Another seven days had passed. The final countdown was over.
Today was the day of the Beast Hunting Assessment.
Dave opened his eyes before dawn, the room still wrapped in silence. Without wasting a second, he got up and began his daily routine.
Push-ups. Sit-ups. Sprints. Sword drills.
By now, his body moved on its own—sharpened by discipline, hardened by repetition. He wasn't just training. He was transforming.
As he finished the last set, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.
Ding!
Daily Quest Complete. +15 EXP.
He opened his system window and smiled.
---
Lv. 4
EXP: 130/400
Strength: 48
Stamina: 45
Speed: 45
Agility: 45
Abilities: 0
Skills: 3
---
He grinned.
"I'm ready."
After a quick wash, he returned to the dorm room. Mike and Tobin were already suiting up in their academy-issued gear. Stive was adjusting his boots.
"Oh? Look who's back from his mysterious morning trip," Tobin teased, smirking.
Mike raised an eyebrow. "Every morning for a month, you disappear before dawn and crawl back after sunset like some cursed ghost."
Stive chuckled. "So? You gonna tell us where you vanish to every day?"
Dave wiped his face with a towel. "Just been… training."
"All day? Every day?" Mike said in disbelief. "You didn't even join us in the elemental chamber."
"Yeah," Tobin added. "You eat like a starved beast at night. What've you been doing—climbing mountains? Wrestling bears?"
Dave gave a small smile. "Something like that. I just want to be ready."
There was a pause before Stive grinned. "Well, I hope all that training pays off today. Don't slow us down."
"Right," Dave nodded.
They all laughed as they strapped on their gear and headed out.
---
The homeroom buzzed with nervous excitement. Everyone knew what today meant: survival in the wild. The beginning of true combat.
Miss Gwen strode in and clapped her hands. Her sharp voice cut through the chatter.
"Alright, listen up! Today, you'll be forming five-man squads. Choose wisely. You'll be sent into the outer wild zones. There will be no instructors to save you if things go wrong. Teamwork is survival."
The class erupted into chaos as students scrambled to group up.
Mike, Tobin, Stive, and Dave stuck close.
"We need one more," Mike muttered, scanning the room. "What about that earth user from the front?"
Before they could move, a voice called out.
"Hi! I'm Emily. Level 5 Wind user. You guys still need someone?"
They turned to see her—short silver hair, light green eyes, and a confident posture beneath the academy jacket. She radiated strength.
Mike nodded. "Yeah, we do. Welcome."
Stive grinned. "I'm Stive. Level 6, Ice."
"Tobin. Level 4, Fire."
"Mike. Level 4, Water."
Then Emily turned to Dave. "And you?"
He met her gaze. "Dave. Level 1."
Her expression shifted instantly. "Wait… Level 1? Seriously?"
"Yeah," he said calmly.
She frowned. "Then why haven't you kicked him out? He's gonna drag you down."
Mike stepped forward. "We're good with him."
Tobin added, "We trust him. If that's a problem, find another team."
Emily blinked, surprised by how quickly they backed him up.
Stive smirked. "Or stay. If you think you're strong enough to carry us."
Emily stared at Dave for a moment, then gave a soft smile. "Fine. I'll stay. But if you die out there, I'm not carrying your body back."
Dave chuckled. "Deal."
---
Miss Gwen returned to the front of the room.
"Everyone in your squads! You leave in two hours. Gear up, head to the teleportation wing, and wait for instructions."
Teams gathered and quickly made their way out of the academy gates toward the west wing—a large stone hall lined with glowing blue panels. Instructors were busy locking in coordinates while students lined up.
Dave stood silently with his team, staring at the glowing platform—the gate to their first real mission.
Soon, Miss Gwen appeared again, holding a black case. Inside were rectangular devices with a single glowing red button.
"These are your emergency beacons," she said. "Use them only if you encounter a beast stronger than Rank E or F. Once activated, instructors will intervene."
She scanned the room with a steely gaze.
"Make no mistake—this assessment is dangerous. There are no second chances. You're not just students anymore. From today, you are warriors. Hunters. Knights in training."
She handed each team a beacon. Stive tucked theirs into his pouch.
Miss Gwen raised her voice once more. "Your mission: Kill as many beasts as possible and bring back their crystals. You'll be ranked based on both the number and grade of crystals collected."
The tension in the room spiked.
"Form up! Hold onto your teammates. If you break contact, teleportation may scatter your team."
Dave stood between Tobin and Stive, gripping both their arms. Emily took Mike's hand.
Everyone locked into place, a chain of resolve.
Blue light swirled up from the platform.
Mis
s Gwen's voice echoed one last time.
"Good luck."
FLASH.
In a blink, they vanished—swallowed by light—launched into the unknown wild zone.