CHAPTER 65: NIGHT INTRUDER

Not bad...

By mid-afternoon, the main structure of her hut was in place. Vertical posts, diagonal braces, and the roof frame created a triangular silhouette against the forest edge. Though the walls and flooring were incomplete, the hut already offered shade and a modest shield from the wind and smaller predators.

Ahce leaned against one of the posts, her chest heaving, her limbs slick with sweat and grime. She surveyed her work with pride. Every cut, every knot, every adjustment reflected her knowledge, strength, and ingenuity. This was more than what the academy wanted to see. It was a demonstration of adaptability, creativity, and resilience.

The hut was imperfect, yes, but functional. It would shelter her through storms, give her a base for foraging and scouting, and serve as a visible marker of her territory in a world where visibility could mean life or death.

The forest around her sounded with life, the moon now rising faintly above the horizon. Bioluminescent vines began to glow softly, illuminating the edges of the cliff and casting an otherworldly light across her campsite. The stream reflected these lights in rippling patterns, creating a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere.

Ahce collapsed onto a flat patch of earth near her newly built hut, brushing dirt and sweat from her arms. The air was thick with the scent of roasting meat and the faint smoke of charred bamboo. She closed her eyes briefly, letting herself rest. The day had been exhausting, yet productive.

She had food, shelter, and a growing understanding of the rhythms and hazards of Planet Rhino. Her drone hovered silently above, capturing the moment for the thousands who watched. Across the galaxy, viewers marveled at her resourcefulness.

[She’s alone, building a home!]

[How is one person strong enough to do all that?]

[She’s going to be unstoppable in this survival test!]

Ahce opened her eyes, looking at the skeletal structure of her hut. Tomorrow, she would finish the walls and flooring, and perhaps explore further along the stream for more resources. But tonight, she would rest, knowing that she had survived another day, and that she had taken a small step toward mastering this alien wilderness.

She lay back, letting the last warmth of the sun fade from her skin, and whispered softly to herself, "One step at a time. One day at a time. I can do this."

The forest around her seemed to sigh in approval, or perhaps it was the wind, but in that moment, she felt a fragile sense of accomplishment, a small victory in a vast, untamed world.

She fell asleep.

Huh?

Intruder!

Damn it!

The ground trembled beneath her boots as Ahce sprinted through the dark forest, her breath coming out in short bursts. The moonlight filtered weakly through the towering canopies, silver streaks cutting across her face as she ran, luring the monstrous boar deeper into the clearing.

Behind her, the sound of crushing branches and angry grunts echoed, each step from the creature thundering like the beat of a giant drum. The wild boar’s five jagged horns gleamed faintly in the pale light, its three eyes glowering with a furious red hue. Saliva mixed with steam hissed from its snout. It was enraged, and it was hunting her.

In the capital, millions of eyes watched through the live broadcast, unable to look away. The stream had exploded into chaos.

[She’s insane, she’s actually baiting it!]

[That’s a sixth-tier beast! She’s going to die!]

[Who is she?! Which department is she from?]

Her brothers, Amiel and Alexander, were among those glued to the feed, their hearts hammering as they saw their sister dance with death.

"Ahce, stop, stop!" Alexander shouted from their home, but his voice couldn’t reach her. His fists clenched helplessly. The screen showed her small figure in the darkness, compared to the hulking silhouette of the beast that could crush her with a single strike.

Ahce’s breathing steadied. The adrenaline surging through her veins felt like liquid fire, but her mind was razor sharp. She reached the open field she had scouted earlier. The ground was flatter, and the moonlight brighter. Her eyes darted around quickly, assessing.

No trees to hide behind, no cliffs nearby. Perfect!

She turned, facing the charging monster. Her saber gleamed faintly, its alloy reflecting the glow of her optical bracelet, a faint blue hue pulsing in sync with her heartbeat.

"Alright," she muttered. "Let’s see who’s the real predator here."

The boar lunged. Its horns lowered, its snout tearing through the soil as it charged with full force. Ahce sidestepped at the last moment, the wind from the beast’s momentum whipping her hair wildly. She slashed upward with precision, striking just below its eye.

The blade left a shallow mark, barely a scratch.

"Tch... too thick."

The audience watching gasped. The attack that could split steel barely grazed the monster. Some viewers typed frantically in chat.

[She’s dead! Run, girl!]

[It’s hide’s reinforced!]

[Must be a mutant strain!]

Ahce, unfazed, rolled backward, her eyes narrowing. The creature turned to her again, snorting. The ground cracked under its hooves. She could smell the burnt stench of ozone from its breath. It wasn’t just physical strength. This one had an elemental core.

Then, a flicker of electric arcs danced around its tusks.

"Thunder type," she realized. "This is going to be painful."

The beast bellowed, the sound like thunder itself, and lightning flashed, a strike that seared the air and nearly blinded her. Ahce leapt sideways, feeling the shockwave singe the side of her jacket. Her saber hummed with energy, the metal momentarily charged by the static.

She crouched low, breathing heavily. "Too much power... I need to use its strength against itself."

For several tense minutes, she darted between the shadows of boulders, forcing the beast to charge aimlessly, its rage making it careless. Each time it missed, it tore deeper trenches into the earth. Sweat dripped from her chin, her muscles burning.

Then she spotted it, a deep crevice formed from the boar’s wild charges, a natural pit. It wasn’t wide enough to trap it entirely... unless she widened it.

Her plan formed instantly. She sprinted across the clearing, slashing her saber across key spots in the soil to loosen the ground. The boar roared again, lowering its horns, the arcs of lightning flashing brighter.

"Come on, big guy," she murmured. "Just one more step."

She stood her ground this time. The chat exploded in disbelief.

[She’s not moving!]

[What is she doing?]

[She’s going to take the hit head-on!]

Even her brothers were frozen in horror.