone even more cheerful as he mused, "You're obviously very busy. Don't let me keep you from what really matters~."With the Green April's hook gradually increasing in size, a bloodthirsty aura began to emanate from Anak's body as she shouted, "Don't toy with me, you rice-ball bastard! Explain! What do you know about my mother's death!?"Exhaling a sigh of mock-exasperation, Yuga turned back to face Anak, the smile at the front of his costume becoming more prominent as he bowed slightly and replied, "Though you are not worth the courtesy, allow me to introduce myself. I'm a member of the Royal Enforcement Division, Unit No. 67. My name is Ren. Lo Po Bia Ren, to be exact. I would say it is a pleasure to meet you, but it takes most of my willpower not to vomit whenever I see you..."Completely ignoring Ren's introduction, Anak's attention was focused wholly on the small acorn-like pendant he had produced from the seam between his costume's lips. It wasn't the most eye-catching accessory that could be found within the Tower, comprised of little more than a smooth green stone and a brass shell, but, in Anak's eyes, it was the most precious treasure that could be found in all the Floors. After all, it was the pendant her mother had made for her after she fished the stone from the river near their hidden cottage...With green electricity dancing along the length of the Green April, Anak's peculiar pupils shrunk to the size of pinholes, a crazed smile on her face as she asked, "Where...did you get that necklace...?"Now trembling to the point that his body appeared to be vibrating, a repulsive chuckle emanated from within Ren's costume, persisting for several seconds before he answered, "You really are hard of hearing, aren't you? I just told you mere moments ago. I'm the person who killed that disgusting traitor you call a mother. Jeez, were you dropped on your head as a child?"Finished with his introduction, Ren 'slurped' up Anak's pendant using a large red tongue, sucking it back into his body. This caused the Green April to enter a pseudo-ignited state, Anak's rage boiling over in an instant as she stated in a menacing monotone, "Give it back."Sensing the flow of Shinsu around Anak's body converge towards him, the trembling of Ren's body reached critical levels. The only thing he enjoyed more than the hatred of others was the moment their hatred turned into fear, despair, and anguish. Anak's murderous aura was enough to bring him to the verge of a climax, his knees shaking as the Shinheuh concealed within his costume began to writhe about in excitement and expectation.Just as Ren was considering releasing his excitement all over the murderous girl slowly making her way toward him, both he and Anak stopped in place, complete silence descending upon the small clearing. This persisted for several seconds before the trembling in Ren's body became even more potent. Instead of excitement, however, his trembling was the direct result of the indescribable pain that seemed to radiate throughout his entire existence.Mustering what little power he could manage at the moment, Ren attempted to leap away from the figure that had appeared behind him, his mouth opening to produce a condensed Baang of Shinsu. Before he could fire it, however, an invisible force seemed to cut through, not just the void, but his ability to manipulate the Shinsu in the surroundings. At the same time, his attacker, a figure wearing a hooded parka that concealed everything but ghostly golden pupils, instantly appeared at his side, slicing through his body with a shadowy black katana.Despite being 'bisected', Ren's body didn't separate into two parts. Instead, he felt another wave of pain, almost like his soul was being burned by fire. He didn't know any other way to describe it, but, compared to all the other pains he had felt in his life, nothing even came remotely close to what he was currently experiencing.Unable to restrain his voice any longer, a blood-curdling scream escaped Ren's throat as the mouth of his costume opened to reveal a large number of massive Shinheuh. To his surprise, however, the majority of these Shinheuh simply crashed to the ground, many already dead. Those that were still alive attempted to devour the shadowy figure, but, without even trying to move, the entity held up his katana with a single hand, standing his ground.Further increasing Ren's horror and confusion, he watched with rounded eyes as one of his largest Shinheuh crashed into the figure, seemingly devouring them whole. Unfortunately, this was not the case, as, immediately after passing through the area where the figure had been standing, the large eel-like creature slid lifelessly across the ground while the sword-wielding shadow remained firmly rooted to their original position.Feeling fear for the first time in more than a hundred years, Ren's mind raced as he tried to make sense of the current situation. He was almost positive that the shadowy figure was a High Ranker, but, no matter how much he tried to read the flow of their Shinsu, there was no feedback. It was like the person standing before him didn't even exist, something that made absolutely no sense considering he could feel their horrifying aura pervading the entire cave system.With cold sweat covering most of his body, a stark contrast to the intense 'flames' that seemed to be burning him from the inside, Ren did his best to resist the pain as he asked, "Who are you? This is a matter concerning the Jahad Empire. Are you-"Though he had tried to react this time, Ren was in too much pain to properly control his body. As a result, he was completely powerless when the figure appeared next to him in an instant, their sword seemingly splitting into numerous arcs, each cutting through his body. This caused him to blackout completely, his body crashing the ground with a thud as his real self coughed up a large quantity of blood several thousand kilometers away...---Despite seeing how easily the shadowy figure dealt with one of Jahad's Rankers, Anak was surprised to find that she didn't feel even remotely concerned. Rather, a familiar warmth had spread through her body, easing her nerves and diminishing her passionate fury into a mellow calm. Then, as if they could sense her confusion, the figure turned around to face her, the golden flames within the hood gradually fading away before they ultimately removed the fabric to reveal two pointed ears...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Poor Laure','Anak be like, "Who dis?"','(OwO)? What's this~?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

With the Test Director giving everyone an extra day to contemplate their participation, Vahn was beginning to think the only reason it took people so long to climb the Tower was the 'mandated' breaks. He had actually been looking forward to taking the Guardian Test then and there so it was a moderate disappointment to be told it wouldn't take place until the early morning, two days later.Fortunately, now that he had officially joined the party alongside everyone else, he no longer had as much a reason to keep himself isolated. Thus, when many of the Regulars, including some who had failed, were getting together for a separation party, he was able to attend. His presence, as could be expected, caused quite a number of people to feel nervous, but, after providing a plethora of exotic foods and drinks for, tensions rapidly waned.Curiously, with the exception of a woman named Serena, nobody seemed particularly concerned about Ghost's, Hoh's, and Hwa Ryun's disappearances. This put into perspective how little most of the Regulars cared about what happened to anyone outside of their own party, but, considering it had only been a month since the majority of them met, that wasn't too surprising. Rather, they had spent the last month actively competing against and trying to eliminate each other, so, with Gandr's group being an obvious exception, it was hard to form strong bonds with strangers competing for the same prize...---While Vahn was off making the going-away party tenser than it had to be, Phae had been invited by Khun to discuss strategy alongside Shibisu. They were considered the brain of the current party, so, while she had wanted to make sure Anak didn't drown herself on too much alcohol, Phae had been roped into compiling a list of everyone's strengths and weakness while the three of them worked to develop numerous formations and strategies.It was during this process that Khun asked an understandable but amusing question, his expression serious as he asked, "Though I understand he is a Wave Controller, where do you think Vahn would have the greatest impact in a formation?"Since they would be part of a team in the future, Vahn had asked that everyone simply refer to him by name unless they had officially agreed to become his vassals or subjects. This caused quite a bit of unease, but, as it was even more awkward to continue referring to someone as an Emperor, there was no real resistance to the idea.In response to Khun's inquiry, Phae issued a laugh that caused both boys to feel a little nervous, an emotion that was amplified when she cheerfully remarked, "Trying to predict my Lord's actions is an exercise in futility. He has no position in a party because he is effectively a one-man army. The only thing you can be certain of is that he will always act in a way that either draws the most attention or causes the greatest impact on the battlefield. You will understand more about this in the future, but, to surmise, he will basically do whatever he wants. Don't worry though, as, more often than not, his actions lead to the 'best' possible outcome."Khun and Shibisu got the impression that Vahn was going to be a nightmare teammate, but, with Phae present, neither of them would dare make such a statement. She could be very scary when it concerned her 'Lord', so, after hearing her explanation, the two just laughed as Shibisu noted, "That will certainly make the journey up the Tower more interesting...hahahaha..."---Though he had some sway over her behavior, Gandr was ultimately unable to prevent Anak from drinking a rather excessive amount of alcohol. She seemed quite fond of the substance, and, since she was well over three-hundred-years-old, it wasn't like he could prevent her from treating the bottle like a best friend.Fortunately, after the previous incident, Anak seemed to gain a bit more awareness regarding her condition whilst drinking. As a result, she stayed next to him most of the evening, nursing a bottle nearly a third the size of her body as she watched the festivities from the side. This earned both her and Gandr a fair amount of teasing, Endorsi being the chief culprit, but it wasn't like either of them were particularly bothered by such remarks.In the end, Gandr helped most of the girls return to their room, this time leaving Anak to sleep with Endorsi. The two had become pretty close over the last couple of weeks, and, though they would still butt heads 'very often', there was no real animosity between them. Rather, they behaved very similarly to biological sisters, and, whenever Gandr was included in the equation, the three of them gave off the impression of close yet highly competitive siblings.Though he always carried the suspicion that 'something' might happen in the future, Gandr enjoyed the current dynamic he had, not just with the two Princesses, but everyone within their group. Them making him their mascot was a little embarrassing but it also made him feel a type of happiness he had always sought after but could never quite grasp. This was especially true whenever he just hung out with Shibisu, Hatsu, and Baam, the latter of which currently competed with him to represent the very 'heart' of the group.Even if he hadn't been friends with Baam and the rest, Gandr, or, more specifically, Vahn would have helped them. After all, it was his nature to be a bit of a busy-body, so, with the Tower having a clear path of progression, it was inevitable that he would have helped countless people before ultimately forcing change. Now, however, he had a 'legitimate' reason to help out, as, for what felt like the first time in more than three-hundred-years, he had people he could grow alongside; friends and rivals who would share the same burdens while helping each other improve. Thus, when Baam appeared before dawn to ask him for help with his training, Gandr couldn't help but wag his tail slightly as he readily agreed to help the boy...---With time seeming to pass within the blink of an eye, Team Wolf Pack had packed into the school-shaped Suspend Ship used by the Administrators to transport Regulars to various locations on the Floor. Only certain locations allowed for teleportation, and, more often than not, they required an intermediary at a relatively close range to facilitate the transfer. Thus, with the location of their Test being several thousand kilometers from Evankhell's Resort, it was only natural to travel via Suspend Ship to their destination.During the two-hour-long journey, Director Yu, being the Proctor for the Guardian's Test, went on to explain the actual objectives to the group of fifteen 'Regulars'. This included the green-skinned man named Parakewl, who, despite Vahn's warning, tried to buddy up with other members of the group as if he had known them for years. Because of Vahn's warning, however, the only person who was willing to humor the man was Baam, but, considering he had even forgiven Hoh, this wasn't too surprising...With all eyes focused on him, Director Yu, accompanied by Administrator Lero-Ro, wore a genial mask as he explained, "Now that we're approaching our destination, allow me to explain the rules of this, the Submerged Fish Hunt, test. Simply put, you have to hunt the submerged fish and catch them."Hearing Director Yu's explanation, an excited gleam flashed across Rak's red eyes before he loudly exclaimed, "Ha! You want us to catch fishies!? That's my specialty! This Test is going to be a breeze! Hahahahahahaha!"Adopting a deadpan expression on his face, Director Yu waited until Rak's laughter had begun to settle before explaining, "Sorry to burst your bubble, but you won't be the ones hunting the fish..."Following Director Yu's remark, a holographic light display unfolded out of thin air to reveal what appeared to be an adorably cartoonish seal. They were chubby creatures with dark-blue skin, seal-like features, large flippers, and a wreath of anemone-like protrusions forming a ring around their necks.Using a compressed needle as a pointer, Director Yu lightly tapped the hard-light display as he explained, "These are known as Net Dolphins, a type of Shinheuh that hunts by creating a massive net of Shinsu. They use this net to gather up as many fish as possible, feeding them to their much larger Queen, a massive Shinheuh located in the very center of today's testing grounds. Your main objective is to protect these Net Dolphins from their natural predators, Striped Ground Pigs, and an opportunistic hunting tribe known as Barnacle Goblins..."In response to Director Yu's words, the display changed to show another remarkably cartoonish species of Shinheuh, this time appearing like a fur-covered alligator with stubby legs and a tiny tail. As the name implied, it had a series of zig-zagging stripes running along its body. As for the other Shinheuh, they looked more like Orcs than Goblins, each possessing dark-green skin and muscular physiques that were capped off by dinosaur-like heads covered in black scales.After affording everyone a few moments to read the information on the screen, Director Yu tapped the display, this time showing a leech-like Shinheuh covered in leathery, flesh-colored, hide. Next to it, the silhouette of a human and a Barnacle Goblin could be seen, obviously intended to serve as a reference for scale. This put into perspective how truly massive the 'Giant Marsh Worms' were, as, if the scale was accurate, they were easily more than a hundred meters long and fifteen meters wide at their midsections.Answering the questions on everyone's minds, Director Yu went on to explain, "Net Dolphins are a favorite of the Striped Ground Pigs, a mammalian species of Shinheuh that also has an antagonistic relationship with the Barnacle Goblins. The latter breeds and domesticates Giant Marsh Worms in order to pilfer some of the daily tribute submitted by the Net Dolphins to their Queen. Your main goal for today's Test is to protect your Bait, represented by Mr. Baam and Ms. Rachel, and the Net Dolphins. If the latter is predated by the Striped Ground Pigs, they will not be able to properly form a net in order to feed their Queen. You will fail the test if your Bait, protected by a barrier of Shinsu, leaves the lake without being consumed by the Queen. This is where the Barnacle Goblins come in, as, with their Giant Marsh Worms, they are capable of pilfering large quantities of fish from the Net Dolphins. If you do not intervene, it is almost guaranteed that your Bait will be consumed by one of the Giant Marsh Worms, so, not only will you have to protect the Net Dolphins from their natural predator, you will also need to hold back a tribe of Barnacle Goblins. Sounds simple enough, right?"Seeing the deadpan expressions on several people's faces, Director Yu couldn't help but giggle in a manner that didn't suit someone with such a deep voice. He only stopped when his gaze settled on the aptly named Imperial Trio, none of which seemed even remotely concerned. This caused a smile to spread across his face as he tapped the hard-light display, this time showing the silhouette of a vaguely humanoid Shinheuh as he explained, "Unfortunately, things are rarely straightforward when it concerns Irregulars. While you are completing your other objectives, you'll also need to be on the lookout for the Apex Predator that wanders this region, a creature we simply refer to as the 'Bull'. It is a creature that even strikes fear into the hearts of some Rankers, so, if you are unlucky enough to encounter it, you only have yourselves to blame for choosing this path...now, any questions?"(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn likes to show off...','Gandr is a goodest boi','You'd have to be an idiot not to understand this is a trap (O ^ O)...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 1739: Cat and Mouse