"Hey kid, your food's ready. What are you doing on the floor?" called the old woman.
Alex stood up, collected his tray, and made his way to an empty table in the far corner, away from the crowd. He sat down in the shadows and began eating quietly.
What were those eyes?
He chewed slowly.
He finished his meal without realizing it and quietly returned the tray before heading back to his room.
"Selene, why did you stop me?" Kaelan Ignis snapped. They sat in the cafeteria, watching Alex leave.
"We're not allowed to fight during the test, Kaelan. You'll be disqualified," she said calmly, nibbling on her food.
"Who's going to disqualify us? We're from the ten clans!" he growled.
"You'll get your chance during the second phase," she replied coolly.
But inside, Selene was thoughtful.
That stare… it wasn't like the others. It wasn't lust, or desire. It was… like he got lost in me. Just for a moment. That was new.
This bumpkin is getting more interesting by the minute.
Two days later.
The great hall was filled with students. Excitement and tension buzzed in the air.
Instructor Lucius stepped onto the stage.
"Welcome, everyone. I hope you've rested well. Now begins the Second Phase of the entrance exam."
"This phase will be held in a dimensional world—a place with different rules, environments, ruins, and monsters. We've explored many such worlds, but none completely."
"This one is a C rank world, meaning moderate danger. If you're ever in serious danger, break the token number we provided."
"You earn points by killing monsters. E-Rank earns 5 points, D-Rank 20 points, C-Rank 50, and B-Rank 300. If you discover any new ruins, you'll receive 500 points. Teaming is allowed, but points will be shared. The test will last four months. After that, you'll be teleported back automatically."
"To your right is the portal."
Alex looked to his right. A towering circular gate pulsed with swirling purple energy, like a whirlpool of light.
Students began entering by token number. Alex, number 4999, was last.
He yawned. "Didn't sleep well. Damn those eyes… and that face…"
Stop it, you idiot, he scolded himself mentally.
Finally, it was his turn.
As Alex stepped through the portal, a warm sensation wrapped around him—then vanished in an instant.
He opened his eyes and gasped.
Towering trees surrounded him, their heights disappearing into the clouds. Each trunk was over five meters thick. The ground beneath him was damp, dark, and moss-covered. Strange, bioluminescent fungi glowed faintly across fallen logs.
A rustle echoed from the dense foliage.
Two golden eyes shone in the darkness, staring at him like prey.
Alex saw a girl with golden eyes and short, wild hair reaching her neck. She wore jeans and a t-shirt, with a red jacket over it. Her jeans were torn, and she was bleeding from the thigh.
When Rina saw who was in front of her, she limped backward and stared at Alex, taking a defensive stance.
Alex raised his hands in surrender. "I will not do you any harm, so relax. Last time, it was my mistake—I couldn't control my anger. I shouldn't make another person responsible for someone else's mistake."
Rina was shocked. He was the crazy person from before, and now he's asking for forgiveness?
Should I trust him? Sister Emilia likes him... so he must be a good person, she thought. She nodded to herself.
"Okay, I'll trust you. But don't try anything—I won't let it go again."
Alex spread his hands. "Fine with me. You're hurt—do you need my help?"
Rina immediately said, "No."
"Okay, suit yourself," Alex replied, and turned toward a tree, starting to climb.
Rina frowned. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going on the tree, can't you see?" Alex replied.
"I can, but what are you doing?" Rina said, confused.
"I'm climbing," he replied plainly.
After half an hour, Alex reached the top. He looked around, seeing an endless forest. The trees stretched as far as the eye could see, most of them towering giants—twice as tall as the tallest tower in Protegia City. To the north, one tree stood out, even higher, its peak hidden in the clouds.
Should I go toward those mountains in the west or to that tallest tree? Alex wondered. Let's go toward the mountains.
Climbing down, he noticed Rina's thigh still soaked in blood.
He walked over and grabbed her leg.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Rina's face turned red, and she started screaming. As Alex leaned in to check her wound, she collapsed to the ground, crying out, "Please don't! Don't do that!" She hid her face with her hands, trembling.
Alex inspected the wound. It was deep—he could see the top of the bone, and it showed no sign of healing. Channeling his Wood Element, he began closing it, layer by layer.
When Rina felt something creeping near her private area, she froze. Is it what I think it is?Panic took over.
She screamed at the top of her lungs. "HELP!"
But Alex had already moved away, watching her scream for a few seconds in confusion.
When Rina came back to her senses, her scream stopped. She noticed Alex standing silently, staring at her with a strange look. She quickly checked herself—her clothes were intact. Only the area around the wound was torn, and now it was completely healed. Her face turned crimson.
What was I thinking?
Alex said dryly, "You're always like this? Or is today just special?"
"I-I-I…"
"Let's move. With those kinds of sounds, monsters will be attracted," Alex said, heading west.
Rina followed without a word. Let's leave this embarrassment far behind me, she pleaded in her thoughts.
They reached a clearing near a large stone the height of an adult, with a convex roof surrounded by trees. It looked like a good place to make camp.
"Let's camp here. It's already getting dark," Alex said.
They sat under the stone and took a breath. Alex retrieved a gourd of water from his spatial ring. Rina started gawking.
"What?" Alex asked, puzzled.
"Did you bring water from outside?" Rina asked.
"Yes, obviously. We can't find water or food immediately in this place. I always keep water in my spatial ring."
Rina was speechless. Am I the idiot? Why didn't I think of that?
"Do you want some?" Alex offered.
Rina meekly replied, "Yes, please."
Alex tossed her the gourd. She drank hungrily.
Alex then took out a steak wrapped in paper and started eating.
Rina stood up, shocked. "What the fuck?! You have food too?!"
"No swearing, kid. And don't start screaming again," Alex said calmly. He took out another wrapped meal and handed it to her. She took it, retreated to a corner, and started eating like a quiet cat.
After finishing her meal, Rina asked, "Where did you get this food?"
"I got it from Aunty Chef at the cafeteria. I asked for a bunch, just in case."
"So… you came prepared?"
"I think everyone came prepared. Except you."
Alex sighed. "Just go to sleep under that rock. I only have one earth bear fur for cover—I'll lend it to you. I'll keep watch tonight."
He doesn't trust me for nightwatch, Rina thought, curling up under the fur. It was surprisingly cozy. He really is a nice guy. Maybe that's why Sister Emilia trusts him.
As Rina dozed off, Alex kept watch. Two moons came close together in the sky. A rustle snapped Alex to attention. He couldn't see anything, but the sound was too close.
Another rustle—this time even nearer.
Alex's spine shivered. His instincts screamed danger. He stepped aside just as something pounced at where he had been standing. He thrust his spear—*thunk*—a growl followed, along with a splash of green fluid.
Leaves rustled.
Another thrust. Another growl. A second pounce—Alex dodged again. Now he could make out a shadow closing in. He stepped back and jabbed—again the shadow retreated, growling, circling.
Then it struck.
Alex felt a paw rake across his thigh. Blood seeped out. He groaned, "Fuck… there are two of them."
He summoned three shadow daggers and hurled them toward the green fluid—"thud". "Playtime's over. Where's the second one?"
Another rustle—he flung two more daggers and heard another thud.
He walked over, thrusting his spear into each to confirm the kills. What he saw shocked him. Both were E-rank monsters. Their ears were pointed like cats', with green skin crisscrossed by dark lines, three-inch canines, and short—barely a foot in length.
These aren't strong monsters, but they hurt me this easily? If something stronger comes… will I survive? Alex shuddered. Did we take this test too lightly?
He skinned the monsters, packed the meat, and then walked over to wake the princess, still asleep.
"Rina, wake up. We need to move—more monsters will come, drawn by the blood."
Rina sat up, dazed. "Who are you… what are you doing in my room?"
Alex facepalmed. "Ah, this girl..."
"Snap out of it, princess. You're not in your castle—we're in a jungle. If we don't move, monsters will swarm here."
Rina finally came back to her senses, her face red.
"Let's move… we'll talk on the way."
Alex said and packed the bear pelt into his spatial ring, and the two moved west.
Moments after they left, two green eyes opened in the shadows...