Welcome To The Shadow Class

"But—" one girl finally dared to speak, her voice shaky. "How long do we—?"

"You run until I say stop," Mathis interrupted, his tone making it clear there was no room for negotiation. "Or you can leave now and join the others who gave up. Your choice."

The girl quickly closed her mouth, her cheeks flushing as she averted her gaze.

Mathis turned back to the group, his hands clasped behind his back. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get moving!"

The students hesitated for only a moment before a few of them began jogging toward the edge of the field, their bonds trailing behind them. Khalil was about to follow suit when Mathis's voice thundered again.

"STOP!"

Everyone froze mid-step, turning back to face him. His face was a mask of irritation, and his bond emerged from the shadows behind him. The beast let out a low, guttural growl that sent shivers down everyone's spines.

"Are you all idiots?" Mathis snapped, his voice dripping with disdain. "Why are you running by yourselves? Did I say this was an individual exercise? Let your bonds run with you! You're partners—act like it! Or do you not even understand the basics of being a Tamer?"

The students exchanged uncertain glances before slowly beckoning their bonds closer. Some bonds eagerly joined their partners, while others hesitated, clearly unused to running such a distance.

Mathis's bond stepped forward, towering over the group as it surveyed them with an almost menacing gaze.

"This is Gorran," Mathis said, gesturing to the panther-like creature. "He'll be watching you. If you slack off, pretend to run, or try any funny business, Gorran will know. And you'll fail. Immediately."

The black panther bond let out a deep growl, baring its fangs in what almost looked like a grin. A few students visibly gulped, their bonds pressing closer to their sides for comfort.

"Now," Mathis said, his voice hard as steel, "run. Together."

This time, no one hesitated. Khalil adjusted his pace to match his bond's movements. Raine and her bond took to the air briefly before landing and running alongside her. The red-haired boy, his bond darting ahead of him, shot Mathis a defiant glare as he passed.

The group began to circle the arena, their footsteps echoing against the crumbling stone walls. The sun beat down on them mercilessly, and the uneven terrain made it difficult to maintain a steady rhythm. But no one dared slow down. Gorran prowled along the sidelines, his piercing red eyes tracking every movement.

Khalil glanced at the others as they ran.

Some were already struggling to keep up, their bonds lagging behind them. The timid boy from earlier stumbled over loose rock, his bond quickly steadying him with a supportive nudge. Raine's face was set in a frustrated scowl, though her eyes focused ahead.

The uneven terrain made Khalil focus on every step, his bond staying close to his side with surprising agility. The faint rustling of its feathers and the soft chirps it occasionally made were the only sounds keeping him grounded amidst the rising tension.

Then, as his foot hit the ground, a sharp chime echoed in his mind, startling him enough to falter for half a step.

[System Notification: Hidden Event Triggered - Welcome To The Shadow Class!]

[Shadow Class: Death Chain Training – Day 1]

[Objective: Survive the Shadow Run (15:00 Minutes)]

[Reward: Progression to Day 2, Shadow Instructor Favor, ???]

Khalil blinked, his heart skipping a beat. The glowing translucent text floated before him, clear and unmissable. He had heard rumors about hidden events in the game world—rare, high-risk situations that offered significant rewards if completed.

"Fifteen minutes?" he muttered under his breath, glancing at the timer now counting down in the corner of his vision: [14:42].

His bond let out a soft chirp, brushing against his leg as if to encourage him to keep going. Khalil shook his head, forcing himself to focus. This wasn't the time to hesitate.

Ahead, Raine jogged with a focused expression, her winged serpent weaving around her with fluid grace. The timid boy stumbled again, his orange-furred bond practically dragging him forward. The red-haired boy, however, seemed to thrive on the pressure, his wolf-like bond leading him confidently ahead of the group.

[Time Remaining: 13:30 Minutes.]

Khalil's bond chirped again, nudging him forward. He adjusted his pace, syncing more closely with the creature's movements. Its small, sleek body darted ahead to avoid a loose rock, and Khalil followed without missing a beat.

But then, the shadows shifted.

It was subtle at first, a flicker of darkness along the edges of the field. Then, as the timer ticked past 13 minutes, the shadows surged, forming into grotesque, beast-like figures with glowing red eyes.

The first shadow pounced.

"Look out!" Khalil shouted, his voice cutting through the air.

The timid boy yelped as one of the shadow beasts lunged toward him, its claws slicing through the air. His bond reacted instantly, leaping up to intercept the attack with a fierce swipe of its own. The shadow beast dissolved into smoke, but more were already closing in.

[System Notification: Phase One Initiated – Shadows Awakened.]

Mathis's laughter rang out, sharp and mocking. "Welcome to the real test, rookies! Think you can survive without your bonds? Think again!"

The shadow beasts moved with terrifying speed, targeting those who strayed too far from their bonds. Khalil tightened his focus, staying as close to his bond as possible.

"Stay with me," he said, his voice steady despite the growing panic around him.

His bond chirped in agreement, darting ahead to scout a safer path through the chaos.

"Keep moving!" Mathis barked from the sidelines, his arms crossed as he watched with an infuriatingly calm demeanor. "If you stop, you fail. If you fall behind, you fail. If your bond abandons you or the opposite happens…" He smirked. "Well, let's just say you won't like what happens next."

The group pressed on, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as they fought to maintain their pace. Raine's winged serpent coiled protectively around her, striking at any shadow beast that got too close. The red-haired boy cursed loudly as his wolf bond barreled into a pack of shadows, scattering them with sheer force.

Khalil, however, focused on observing.

[System Hint: Shadow Class Rule #1 – Observe and Adapt.]

The shadows targeted those who faltered or moved unpredictably. But they avoided pairs where bonds and Tamers moved in perfect sync.

Khalil adjusted his pace further, matching his bond's movements almost instinctively. His bond trilled in approval, weaving through the chaos with a confidence that bolstered his own.

"Good job," he murmured, his breath hitching as another shadow beast lunged toward them. His bond reacted swiftly, its shimmering scales deflecting the attack before darting forward again. It seems like the shadow beasts weren't that powerful, only illusions perhaps.

[Time Remaining: 10:00 Minutes.]

The intensity of the shadows increased.

Mathis smirked, snapping his fingers. "Phase Two!" he declared, his voice carrying an almost sadistic glee.

The ground trembled, and the shadows grew larger and more coordinated. Gorran roared from the sidelines, his piercing red eyes glowing brighter.

"Stick together!" Khalil shouted instinctively, glancing at the other students.

The timid boy stumbled again, his bond struggling to protect him from the growing horde. Raine gritted her teeth, her serpent bond coiling tighter around her. Even the red-haired boy, who had seemed so confident earlier, was starting to falter under the relentless pressure.

[System Notification: Phase Two Initiated – Aggression Unleashed.]

Khalil's bond chirped urgently, its feathers rippling as it dodged another attack. Khalil clenched his fists, his legs burning with effort, but he refused to slow down.

"We've got this," he whispered, more to himself than his bond.

[Time Remaining: 8:00 Minutes.]