The academy felt different.
Everyone knew the survival test was tomorrow.
The halls were louder than usual. Students gathered in groups, discussing strategies, possible opponents, and rumors about the designated training area.
Roy walked through the main corridor with Leo, Jenny, Jay, and Jones.
Leo looked around.
"Everyone's taking this way too seriously."
Jay glanced at him.
"You're the one who challenged three different people yesterday."
"That was different."
"How?"
"I was bored."
Jenny shook her head.
Roy smiled.
They reached the classroom.
Their instructor was already waiting.
"Sit down."
The room became quiet.
The instructor placed a large map on the board.
"This is the designated area for tomorrow's survival test."
A detailed map appeared.
It showed a massive forest surrounded by mountains.
Several rivers crossed through the area.
There were also abandoned buildings scattered throughout the forest.
Roy studied the map carefully.
The instructor continued.
"You will enter the area with your teams."
He pointed toward the map.
"Your objective is to survive the test while earning points through the tasks assigned to you."
The students immediately started whispering.
"Points?"
"Yes."
The instructor raised his voice.
"Each team will receive points for completing objectives, defeating designated beasts, finding resources, and successfully completing special tasks."
Roy raised his hand.
"What happens if we encounter another team?"
The instructor looked at him.
"You may compete against them."
The classroom became louder.
"But remember," the instructor continued, "this is still an academy exercise. You are not permitted to intentionally cause serious injury."
Roy nodded.
That made sense.
The instructor continued explaining the rules.
"Each team will receive a limited amount of supplies."
A list appeared.
"Food. Water. Basic medical equipment. Communication devices."
Another section appeared.
"Your communication devices will only work within a limited range."
Leo leaned toward Roy.
"So we can't just call the academy whenever something goes wrong."
"No."
"Great."
The instructor ignored him.
"You will also have a time limit."
A timer appeared on the screen.
"Twenty-four hours."
The room became quiet.
Twenty-four hours inside an unknown environment.
Roy looked at the map again.
That's a long time.
The instructor pointed toward several locations.
"These are the starting points."
Five different areas were marked.
Each team would enter separately.
"That means we won't immediately encounter everyone," Jay said.
"Correct."
Roy looked at the map.
That changed things.
They could use the early part of the test to gather resources and understand the environment before fighting another team.
The instructor continued.
"At the end of the twenty-four hours, all surviving teams will return to the extraction point."
A student raised his hand.
"What if someone leaves the designated area?"
"They will be disqualified."
Another student asked, "Can teams form temporary alliances?"
The instructor paused.
"They can."
The room erupted in whispers again.
Roy frowned slightly.
Temporary alliances could completely change the competition.
An alliance could help a weaker team survive.
But it could also become a trap.
Leo leaned toward him.
"What do you think?"
"Don't trust anyone too quickly."
Leo nodded.
"Agreed."
The instructor then revealed the final rule.
"Each team will have a captain."
Everyone looked toward the five students selected earlier.
Ken Blaze.
Kriest Range.
Rin Fex.
Jack Lu.
Roy.
"You are responsible for your team's decisions."
Roy remained silent.
The instructor looked directly at him.
"Captain Roy."
"Yes?"
"Your team has been placed in Sector Three."
The map highlighted a dense forest.
Roy studied it.
"Any special conditions?"
The instructor smiled slightly.
"You'll find out tomorrow."
Leo whispered.
"I hate when teachers say things like that."
---
After class, Roy and his team went to the equipment room.
Each student received a backpack.
Roy checked the contents.
Water.
Food.
Basic medical supplies.
A compass.
A communication device.
Rope.
A small flashlight.
Nothing unnecessary.
Jones looked inside his bag.
"That's all?"
"That's all we're getting."
Jay checked the communication device.
"Limited range."
Jenny looked at Roy.
"So what's our strategy?"
Roy thought for a moment.
"We don't chase points immediately."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because we don't know what we're dealing with."
Roy pointed toward the map on his tablet.
"Our first priority is finding a safe location."
Everyone listened.
"Second, we establish a base."
"Third, we explore."
Jones nodded.
"And if we encounter another team?"
Roy looked at him.
"We don't fight unless we need to."
Leo smiled.
"That's probably the smartest thing you've said all week."
Roy ignored him.
"If another team attacks us, we defend ourselves."
Jay nodded.
"And if we find a special objective?"
"We decide whether it's worth the risk."
Jenny smiled.
"You really are taking the captain thing seriously."
Roy looked at the four of them.
"It's not about being captain."
He paused.
"We all need to make it through."
The others nodded.
---
Later that afternoon, the five teams gathered on the main field.
All twenty-five students were there.
The five captains stood at the front.
Roy looked across the field.
Ken Blaze was talking with his team.
Kriest Range stood quietly with his arms crossed.
Rin Fex was studying the map.
Jack Lu seemed relaxed.
Roy watched them carefully.
These were the people he would eventually have to compete against.
Ken suddenly looked toward him.
Their eyes met.
Ken smiled.
"Roy."
Roy walked over.
"Ken."
"So we're finally going to see what you're capable of."
Roy shrugged.
"We'll see."
Ken laughed.
"My brother talks about you constantly."
Roy glanced at Leo.
Leo immediately looked away.
"Leo."
"What?"
"You've been talking about me?"
"Maybe."
Ken laughed.
"Good luck tomorrow."
"You too."
Roy returned to his team.
Leo scratched his head.
"My brother's annoying."
Roy smiled.
"He seems fine."
"You haven't known him long enough."
Across the field, Kriest Range was watching Roy.
His expression was difficult to read.
Rin Fex was doing the same.
Jack Lu, however, wasn't paying attention to Roy at all.
He was studying his own team.
Roy noticed something.
Every captain had a different personality.
That would make the test unpredictable.
The academy bell rang.
The instructor stepped forward.
"Tomorrow morning, all teams will assemble here at seven."
The students became silent.
"You will enter the designated area at eight."
He looked at the captains.
"Prepare yourselves."
---
That evening, Roy returned to his room.
He placed his backpack beside the bed.
Then he looked at Raijin.
Tomorrow would be different.
For the first time, he would be fighting alongside his friends in a real academy survival exercise.
No normal classroom.
No controlled combat arena.
No instructor standing beside them every second.
Roy picked up Raijin.
The blade gave off a faint spark.
He stared at it.
"You're staying here."
The sword disappeared.
Roy sat on his bed.
He thought about everything that had happened since he arrived.
The academy.
Leo.
His new friends.
The Northern Hall.
The Guardian.
The hunters.
His sealed memories.
His father.
Raijin.
But tomorrow wasn't about any of that.
Tomorrow was about his team.
Roy closed his eyes.
Twenty-four hours.
He knew things wouldn't go perfectly.
They might lose.
They might be forced into a fight.
They might encounter something stronger than expected.
But that was exactly why they had trained.
Roy stood.
"Tomorrow…"
He looked out the window at the academy grounds.
"…we survive."
---
The next morning, five teams stood before the academy gates.
The instructors checked every student's equipment.
The five captains stood at the front.
Roy looked behind him.
Leo.
Jenny.
Jay.
Jones.
His team was ready.
The giant gates opened.
Beyond them waited five transport vehicles.
The survival test had officially begun.
And somewhere deep inside Sector Three—
something was already waiting for them.