Morning sunlight streamed through the thin fog hovering above the forest-bound test field. The monitor at checkpoint C5 displayed that energy levels were stabilizing—at least not yet considered a "catastrophic anomaly."
Kang Seung-woo stood at the edge of a low cliff, overlooking the dense forest stretching far into the horizon. In one hand, he rotated a newly acquired Tier 2 energy core. A system alert popped up.
[Core Storage: Tier 2 x3 / Tier 3 x1][Status: Insufficient for C-Class Evolution Activation]
He clenched his fist and sighed quietly. Despite surviving the brutal conflict from the night before, his mission was far from over.
"Just one more... Tier 4," he muttered.
Footsteps approached from behind. Lee Yeon-A appeared, wearing a light magnetic harness from the emergency outpost. A slight tension shadowed her expression.
"I got word from my friends on the western flank. They're pinned down by multiple mid-tier mutants and need help pushing out of the red zone."
Seung-woo nodded. "Go. I've got things handled here."
She paused, staring at him."Don't push yourself too hard. You've seen more than anyone should in a test like this."
"I'm just collecting what I can."
With a quiet sigh, she handed over a recently updated minimap via her interface.
"This… shows the last-known Tier 4 zone from yesterday. No one's dared approach—it's unusually volatile. Don't go in alone."
"Thanks."
Their eyes met in silence before Yeon-A turned and headed down the slope, returning to her duty.
This wasn't goodbye. It was just... fulfilling her role.
Just as Seung-woo prepared to move, a faint surge of energy crackled from ahead.
He spun around, sword raised in guarded stance.
"Whoa, relax. We're not mutants or anything."A dry, amused voice called out.
A skinny boy in gray camo emerged from the trees, followed by two others wearing odd equipment. Jet-assisted jump rigs were strapped to their backs—clearly experimental.
"So you're the one who lit up the radar last night."
Seung-woo didn't reply—he simply stared at them.
"Which school are you guys from?"
The boy grinned. "Private Sector 4—Special Recon Unit. We traced an unclassified energy spike from last night. Looks like we found the source."
Still silent, Seung-woo scanned them cautiously.
[Warning: External Analyzer Attempting Power Comparison][Status: Fragment A Cloaked – No Leakage Detected]
"Just hunting beasts like everyone else," Seung-woo said coolly and walked past them.
The group watched him go.
"He's hiding something. That energy's no joke..."
"Could be a high-class suppression technique. Some elite types can mask their aura."
A curly-haired kid smirked. "This test just got interesting."
Suddenly, a low growl echoed from the northeast. Branches shook—something big was moving.
Seung-woo froze. Hand on the hilt of his sword, his senses flared.
[Detected: Over 40 Unknown Bio-Energy Signatures][Tier Range: 2–3 / Irregular Distribution][Location: Near East Gathering Zone]
"Too many..."
Then—an explosion in the distance.
BOOM!
[Alert: Unscheduled Mutant Invasion Detected][Instructions: All Examinees Must Regroup at Points C1, C4, or C7]
Seung-woo gritted his teeth. He looked in the direction where Yeon-A had gone—not out of fear, but worry.
There was no time to go back.
The swarm was already closing in.
For a moment, the test field fell silent.
A surge of high-tier energy erupted mid-air. Floating just above the ground stood a man clad in black-gold armor, bio-energy radiating from him like a stabilizing pillar in a storm.
Lieutenant Han Ju-won—a legendary warrior from District 10 with a GEU surpassing 3,000.
"All examinees, listen carefully," his calm yet commanding voice echoed through the field."This is an emergency. Mutants have breached the containment grid. We have authorization to intervene and minimize casualties."
[High-Security Suppression Unit Deployed][Examinees Must Proceed to Designated Gathering Points][Standard Test Phase Terminated / Await Special Selection Announcement]
Ju-won didn't unleash any dramatic attack.He simply raised one hand—and the Tier 3 beasts rushing him were crushed under invisible atmospheric pressure, slamming into the earth as if reality itself obeyed his command.
Seung-woo clenched his fist. His eyes stayed sharp, unwavering.
[Core Storage: Tier 2 x3 | Tier 3 x2][Evolution Progress: Nearing C-Class – Tier 4 Core Required][Aura Status: Fully Concealed – Undetectable by External Scanners]
His breath steadied.
Almost there...
Heavy footsteps approached behind him.
"Yo! Did you see that? I made it out in style!"
It was Hyun-joo, holding his wounded arm tightly.
Seung-woo glanced over and chuckled."Style? Your arm's nearly falling off."
"Minor detail! I took out two of those electric spike freaks myself!
And guess what? Word on the street is—there's going to be a special elite class selection soon!"
"Elite class?"
"Yep! Rumor says anyone with weird mutations or hidden readings will be interviewed directly by the university."
Hyun-joo narrowed his eyes."You think... they'll call you in?"
Seung-woo didn't answer.
He just looked up at the sky—its color slowly shifting.The chaos of the world began to settle.
But inside him...
Something was just beginning.