Morning light spilled into the dormitory through slanted blinds, but Nex had already been awake for hours. Sleep had been a luxury he'd denied himself these last two nights. Every moment mattered. Every second was one he couldn't waste—not when the upcoming mission could very well decide his and others future.
For two days straight, his world had been split into two relentless halves: the academy's lectures, which he attended without fail, and the training room—his true battlefield. There, under the cold hum of the mana stabilizers, he pushed his vector manipulation further and further until the very air warped around him within a twenty-meter radius. Objects hurled, deflected, suspended—until his mana reserves ran dry. Then came the painful gulp of mana potions, the sharp burn down his throat, and the cycle began again.
His body ached in a dull, constant throb. His mind, sharper than ever, was wrapped around calculations—force, trajectory, impact points. Nights bled into mornings without a single moment of real rest. But still, each day, he walked into class as if nothing had changed. Alone. Always alone.
Even Ryan—always quick to throw him a smile or a sarcastic remark—hadn't been able to bridge the silence Nex carried. The main cast, scattered between classes, only exchanged brief glances when paths crossed. And when Nex left, it was always wordlessly, slipping away before anyone could speak.
---
Now, two days later, the academy courtyard was alive with movement. Four classes—1-A, 1-B, 1-E, and 1-F—stood gathered for the first batch of the mission. The instructors called it a "practical field assessment," but the rumors already whispered of danger beyond the usual tests.
Ryan stood somewhere in Class 1-F's formation, scanning the crowd for Nex—but their positions were too far apart, and the instructors kept the groups isolated.
Irene, sharp-voiced and composed as always, stepped forward to announce:
> "Your mission will take place in the Verdant Expanse—a dense, unexplored section of the forest region. Teams will establish a temporary camp and proceed to secure specific objectives. Details will be revealed on-site. You will operate under live-combat conditions. Injuries are expected. Failures will be noted."
A ripple of unease moved through the students.
---
Among the main cast, Lucas tilted his head.
"Sounds vague. Think it's a retrieval?"
Marcus crossed his arms, his voice low.
"Could be. Or elimination. They wouldn't tell us unless they wanted to see us adapt."
Ruby's brow furrowed.
"If it's elimination, they're testing kill efficiency. Not everyone's ready for that."
Kaelith's eyes narrowed.
"That's the point. They want to see who breaks."
Aria glanced at Irene, then back to the group.
"The Verdant Expanse isn't just a forest. Mana density there's unstable. It changes the terrain, even the wildlife."
Sylphie brushed a strand of hair back, a faint smile on her lips.
"Sounds fun. I wonder if the objective will even be something physical."
Eren shrugged.
"If it isn't, then it's worse. That means psychological assessment."
---
Nex said nothing. He was already moving, slinging his travel bag over one shoulder. Inside his spatial pocket, everything was already organized: mana potions, health potions, his sleek black katana, and the familiar weight of his headphones hanging around his neck—a habit, maybe a comfort, maybe a distraction.
His expression didn't change, but his mind was fixed on one thought: whatever the objective was, he would not fail. Not after the hours he had bled into preparation.
The Verdant Expanse loomed in the distance, green and endless, the thick air already visible even from the courtyard. Soon, they would vanish inside it, swallowed whole.
And only then would the real exam begin.
___________________________________
Irene's voice cut through the restless talk.
"Batch one, follow me."
The group moved in silence across the academy grounds, their footsteps echoing against the stone paths until they reached an open platform at the far edge. There, the teleportation gate waited—an arch of dark steel and ancient runes, glowing faintly with blue light that swirled like liquid glass.
For most of the students, it was their first time seeing one. They couldn't hide their awe—some leaned forward to feel the soft hum of mana in the air, others stared wide-eyed at the rippling surface.
But Lucas, Marcus, Kaelith, Ruby, and Aria stood calm, their expressions steady. As heirs to the great families, they had passed through gates like this many times before. Sylphie, too, showed no reaction; travelling beside Principal Eve had made the experience familiar.
Irene's voice was firm.
"When your name is called, step through."
One by one, the students disappeared into the gate's light.
---
The shift was instant—one heartbeat in the academy, the next in the Verdant Expanse.
It was not morning. It was dawn's edge sliding into night, the sun low and heavy on the horizon. The sky was a surreal blend of burning gold, deep violet, and soft rose, streaked with clouds that caught the last light like slow-moving flames. The air was warm and damp, carrying the smell of moss, earth, and something faintly sweet.
Towering trees, their trunks wider than a room, rose into the sky until their branches tangled with the clouds. The leaves shimmered faintly in the fading light, as if they were dusted with mana. Beneath them, ferns and flowering plants glowed softly in shades of blue and green, casting a dim light of their own.
The camp was already set—a ring of tents in a clearing surrounded by jungle on all sides. Mana lanterns flickered gently, their glow blending with the colors of the sunset.
Two hundred students stood in silence, looking around as if afraid to speak too loudly in a place like this.
To many, it was breathtaking. To Nex, it was dangerous. The beauty felt too sharp, too deliberate, like a painting hiding teeth. The sun was sinking fast, and the Verdant Expanse was shifting—its colors dimming, its shadows growing long.
The day was ending.
The forest was waking.