Infinite System Inheritor Return From The Abyss

The judges sat in a room filled with glowing monitors, watching the participants. The forest on the screens showed intense shaking.

"Isn't this too risky, Mr. Gideon?" one of the judges said, his voice full of worry.

Mr. Gideon stood calmly, his hand hovering over a button. He seemed certain of his decision, his expression unwavering.

Another judge leaned forward. "What if they—"

Before he could finish, Mr. Gideon interrupted. "It's not good to think negatively. I won't let anything happen to them."

Thomas, another judge, placed a hand on Gideon's shoulder. "Let's trust him," he said reassuringly.

The judges exchanged uneasy glances, but no one spoke further.

Mr. Gideon took a deep breath and pressed the button, signaling the mages to activate the next phase of the test.

Back in the forest, the ground trembled violently.

"Climb the trees! Now!" Seojun's voice was sharp and commanding, cutting through the panic.

Andrew didn't hesitate. He grabbed a nearby tree and climbed as fast as he could.

He glanced back, about to help Lila, but she had already found another tree and was climbing on her own.

The siblings, however, were struggling. The sister, pale and panicked, couldn't get a proper grip.

"You can do this, sister!" her brother shouted, reaching down to her. She jumped, trying to grab his hand, but missed.

The shaking grew stronger. The ground cracked in places, and small rocks tumbled.

"Climb higher!" Seojun shouted from above. His tone was cold but urgent.

"Something is coming! Hurry up already!" Lila yelled from her tree, gripping a branch tightly.

She looked up, and her eyes widened as she saw the tops of trees swaying violently in the distance. Whatever was coming was big—and fast.

"I-I can't!" the sister cried, tears streaming down her face as she tried again to reach her brother's hand.

"You can! Jump, sister! I'll pull you up!" the brother yelled, refusing to give up.

Andrew looked down, conflicted. He was about to jump down to help when Seojun sighed.

Without a word, Seojun leaped down gracefully. He landed beside the sister, grabbed her by the waist, and lifted her effortlessly.

"Grab her!" Seojun called to the brother, who reached down and pulled her up onto the branch.

Seojun didn't waste time. He immediately began climbing the tree himself as the ground shook harder than ever.

"Hurry! It's coming!" Lila yelled again, clinging tightly to her tree as the trembling almost made her lose her grip.

The sister hugged the tree trunk, trembling with fear, while her brother climbed higher to keep them safe.

Seojun was halfway up when he looked back. His eyes narrowed as he saw what was approaching.

A herd of massive beasts stormed through the forest, their sheer size making the ground shake.

The creatures were like a mix of wild boars and bulls, with thick, dark fur and glowing red eyes. Long tusks curved out of their mouths, sharp enough to break trees.

Branches cracked, and trees fell as the beasts charged forward. Their growls and roars echoed, shaking the air.

Seojun climbed faster, reaching the higher branches just as the herd reached their area.

The group clung to the trees, holding on tightly as the beasts passed underneath. The shaking was so intense it felt like the trees might fall.

The sister whimpered, tears streaming down her face. "Are they going to hit the tree?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"Hold on tight!" her brother yelled, wrapping one arm around her and another around the trunk.

The herd ran through the area, smashing fallen logs and bushes. A few of the beasts stopped and sniffed the air, growling lowly.

Lila held her breath, her heart pounding. She muttered under her breath, "This test is insane."

Andrew looked at Seojun, who was calmly sitting on a branch, observing the beasts below. Despite the chaos, Seojun's expression didn't change.

"They'll leave soon," Seojun said, his voice calm but firm. "Just stay quiet."

The beasts roared again, then continued charging deeper into the forest, their heavy steps fading into the distance.

The forest grew silent, except for the group's heavy breathing.

Andrew let out a shaky breath, leaning against the trunk of his tree. "What… What just happened?"

Lila narrowed her eyes. "I saw a marble in the back of mithril crocodon along with the mithril, Looks like it's in their body not inside."

The brother spoke up, his voice trembling. "How are we supposed to get marbles from those beast?"

No one answered.

Lila sighed and adjusted her grip on the branch. "One problem at a time. Let's figure out where they're going first."

Seojun nodded. "We'll follow their trail. But we need to stay careful. If we get caught in another stampede, we're done for."

The group exchanged nervous glances but nodded in agreement. Slowly, they began climbing back down

They followed the trail left by the herd of beasts. Broken branches and deep hoofprints led them through the dense forest.

"They've scattered," Seojun said, breaking the silence as he examined the tracks.

"Let's try securing our first marble then!" Andrew said with a spark of excitement. "It'll be easier if the beasts aren't all together."

Lila nodded, agreeing for once. "We'll find one, plan carefully, and make sure no one ambushes us when we grab it."

Everyone nodded in agreement. They moved cautiously, their eyes scanning the forest.

The sister glanced at Seojun, her cheeks flushing slightly. She wanted to thank him for helping her earlier, but embarrassment held her back. She could still feel his hands around her waist.

'He lifted me so easily,' she thought, biting her lip. 'Brother always complains I'm too heavy.'

Her thoughts were interrupted by her brother's voice.

"There!" he shouted, pointing excitedly.

The group immediately crouched behind some bushes and peered through the gaps.

By the stream ahead, a beast stood alone, drinking water. Its appearance was striking—an evolved version of a zebra. Its black-and-white stripes glowed faintly, and sharp, curved horns adorned its head. Its hooves left deep marks in the muddy bank, and its eyes gleamed a faint yellow.

"There's a yellow marble on its neck," Andrew whispered. His gaze locked onto the shiny pendant hanging from the beast's neck.

"We need to move fast!" the brother said, standing up as if to run toward the beast.

Before he could take a step, Lila grabbed his collar and yanked him back down into the bushes.

"Stop acting rash!" Lila hissed, glaring at him. "You're putting our group in danger. How many times do I have to say this? Check the surroundings first. Make sure no one else is nearby before doing anything."

The brother fell silent, avoiding her sharp gaze. He muttered, "Sorry," then clicked his tongue in frustration.

The sound of rustling leaves caught their attention. A second later, another group of participants burst out from the trees and charged toward the beast.

The beast raised its head, startled by the sudden commotion. With a loud snort, it turned and ran deeper into the forest, the other group chasing after it.

Andrew sighed, watching the beast disappear. "Well, that's gone. Let's look for another one."

"Agreed," Seojun said calmly, already standing up to move.

The group nodded, their disappointment quickly replaced by determination as they continued their hunt for the next marble.