Night had fully settled over the Verdant Expanse. The moonlight filtered down in pale silver beams through the trees, mixing with the soft glow of the mana lanterns scattered around the camp.
Most of the students had gathered near the main firepit. Laughter carried into the air as someone passed around skewers of marshmallows, the sweet smell drifting across the clearing. To them, it was harmless fun—a way to relax before the mission truly began.
Even the main cast was there. Lucas was joking about roasting marshmallows with too much flame, Ruby argued about the "perfect toast," and Kaelith simply watched with an amused smirk. Marcus sat a little apart, arms crossed but listening, while Aria laughed softly at something Sylphie had said. Eren leaned back on a log, watching the fire flicker.
Irene, unusually relaxed, stood near them, speaking quietly with a few instructors. For a moment, the camp felt safe.
Nex didn't share that feeling.
From the shadows at the edge of the gathering, he slipped away without a word. No one called after him—they were too busy in the warm circle of light. He crossed to the men's tents, the air growing cooler with each step.
Inside his assigned tent, Nex set his katana within easy reach. He lay down, not to sleep but to let his body rest for the movement he knew would come. His eyes stayed half-open, ears tuned to the faint sounds outside—the crackle of the fire, the hum of lanterns, the shifting footsteps of guards on patrol.
They had no idea what might happen. But he did. And if his timing was right, when the moment came, he'd be ready,
---
By the fire, the main cast had drawn a little apart from the rest of the students. Ryan was there too, sitting cross-legged with a half-eaten marshmallow in his hand.
Irene joined them, her usual sharp expression softer under the lantern light. She didn't waste time with small talk.
"Listen closely. This mission is simple. You'll be tracking beasts—finding their habitats, watching how they move, and learning how they react to changes. It's not about fighting, it's about understanding and adapting."
Lucas nodded.
"So it's more like a field study than a hunt?"
"Exactly," Irene said. "But don't think that means it's easy. You'll be moving through unknown ground. If anything happens, adaptation will be the difference between staying safe and losing people."
Ruby leaned forward.
"Why tell us this directly? The instructors could've explained."
Irene's gaze moved over each of them—Kaelith, Marcus, Aria, Sylphie, Eren,
"Because if something does go wrong, I'm counting on you to help gather the other students. They'll panic, and they'll need leaders who can act fast. I believe you can do that."
Ryan blinked.
"You mean… like, take command?"
"Not command," Irene said, her voice calm but firm. "Keep them alive until the instructors regroup. Sometimes, that's all that matters."
Kaelith's expression was unreadable.
"Understood."
Marcus gave a short nod.
Aria's eyes softened but stayed steady.
Lucas smirked faintly, but it didn't hide his focus.
Even Ryan, still holding his marshmallow, gave a small, serious nod.
Irene's gaze lingered for a moment longer before she stepped back toward the instructors, leaving them in the firelight.
They didn't know that Nex was already planning to face something far bigger than what Irene had just described.
____________________________________
The first light of morning slipped through the thick canopy, painting the camp in soft gold. The air was cool and damp, carrying the faint smell of wet moss. Dew clung to the edges of the tents, sparkling like tiny shards of glass in the early sun.
Nex was already awake, standing near the treeline with his katana strapped to his back and his headphones hanging loosely around his neck. He had been scanning the forest quietly, marking the faint trails left by small creatures in the mud.
One by one, students began to emerge from their tents—some stretching, others rubbing sleep from their eyes. The camp slowly filled with the quiet sounds of morning: the rustle of fabric, the clink of metal cups, the low chatter of voices.
The main cast gathered near the center, still shaking off the drowsiness. Ryan spotted Nex first.
"Well, look who decided to show up in daylight."
Nex didn't reply, only giving a short glance before heading toward the group forming near the instructors.
---
Irene stood in front of them, holding a stack of folded papers. Her voice was steady and clear, carrying across the camp.
"This is your first official field assignment in the Verdant Expanse. Each paper contains the details of your mission zone and the objective. You may work as a team or operate solo. Choose carefully."
She handed the sheets out one by one.
The main task was simple—track beast movement. Find out where they went, what routes they used, where they nested. Record details like feeding spots, water sources, and any unusual changes in their behavior. The goal wasn't combat—it was observation, stealth, and understanding.
"For team missions," Irene continued, "you can choose roles like close surveillance, perimeter tracking, or environmental mapping. Solo missions will cover smaller areas but require full independence. Your job is to adapt, move quietly, and bring back a complete report by nightfall."
Lucas leaned toward Marcus.
"Sounds like a walk in the park."
Marcus gave him a flat look.
"In this forest, parks eat you."
Ruby scanned her paper, already thinking through routes. Kaelith folded his neatly, his eyes flicking toward the treeline. Aria smiled faintly at the challenge, while Sylphie looked intrigued more than cautious.
Ryan raised his hand.
"Uh, question. What if a beast notices us?"
"If that happens," Irene said, "you avoid engagement. Retreat, regroup, and mark the sighting. This mission is not about proving strength—it's about proving awareness."
The students nodded, some already forming small clusters to discuss teaming up. Others, like Nex, stood apart, scanning their papers in silence.
Nex read through his paper once, then folded it and slipped it into his pocket.
Solo mission.
The decision came easily.
It was the perfect excuse to move farther into the Verdant Expanse than anyone else would. In the novel, he remembered clearly—twelve kilometers east of the camp there was a hidden laboratory. Cold steel walls buried beneath layers of jungle. That was where the "puppets" had been kept—monsters twisted by unnatural magic, waiting to be released when the artificial rift opened.
In the original story, it had been chaos. The beasts from the rift tore through the camp, and then the puppets had been unleashed, hitting them from the other side. It hadn't been an accident. Someone had planned it. Someone had wanted the destruction.
Not this time.
---
Around him, students began forming their teams. The sound of voices filled the camp—some eager, some cautious.
Ruby glanced at Marcus.
"We'll cover more ground together. Close notation, heavy detail."
Marcus gave a small nod.
"Fine. I'll handle mapping, you handle patterns."
Aria caught Lucas's sleeve.
"You and me?"
Lucas grinned.
"Only if I get to do the talking."
"You talk too much," Aria said, smiling faintly.
Sylphie joined them without hesitation.
"Then it's the three of us. We'll work faster."
Kaelith paired with Rose, sharp-eyed girl . They didn't speak much, but the way they exchanged looks made it clear they understood each other's strengths. They had chosen one of the hardest roles—close notation—requiring them to follow beasts at a dangerous distance without being detected.
Eren and Ryan paired up for habitat observation.
"You write, I track," Ryan said.
"And if we see something dangerous?" Eren asked.
"Run," Ryan answered without hesitation.
Other students moved quickly to find partners, some hurrying to join groups of three. The last thing anyone wanted was to be stuck with strangers they couldn't trust in the middle of the jungle.
---
The camp felt different now. The laughter from last night was gone, replaced by a low hum of focused voices. Even with the morning light, there was an unspoken edge in the air. The Verdant Expanse was beautiful, but everyone could feel that it was alive in ways they didn't yet understand.
Nex didn't join the talking. He adjusted the strap on his bag, feeling the weight of the mana potions, the katana at his side, and the quiet pull of the mission he hadn't told a single soul about.
Twelve kilometers. He knew exactly where he needed to go.