The forest was thick with humidity, the air heavy with the scent of damp earth and foliage. Today, there would be no shadows, no hidden safety nets. Alex and I stood at a distance, observing. The twenty-eight men of our squad were about to face a true test: three early advanced-tier hyenas — hulking, aggressive, and cunning — accompanied by twenty intermediate-tier hyenas, moving as coordinated predators.
I watched the men assemble their formation. For months, they had trained with us guiding them, refining their skills and discipline. Now, it was time for them to fight independently, relying solely on each other and their shared understanding of tactics.
Lan Wei, at the front, signaled to the others, and they fanned out into their pre-assigned positions. Their eyes were sharp, muscles tense, and mana flowed visibly around the weapons and armor of the more capable fighters. Every movement was precise, every step calculated.
The hyenas emerged from the shadows. The three advanced-tier creatures were massive, their fangs dripping with venom and muscles rippling under coarse fur. The intermediate hyenas followed behind, snarling and snapping in anticipation.
"Now," Lan Wei shouted.
The squad erupted into action. Strategic traps they had prepared earlier were triggered — snaring vines, hidden pits, and runes glowing with mana designed to slow and injure. The intermediate hyenas were caught off guard, allowing the squad to focus on isolating each advanced-tier opponent.
Lan Wei and two other peak Purple Blood Realm soldiers charged at the largest hyena, its eyes glowing an unnatural amber. Their weapons hummed with mana as they deflected its snapping jaws and powerful swipes, exploiting openings in the beast's attack pattern. Despite its size and ferocity, the hyena could not withstand the coordinated assault. After a tense exchange, their strikes pierced vital points, and the beast collapsed, letting out a final, eerie howl.
Meanwhile, Mei Ling and Tao Jun, working with Void Realm soldiers, engaged the second advanced-tier hyena. Its speed and cunning made it a deadly opponent, dodging blows and countering with vicious strikes. But the squad adapted instantly, using coordinated spacing, mana shields, and flanking maneuvers. With precise strikes to the hyena's limbs and ribs, they brought it down after a relentless struggle.
The third advanced-tier hyena, surrounded by ten intermediate-tier hyenas, proved the ultimate test. Here, the squad's full potential truly shone. Every member acted as a cog in a perfect machine: intermediate-tier hyenas were dealt with using sweeping area attacks and carefully timed mana bursts, while the advanced-tier hyena was cornered, overwhelmed by targeted assaults and collective force. Eventually, the beast fell, exhausted and defeated, leaving the forest eerily silent.
By the end, all twenty intermediate-tier hyenas had been slain. Five soldiers were heavily injured, and three were mildly injured, yet not a single life was lost. For the first time, the men had operated without fear, hesitation, or external intervention, and they had succeeded against overwhelming odds.
The forest fell silent except for labored breathing and the faint hum of residual mana in the air. Slowly, the squad regrouped, gathering the spoils: hyena cores, fangs, claws, hides, and other valuable components that would fetch a high price at the city market. They moved with efficiency and cohesion, yet the satisfaction in their eyes was unmistakable. Today, they had faced death, exerted their full strength, and emerged victorious.
I allowed myself a rare moment of pride. "They did it," I murmured to Alex. "Without us, without intervention… they truly fought as one."
Alex nodded, a faint smile on his face. "This is what I wanted to see. They've broken through their limits, unlocked their potential, and learned to trust each other completely. Today, they are no longer just a squad — they are a unit capable of surviving anything the wild throws at them."
I let my gaze sweep over them once more. Their faces, streaked with blood and sweat, glowed with newfound confidence. Every spell cast, every strike landed, every coordinated movement had proven something crucial: even without the brothers leading them, they could dominate the battlefield.
As they collected the spoils and began the careful process of field triage for the injured, I felt a quiet satisfaction. The squad had come into their own. From recruits to warriors, from hesitation to decisive action, they had finally unleashed the power that I had always known was inside them.
Tomorrow, the forest would test them again. But tonight, they were victorious — and stronger than they had ever been.