8:00 AM – The Jungle Begins
The salty air from the ocean breeze blew through the dense treeline as Group 2 stood at the shoreline, tension crackling like static between them. Mr. Shawn, tall and imposing, stood in front of the class, arms crossed, the ocean waves crashing behind him.
"Today," he announced, voice sharp as steel, "we move on to the next stage... the Hunter's Test."
Gasps echoed through the group. Whispers broke out.
"The rest of the classes are already deep in the jungle," Mr. Shawn continued. "Each group is being briefed by their instructors. But you… you're different. Your test will begin here."
A cold breeze rustled the leaves. Mr. Shawn's eyes glinted.
"You're all being divided into two roles: Predator and Prey. The roles will be sent to your smartwatches… now."
[Ding!]
Everyone's watches lit up. Eyes widened. Some turned pale. Others smirked. The air shifted instantly.
"Predators are to mark the prey. Prey must survive. Simple… right?"
"But," he added, a cruel grin forming, "here's the twist. When a predator can't catch prey, and the hunger sets in… what do predators do, Adams?"
Adams, leaning against a tree, eyes closed, smirked.
"They… fight each other. The strongest devours the rest."
"Exactly." Mr. Shawn's voice dropped to a whisper that sent chills. "Even predators are prey in the right conditions."
Students began fidgeting, looking around. Suspicion bloomed. Paranoia crept in.
"Survive in the jungle for one week. Prey—avoid capture. Predators—hunt. But beware... every alliance is temporary. Every second... counts."
Everyone stood frozen—until Kairon turned and walked silently into the jungle without a word.
Mr. Shawn watched him go, smirking to himself.
"So… he figured it out first."
"Wait—what does that mean?" Ren asked, confused.
"You're not supposed to stick together," Mr. Shawn said darkly. "Predators and prey are among you. You were split from the rest to fight each other as a class .This is survival. This… is the jungle."
The realization hit like thunder. The group panicked, backing away from one another. Then—
BAM!
In a flash of motion, students scattered, running into the wild jungle like animals set loose. The hunt had begun.
"Let the Hunter's Test… begin."
---
Kairon – Deep in the Jungle
The jungle was alive—birds cawed in the distance, the rustling leaves above blocked the sky. Kairon walked calmly, the only sound his footsteps brushing against the dirt and moss.
[Ding!] Role: Predator
Kairon stared at his watch.
"Predator, huh? Guess I'll have to adapt. Hunting's not exactly my thing... but I can't afford to lose again."
His mind flashed back to the last test. The failure. And then... Aria's cold glare.
"She's gonna murder me if we mess up again."
Suddenly—rustling overhead. Laughter.
He looked up.
"That laugh… it's familiar…"
A blur dashed through the trees above, leaping from branch to branch with impossible agility. Kairon squinted.
"Lucien…"
He took off after him.
"Lucien! Wait up!"
Lucien flipped mid-air and landed gracefully in front of him, arms out like a dancer. His eyes twinkled.
"Well, well, Kairon! You're still alive."
"Have you seen the rest?" Kairon asked.
"Of course. I danced with the jungle and found them basking in fear."
"Then why are you out here alone?"
"To embrace nature's music, obviously." He spun around. "Besides, who would dare catch me?"
Kairon sighed.
"Can you lead me to them?"
Lucien chuckled, tapping Kairon's shoulder.
"Follow me... if you can."
Lucien launched into the trees again, vanishing like wind. Kairon looked at him and ran below.
---
Clearing – Reunion
They reached a clearing where Ivy ran up, her voice filled with relief.
"Kairon! You're safe!"
Kairon smiled awkwardly. "More or less."
From behind, Aria appeared, arms crossed.
"Took you long enough."
"Couldn't run like a monkey through trees," he muttered.
"Excuses."
"You never change, do you?" she snapped.
Riven stepped in.
"Enough. We need a safe camp. The jungle isn't forgiving."
Ivy nodded. "We can't stay out in the open."
Kei frowned. "But how do we even find a good place?"
Caden smirked, brushing his coat back dramatically.
"Leave that to me."
Riven pulled out a book. Supplies were dropped. Tents, flashlights, backpacks, toiletries… and a portable toilet.
Caden looked at the gear and muttered,
"They expect us to last a week with this? This is a bloodthirsty survival game, not a camping trip."
Ivy laughed nervously.
"Yeah, about the toilet… I thought I could rough it, but I don't think the other girls will handle it."
From the back, Kairon murmured,
"Portable toilets use absorbent paper to solidify waste. They're reusable, but… yeah. Not exactly comfortable."
Aria nodded, arms still folded.
"This is harder than I thought. It's not just academic. They're testing our mental and physical limits."
Kairon activated his watch, tapping the screen.
"We can't remove these. Tampering means disqualification. They've got GPS, sensors, probably heat trackers. The school's not playing around."
---
Elsewhere – Jungle Confrontation
Ren stood with his hands in his pockets, facing Adams. The sunlight broke through the trees in shafts, painting the ground like a stage.
"Ever since you were rejected from the student council, Arisu's had the upper hand," Ren said coldly.
Adams narrowed his eyes.
"Watch your mouth."
"Class A is divided. Arisu controls one half. You rule the other. But with me… we can shift that balance."
He turned slowly, beginning to walk away.
"Think it over. This deal… it'll benefit both of us."
Adams gritted his teeth, fists clenching.
"You should've just said that first…"
"See you later," Ren called over his shoulder.
---
Back in Class D's Camp
Meira crossed her arms.
"We can't use this toilet. It's gross."
She turned to Riven.
"There has to be another way!"
Riven hesitated.
"We have 1,000 points to use during the test. But the manual says unused points are added to our class total at the end."
Caden grinned.
"Then we can easily rack up over 3,000 points monthly."
"No," Sena said flatly.
"There is an option to buy a better toilet," Riven admitted.
"Then let's buy it!" Meira insisted.
Juro, adjusting his glasses, stepped forward.
"No. We vote. Don't give in just because the girls whine."
"Huh?!"
"Efficiency is more important than comfort," he continued. "Be logical."
Riven sighed.
"We'll manage. Let's just move."
They packed up and began their march.
---
On the Move
Kairon glanced at the trees, thoughtful.
"Caden, Kei, and Torin are scouting ahead. Good."
He looked beside him—Aria was quiet, walking with arms behind her.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"You seem… detached."
She looked up, her expression unreadable.
"This isn't my thing. Working in a team, out in primitive conditions. I prefer strategy… control."
Kairon says calmly.
"Getting to the higher class is a tough job."
"You say that like you don't care."
"Do you think everyone came to this academy for the same reason?" Kairon asked.
"Didn't we?" she shot back. "For privilege, for university, for choice."
He didn't reply.
"Riven!" Ivy shouted. "Let's rest here!"
Everyone collapsed under the wide branches of a tree.
Kairon stared at the sky through the leaves. His heartbeat slowed. The wind whispered secrets.
"The theme of this test… is survival."
He closed his eyes.
"Let's see who makes it out."