6 Entrance exams: Bigger Owl

I have to ask… who are you really?" Hearing this question, Koku's interest was lost. Hearing him ask this question, Koku answered him by just giving him his name. After not getting the answer he wanted, Aron dropped it and simply congratulated him on his sharp senses and fighting abilities and soon left to check up on the others.

As Aron left, Koku was left alone. He looked up at the moonless sky, "A new moon... regardless of whether it's gone or not, it looks like I have an ability that I wasn't aware of..." Saying this, Koku smiled for the first time in a year. This was because as he looked into the night sky, everything seemed lighter, and his vision was dramatically better than before. Not only that, even scarier was the fact he could see his surroundings completely (360 vision).

The smile on his face was there for a moment, but it dissipated into a blank expression again. "It's about that time," Koku said in his head as he heard the air brush against the tree's leaves. Koku then began walking into the forest, and soon after, he began sprinting. To answer a question he had since he noticed the owl's abilities becoming a part of him, he could, in fact, not hear his footsteps or body movement.

However, after a few minutes of sprinting into the forest, Koku noticed something. He had a pair of eyes on him again, this time he could see who it was. It had been three Night Owls. Able to see them as clear as day, Koku noticed that one of them was abnormally larger than the other two. Those two other Night Owls were 10 feet tall and fearsome-looking; however, the other, as Koku had noticed, was 15 feet tall.

Something different about this Night Owl was the size and the eyes; they glowed a bright red color, not yellow as the others had been. Not only that, but it looked like it had taken some damage beforehand. After noticing these details, he stopped sprinting and created the aura sword once again. As fast as he got into a defensive form, the two Night Owls attacked and were blocked. But as those two had finished their dive attack, they fled back up into the sky and began preparing for another dive run. This wasn't a problem by itself. The problem, however, was the bigger Night Owl who was currently diving towards Koku.

(At Paladonia), the people had been seeing everything that was going on in the forest. As one could imagine, the magic being cast was in the form of a mirror or a screen, and this was to last for three days and three nights. Just counting this test, everyone in the country was seeing this, and many cheered on the students. Many remained silent, some placed bets, and some didn't care and wanted action.

The majority were focused on group survivor, and with the second biggest audience group Lodus and the third group restless. All was well until night struck, and all three groups were attacked separately. Seeing what had happened with group survivor, everyone was in favor of that group being number one; they seemed to be nearly perfect. On the first night, they fought off the monsters that attacked them effortlessly. Some cheered for group Lodus since they saw how they fought off a nearly invisible enemy, but… group restless was a different story.

Nearing the end of the night, some monsters had attacked them. But unlike the others who had received no casualties, group restless had nearly lost all of their members in less than 5 minutes. All but two students from group restless died. Those other two ran and hid; their location is somewhere west, and as for the monsters that had attacked them, it was the Cratrus.

The onlookers were horrified at the brutality of these monsters. Knights and mages remarked on how they were way too well-organized, that they weren't hunting like monsters normally do. They used maneuvers and hunted like a pack of wolves but even better.

The families of those who died, of course, were crying, whimpering, mourning in every way possible. (Back in the forest), Koku was a mere moment away from a clash with the Owl. But just in a second, Koku held the aura sword out as far as he could, and in the blink of an eye, the big Night Owl stopped in its tracks since it knew it would've been stabbed straight through.

Seeing it stop, Koku lunged forward, but as quick as Koku could move, the Owl flapped its wings with overwhelming strength that pushed back Koku into a tree.

Koku's back collided with the rough bark of a tree, the impact vibrating through his body. The Night Owl, with its powerful wingspan and incredible strength, had managed to repel his attack with ease. The force of the blow left a slight crack in the sturdy trunk behind him.

Koku's expression remained devoid of emotion as he quickly regained his footing. The Night Owl's eyes, glowing a malevolent red, bore into him with a mixture of intelligence and hostility. It was clear that this monster was way stronger than the others, and Koku needed to adapt to its abilities if he planned to overcome it.

As Koku prepared for the next exchange, he created his aura sword once more. The blade hummed with energy, casting an ethereal purple light that contrasted with the darkness around. The moonless night seemed to amplify the tension, every rustle of leaves and the distant sounds of nature echoing in the stillness.

The Night Owl launched itself at Koku once again, its massive wings propelling it with deadly speed. Koku's 360-degree vision and heightened senses allowed him to track the creature's movements with uncanny precision. With a fluid motion, he sidestepped the Owl's attack, narrowly evading its razor-sharp talons.

Koku's aura sword met the Night Owl's talons in a clash of steel and energy. Sparks erupted from the point of impact, illuminating the darkness for an instant. Koku's instincts kicked in, guiding his quick reactions and movements. The two seemed to blur into a dance of sparks and steel, each countering the other's moves.

The Night Owl's wings flapped once again, sending a rush of wind and debris in Koku's direction. He raised his aura sword to shield himself from the gust of air, ruffling his hair and clothes. Koku heard the other 2 owls dive in for an attack. This momentary distraction was all the Night Owl needed. With a sudden lunge, it lunged at Koku, talons extended, aiming to strike at his exposed flank.

Koku's sense of danger flared, and he twisted his body really quickly, narrowly evading the Owl's attack. However, the Night Owl's talons still grazed his side, leaving a shallow but stinging gash. Koku's aura flickered momentarily, indicating that his enhanced healing abilities were already at work to heal the wound.

The Night Owl pulled back, its wings unfurling as it prepared for another assault. Koku's expression remained impassive as he tightened his grip on his aura sword. He focused his energy, channeling it into the blade. The aura sword pulsed with a more intense light, casting an even brighter glow across the battleground.

With a sudden burst of speed that was bolstered by his quick reactions, Koku launched himself at the Night Owl. The aura sword swept through the air in a deadly arc, tracing a path of purple light. The Night Owl dodged with uncanny agility, evading the strike by a hair.

But Koku wasn't done yet. As the Night Owl evaded, Koku's eyes glinted with a calculated intent. His enhanced senses picked up on the Owl's movements, its feathers rustling yet making no sound as it adjusted its position in mid-air. In a split second, Koku unleashed his move: the aura slash.

A wave of energy surged forth from his blade, expanding in a wide light that seemed to distort the very air itself. The Night Owl's eyes widened in surprise as the aura slash closed in on it with blinding speed. It attempted to change its trajectory, but the attack was too fast, too precise.

The aura slash struck the Night Owl. The energy from the slash dispersed. The shockwave rippled through the forest, sending leaves and debris scattering in all directions. When the bright light created by the impact subsided, the Night Owl wasn't there.

Koku stood there, aura sword at his side, his expression unchanged despite the battle that had just unfolded. The forest had fallen into an eerie silence, broken only by the faint sounds of rustling leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. He knew that the battle might have been done, that the Night Owl might still show again to challenge him.

Koku remained on guard and returned to group Lodus a few hours later. By this point, he was completely healed. After returning, Aron approached him with curiosity and asked Koku if he knew the stories of this forest. "You know they say this forest is..."