Gareth's jaw was practically on the frozen ground.
For several long seconds, he didn't move. He didn't blink. His eyes kept darting between the space where the Hollow had stood moments ago, the faint tendrils of black mist dissolving into the cold air, and Russell—standing there with his sword still lowered, chest rising and falling in heavy breaths.
"Oh my god…" Gareth whispered first, disbelief strangling his voice.
Then the realization fully hit him.
"Oh my GOD!" he shouted, his voice echoing violently through the twisted forest. "Tell me this is real! YOU LITERALLY DEFEATED A JUGGERNAUT-CLASS HOLLOW!!! ALONE!"
His words seemed too loud for the Blackwood, too bold for a place that felt like it was always listening. Even the wind seemed to pause, as if the forest itself were stunned.
Russell stood there for a heartbeat longer, letting the moment sink in.
Then something inside him snapped free.
A surge of raw, unfiltered adrenaline rushed through his veins, burning hotter than the lingering chill of Titan's air. His grip tightened on Emma, the katana humming faintly as if resonating with his heartbeat. He threw his head back and let the sound rip out of his chest.
"HELL YES!!!" Russell roared into the shadows, his voice tearing through the gloom. "I defeated my first Hollow!"
The shout echoed between the black-barked trees, bouncing back at him in fractured whispers. It felt surreal—like the forest itself was repeating his words, confirming them.
He lowered his head slowly and looked down at Emma.
The blade was clean now, its edge flawless, reflecting faint blue light from his HUD. But it felt different in his hands. He could feel it—not just the weight of the metal, but the memory of motion. Every strike. Every cut. Every perfectly timed step.
"I think…" he said quietly, his voice dropping into something more grounded, more real, "…I think my training is actually giving me results."
For the first time since joining The Crucible, the endless drills—the aching muscles, the failed repetitions, the nights where nothing seemed to improve—finally made sense.
The frustration that had gnawed at him since day one dissolved, replaced by a deep, steady certainty.
It had all mattered.
But even as that triumph settled in, something else surfaced.
Russell exhaled slowly, the wild grin fading as his mind shifted gears. His eyes drifted back to the shattered remains scattered across the forest floor.
"But still…" he muttered, brow furrowing. "I don't think this was a fair fight."
Gareth froze.
He turned slowly, staring at Russell as if he'd just spoken an alien language.
"…Excuse me?" Gareth said flatly. "You just solo'd a Juggernaut and you're not happy? What's wrong with you?"
Russell lifted a hand, trying to explain, already analyzing the encounter in his head.
"No, it's just—listen. You know how they are." He gestured toward the splintered remains. "Slow. Heavy. Strong, yeah, but not fast."
He paced a step, eyes sharp with thought rather than pride.
"It got me once because it was camouflaged. That was its advantage. But the moment it revealed itself…" He shook his head. "I had speed. Reaction time. Control. It was durable, sure—but it wasn't adaptive. It didn't change its approach."
He wasn't belittling the victory.
He was dissecting it.
"It hit hard," Russell continued, voice calm now. "But it wasn't smart."
Gareth stared at him for a moment longer—then suddenly burst out laughing.
"You are unbelievable," Gareth said, running a hand through his hair. "Absolutely insane. Most people would still be shaking."
He stepped forward, clapping Russell firmly on the shoulder, his grin stretching ear to ear. "Whatever, man. The only thing that matters is this—you're getting stronger."
Then, with a slight puff of his chest and a hint of awkward pride, he added, "And I am too… I think so."
Russell turned toward him, surprised.
"Oh yes," Russell said, a genuine smile breaking through again. "You are getting stronger."
Gareth blinked. "You really think so?"
"I do," Russell replied without hesitation. "I saw those shots during training. Tight groups. Consistent trajectory. That doesn't happen by accident."
Gareth's ears flushed faintly. "Huh…"
Russell gave his shoulder another firm pat. "Now let's get out of this creepy forest before something else decides we look edible."
They didn't linger.
The Blackwood felt heavier now—not threatening, but watchful. As they retraced their steps toward The Crucible, the forest seemed quieter than before, as if acknowledging the removal of one of its predators.
Their walk back was different from their arrival.
Their shoulders were straighter. Their steps lighter. The tension that had followed them earlier was gone, replaced by something steadier—confidence, earned rather than imagined.
When they reached the mission desk, Russell stepped forward first.
The same bored clerk sat behind the console, eyes half-lidded, fingers tapping idly against his datapad.
Russell spoke clearly. "Juggernaut-class Hollow eliminated. Area has been neutralized."
He paused, then added honestly, "…And, uh… by luck, we are alive."
He chose his words carefully, omitting nothing important—only unnecessary detail.
The clerk finally looked up.
One eyebrow rose.
He accepted the uploaded scanner data, eyes flicking across the readouts. The confirmation glyph appeared. Juggernaut signature detected. Juggernaut signature terminated.
For a brief moment, something resembling interest crossed his expression.
"Approved," the clerk said at last, typing a final command. "Mission complete. Well done, rookies."
Then, almost as an afterthought, "Not many first-timers bring down a Juggernaut."
Both of their datapads chimed simultaneously.
MISSION COMPLETE
HUNTER EXPERIENCE POINTS (Cs) AWARDED: +15 <<
Gareth let out a sharp laugh, pumping his fist in the air. "YES!"
He started calculating immediately, eyes darting as numbers stacked together. "Okay—training trial points plus this…"
His eyes widened.
"Russ!" he said, grabbing his sleeve. "We have enough now. Both of us!"
Russell already knew what he meant.
"…Enough Cs," Gareth finished, barely containing his excitement, "to unlock one basic Hunter ability!"
The words settled between them, heavy with meaning.
This wasn't just a win.
It wasn't just survival.
It was progression.
They looked at each other, a silent understanding passing between them.
They had crossed the threshold.
It was time to visit the Skill Tree.