The morning sun gleamed on the deck of the great vessel as it sliced across the endless ocean. A gentle breeze brushed past Felicia's hair as she leaned against the railing, her eyes tracing the horizon where sea met sky. The water shimmered like scattered gemstones, calm and mysterious—nothing like what awaited them on the island ahead.
Inside the ship's cabin, Tyrone sat across from Sera, hunched over a makeshift map they'd drawn on the table between them.
"So," Tyrone said, tapping the center of the map. "We focus on this central region. Stay mobile, keep communication clear, and watch each other's back. Simple."
Sera nodded, brushing a strand of silver hair behind her ear. "Sounds good. Just don't run off doing anything reckless."
"Me? Reckless?" Tyrone grinned. "Only if it looks cool."
Meanwhile, in the training room, Lihanna and Mia were preparing in silence. Their breathing was steady, synchronized with the rhythm of their strikes as they exchanged rapid attacks against holographic dummies. They didn't need to speak—battle had always been their language.
Above the island — Vandor Platform
High above the island's canopy, a floating marble platform hovered in the skies. The Vandors sat in elegant thrones, flanked by members of the Alliance. From here, they had a god's eye view of the battlefield below.
Jessie crossed her arms and leaned forward with a smirk. "It'll be fun seeing which ones catch your attention."
Neve chuckled, her white hair shimmering in the sunlight. "I'm honestly excited. Some of them show promise."
Riah stood with quiet dignity. "Once they step onto the island, the trial begins."
Kazimir, slouched in his throne, arms folded across his chest, let out a soft snore.
"…You've changed so much since being freed from your trauma," Riah murmured.
Neve huffed, "Seriously. I miss my stone-cold, brooding Kazimir."
At that moment, Kazimir stirred, blinking awake. "Hmm… you guys done talking yet?"
Onboard the Ship
The intercom crackled to life.
"Attention all Astral Legion cadets. We are approaching the island. Prepare yourselves. The Vandors are watching."
Tyrone stood up, fire in his eyes. "Let's go, Sera."
Mia tied her hair back, glancing at Lihanna. "Time to move out."
Felicia calmly strapped her saber to her hip. "I'm ready to dismantle everything."
Evelyn stretched her arms. "Time to debut my new special move."
As the island came into view, the wind intensified. Without hesitation, Lihanna and Mia leapt off the ship—lightly sprinting across the ocean surface with practiced ease, like shadows dancing on water.
Felicia followed a moment later, jumping and sliding across the waves in a graceful skid.
Tyrone's jaw dropped. "Holy crap… they're built different."
Sera smirked. "Let's just focus. We've got work to do."
The Island — First Contact
The cadets spread out, disappearing into the dense jungle. Felicia's eyes glowed faintly as her visor scanned the area.
"Parasites… D-rank. Close range."
With lethal precision, she danced through the underbrush, cutting down the infected beasts one by one. Her saber hummed and her blaster roared with each kill.
Elsewhere, Mia and Lihanna moved like twin storms. Lihanna conjured slicing water blades, while Mia summoned bone constructs from the earth, crushing enemies in brutal arcs.
Evelyn fought near a rocky outcrop, narrowly saving a younger cadet from being mauled. "You're safe now," she said, her gauntlet sparking with energy.
High above, the Vandors watched with focused gazes.
Kazimir yawned. "Not bad. They're handling the fodder well."
Jessie nodded. "Let's see how they fare when things escalate."
Mid-Island: The True Challenge
Two hours passed. The deeper into the island they went, the stronger the parasites became.
Felicia stood face to face with a B-rank parasite—an alien-shaped monstrosity with dual blade-arms.
"Interesting…" she muttered, charging forward.
Meanwhile, Lihanna and Mia were engaged with two hulking, Minotaur-like parasites. Lihanna struck first but was sent flying into a tree. As the enemies launched an energy slash, Mia shielded her with a towering skeletal guardian.
"Let's go," Lihanna growled, rising to her feet.
Together, they retaliated—Lihanna's water blades slicing through limbs, Mia reinforcing every strike with hardened bone plating.
Felicia, in a separate clearing, locked blades with the alien parasite. With a sharp thrust, she skewered its core and raised her blaster to its face.
"Goodbye."
A single shot disintegrated its head in a flash of blue plasma.
Team Reunion
The six met at the center of the island, bloodied but energized.
Lihanna tilted her head. "That was impressive."
Felicia looked back. "Hmm? Oh, thank you. You too."
A silence passed between them.
Then Felicia turned, eyes narrowing. "Step aside."
Lihanna obeyed instinctively as Felicia fired six shots into the forest—killing unseen parasites that were moments from ambushing them.
Mia blinked. "How… how did you sense that?"
"Her detection skills," Sera whispered. "It's insane."
Tyrone let out a low whistle. "Okay… how many have we taken down?"
Mia smirked. "Thirty."
Felicia: "Twenty-five."
Lihanna: "Twenty-nine."
Tyrone groaned. "Thirteen."
Sera giggled. "If it makes you feel better… I'm at nine."
Suddenly, the earth trembled.
A low growl reverberated through the trees as the ground split open. From the cracked earth, a towering, one-eyed parasite—thirty feet tall—emerged, its flesh crawling with corruption.
Kazimir raised an eyebrow. "Well, there it is."
Jessie stood. "B+ rank. And still nowhere near the one Kazimir took down."
Kazimir folded his arms. "Let's see what they do now…"
As panic spread across the island, only six stood firm.
Tyrone looked at the others. "Let's go!"
Everyone moved at once.
Lihanna raised her hands, summoning a colossal water dragon. Mia fused her bone energy into it, creating a shimmering, armored leviathan.
Tyrone slammed the ground with his heel, collapsing terrain beneath the monster, causing it to stagger.
Sera leapt forward, slicing through its arms with elegant, deadly arcs.
Evelyn took aim—her gauntlet whirring with power. A bolt of lightning surged through the skies, striking its eye with pinpoint accuracy.
Their combined power collided with the monster, launching a spectacular battle unlike anything yet seen.
The test had truly begun.