Kania ground his teeth and closed his eyes, as the figure chucked the shield in his direction, as if giving him a fair chance. Bloodied hands raised it, but not before he disappeared in a flash and zoomed in from above, digging the sharp hook into Kania's back.

The Haran dropped to the ground, coughing blood. Pulsating, big fingers ripped into the grass before he threw himself up, trying to defend himself. The hook dove in from the leaves to his right, pulling him into the hedges by his chest, obstructing most of his view.

Then, hands landed on his neck, nails dug deep below his skin as he struggled to catch his breath. The figure pulled him out, headlocking so hard that Kania dropped the shield and blindly struck with his fists above.

The monster breathed out, heavily, before letting go of one hand, only for it to punch Kania's face in. Opening a palm, his sharp nails scratched down from his eyes, much like bloodied tears.

Kania let out a brutal scream, which echoed through the jungles and made the two Paladians turn their heads towards the action.

"Did we go too far?" Bart asked.

"We didn't do anything!" Patrick grabbed his arm. "Someone else had something against the Haran and be my guest in guessing why! For now, the only thing we need to focus on is finding the damn exit before the others do."

Bartholomew breathed out, gulping, pushing himself against a tree.

"Bart, what are you waiting for?"

"He wouldn't kill you, right?" Bart asked.

"Huh?" Patrick took a step back.

"Even though he hates you and you hate him. He wouldn't go that far. Right?" he asked.

Patrick slowly shook his head. "Of course not, damn it. If we're to see ourselves become great Demonear, then it's all of us. Even bloody Kania."

Bart breathed out, as the echoes of the scream faded away, only for another to appear out of the blue. The two pushed their hands through the llove leaves and took a peek above, only to spot the four flying through the air, holding onto the grappler.

Mike's yell subtly changed into some strange song before Alice punched his shoulder, and then the two disappeared near what could only have been the exit.

The two Paladians glanced at each other, before running forth.

***

The figure's boot landed on Kania's head, pushing it further into the grasses, with blood from the wounds here and there painting a massive pool. He chucked the shield to the side, before raising his limp body and staring at his face.

"Not today, Kania," he muttered. The hook from his weapon was now attached to an open wound in his shoulder, before he chucked his body over the hedges, towards the audience, guards and alike.

A few gasps followed, but he paid no attention to them. Quickly advancing, he used his weapon to bounce off from one tree to the other.

***

Judy, Sam, Mike and Alice made a simple run for it from that point on. Staring ahead, the only thing that separated the two from their goal was a straight line towards the flags and ropes marking the finishing line. No other contestants were here too, and after catching their breath and assessing the situation, with Judy taking a sip of something wrapped around in a few leaves, the four sped up, with Alice and Mike at the deliberate front.

"What the hell was that sound you were making?" Alice asked.

"It's a song of the Kabuton while the Paladins traversed through the jungle." he raised a finger.

"Real, or in the-"

"The Paladin," Mike added, with a subtle smile.

"I can't with you and your imagination!" she slapped his hand. "Go, speed up! Use that pole of yours to make sure we're faster than those two other vermin!"

"Either way we win." Judy raised her voice. "No point in making this a competition."

"It does matter!" Alice yelled, clearly speeding up. "Alice Mosmontier, the cruel mistress lifting stars and an outstanding Demonear will be the first in line, right with Just Mike coming in second!"

"The just part isn't part of the-" she slapped him again.

"A straight line, though?" Sam asked, putting the crook closer towards his body. "It almost seems too suspicious. There's no one around the trees."

"Same thoughts here." she breathed out, rubbing sweat off her forehead. "They said it's gonna be a surprise, and I surely had enough of those today already." she pressured her open wound, with Sam huffing through his teeth, seeing as the two advanced further ahead.

Others made haste behind them, with Patrick and Bart taking another quick breath, glancing around the area.

All up until a noise sounded through the woods.

It wasn't the sounds of the brawl the few participated in or any ugly bird song some might've heard. It was a growl, but not the typical lowly bellow of a demon.

Perhaps, something much, much worse. Judy and Sam stopped, while Alice and Mike kept running.

"Heh, losers!" she muttered. "That was just your stomach growling, right you mutton?" she bumped Mike's shoulder.

"Alice." he tapped hers a few times, pointing forward. "Alice."

"What?!" she stopped, before looking in the direction Mike suggested earlier.

A massive, dark deformed sheep, fifteen times the size of the two blocked the exit. Its saliva dropped out at the sight, with purely grey eyes, as sharp as their teeth or horns locked glances with Alice.

The girl slowly breathed out, before kindly grabbing Mike's hand, and legging in the other direction as fast as possible.

Passing by the shocked Sam and Judy, the two focused, with the animal locking eyes with the Paladian. A few contestants pointed forward, while Judy gulped, instinctively backing away.

Bart and Patrick stared for a while too, before readying their weapons with a slight gulp.

However, instead of taking a more logical approach, Sam stepped forth, with Judy reaching her hand out with a gasp.

"Sam?!" she whispered harshily, as the animal adjusted its legs like a bull would, readying to run.

"It's a..." the Paladian's eyes widened. "It's a sheep."

With those words, however, there was no more space for any other. As if responding to his call, it let out another lowly growl before zooming towards the four.

In a flash, Judy pulled Sam to the side while the two Royal brothers leapt in separate directions, with the sheep hitting the exits of the maze. Its horns dug into the various oaks or lloves at the sides, before pulling out and turning, seeking new contestants.

Again, Mike and Alice made a run for it, given the opportunity. One use of the grappler led the thin materials Judy found to break, and there they were, swinging their limbs back and forth with Mike screaming out.

"No more doubting yourself! We're almost there!" Alice uttered, grinding her teeth before the dark deformity's shadow appeared creeping over her silhouette.

Mike yelled, again, unsurprisingly, and the only thing that coated her face was disgust and disappointment. With a tough one following suit, she grabbed Mike's hand and threw both to the side near a small copse, rolling into bushes.

"Seems it will do ANYTHING to not let us through." Alice sighed.

"S-So we have to defeat it?" Mike asked, standing up, as the creature stopped, now slowly treading in search of the two.

"No, Mike. We have to keep running!"

As she uttered those words, the sheep turned in her direction. Mike jumped around a few times, using the bamboo as leverage, while Alice breathed in and out, before looking down.

"You've got this, Alice Mosmontier, the cruel mistress lifting stars and an outstanding Demonear!" she thought, clenching both fists. "How else would the title fit?!"

As if encouraged by those self-proclaimed words, she sprinted, as fast as she possibly could, with sweat doubling down on its existence and streaming down in rivers down her face. Looking back, she thought it might've been some superpower, partially because she hadn't noticed Patrick in the back, with his lasso tied around the creature's back.

"Oh, damn it!" Patrick yelled out. "She's going to come first if we don't hurry!"

Bart jumped up from a branch and stuck the elshuim into the sheep's head, only for it to bounce him and the object off to the side rather firmly. Patrick suddenly let go, picking his brother up and running for the same prize.

"Why do any of you care about coming in first?!" Judy yelled out, perpetually annoyed, as she threw a chunk of a few Devil's Leaves in its direction. "If we make it out, then we're all winners!"

The sheep focused, which gave her enough time to glance back and forth, running along with the other contestants. Sam wasn't there, for whatever reason, but the things that caught most of her attention were the brothers and the two.

"I was destined to come first!" Alice added, engaging in a very light and pointless brawl with Patrick.

"Do you see this, lowly vermin?!" he pointed to his cloth. "Number one stands for something twice!"

"Who cares about some pimpy Royal boy getting all he wants because he's royal?! Now, Alice Mosmontier, the cruel mistress, will be a much more fitting winner of this stupid competition!"

"If it's so stupid, then why are you here-" Bart raised a finger.

"Shut up, both of you! Mike, too!"

"I didn't say anything."

Judy adjusted her hat. "Knew this was a bad idea from the very beginning."

Nearing the final steps, the deformity finally awoke from its temporary distraction. With another scream permeating echoes, the five covered their ears and stopped in their tracks, temporarily. When Judy's eyes were turned, there it was again, outspeeding everyone.

Alice and Mike began zooming even further ahead, while Patrick readied his lasso, slowing down. Bart stopped, glancing around, while Judy fixed another helping of the plants.

However, to everyone's surprise, something suddenly flailed through the air before anything else could be decided. Judy was sure, already. The same chainhook flashed in the corner of her eyes before sticking itself into the sheep's body and letting the silhouette bounce above everything else.

Alice and Mike looked up, in shock, as another flip in the air led the chain to descend and swipe the two away from the finish line.

"What the-" Patrick turned. "It's t-that same guy!"

The figure landed on the ground, adjusting its cap. With another turn, the hook was shot forth, propelling him towards the finish line, while a few sighs sounded next to Bart and Patrick.

"...and there we have it!" Xard's voice announced, on the other side of the hurdle. "The first who passed the 62nd Lignorian Demonear Test!"

Music played elsewhere, almost muffled. Claps, cheers and such sounded, but the many inside had no reason to cheer.

Alice sat up, huffing in anger, while Mike glimpsed back, finding the two brothers nearby, and Judy, who ran by the side.

"Alice, it's him!" Judy announced, stopping, breathing out.

"Him? I don't care who he is!" she added, making her way out of the bushes. "All I know is that damn scheming weasel took the honour of the first place from me!"

"A-Alice, wait!" Mike stuck his hand out, as the girl sprinted out of the bushes onto the main road.

Beforehand, the massive sheep stood, blocking the only path leading towards all the happiness outside. A few contestants waited, biting their nails or rubbing the sweat off their forehead, while Alice stared.

This was it. If she didn't run for it, it would stomp her over and there would be nothing after all. So, in the end, she decided to step forth, and such led to another growl echoing through the forests.

Judy almost dropped to the ground, covering her ears, as her eyes spotted the figure just a few meters ahead. It looked at her as if announcing their triumph in silence.

Even though she had no clue what their goals were.

The sheep stood on its feet. Alice tried weaving out of the way, but the moment it started falling, she was sure she wouldn't make it.

Unless some miracle was to save her.

A voice was suddenly raised, as something zipped out of the jungle and found itself wrapped around the sheep's head, pulling it to the side. Alice stumbled, finding herself only a few centimetres from its heavy legs, as something kept pushing the creature further away.

"Now, now...!" Sam raised his voice, breathing out, adjusting the crook around the grip. In a few seconds, its area expanded with a few ropes coated with Úgau leaves holding it in place. Judy shook her head at the sight, and perhaps Sam realised that this was its only useful purpose.

Either way, it meant something. Pulling more and more, it seemed the dark deformity grew a little peaceful. Sam gulped, spouting his typical shepherd words, as he managed to step back into the forest and in turn, calmly push the sheep in.

He glanced back at the others in a paralyzing shock, before nodding.

"That Sandy bastard." Judy shook her head, before adjusting her hat, and much like the other contestants, at that very moment, running towards the exit.

As soon as the lot moved ahead of Sam, the Paladian looked back, with the sheep seemingly smiling in his direction. If Ranpa had been there, he probably could've solved this issue a little easier. Some experience with sheep, as he mused before he had to make the final decision.

The finish line was, after all, only further ahead.

Sam let go, and at that moment, the sheep began running free.

The few waiting at the finish line, namely, only Judy and a few other Paladians cheered him on, as the horns only grew closer and its teeth chomped in hunger.

In the end, Sam made a leap of faith, jumping right above the few ropes that would keep the dark deformity in place, and finally, finishing the test.

Becoming a Demonear, much like the others.

Among the thirty-two contestants were Alice Mosmontier, Mike Laffnel, Patrick Filhemon, Bartholomew Filhemon, Sam Turon, and Judy Posterioris.

Kania Filhemon, Ronpi and Ranpa Kris didn't pass. Ranpa was taken back to Mokota, Ronpi was rescued by a few guards, somehow wearing armour again, and Kania was... another topic at hand.

A few raised their voices in concern.

They weren't sure if he would make it out alive.