The abrupt transition from the academy's grand hall to the damp and alien forest floor was a shock to Rue's senses.
He hit the ground hard. his muscles coiled even before his vision cleared. Above, the sky was an eternal twilight, shrouded by a canopy of colossal trees.
Rue pushed himself to his feet, a growl rumbling in his chest. His hand instinctively went for the silver greatsword on his back.
Finally, a real challenge, he mused, his eyes scanning the surroundings. They can give us all the fancy lectures they want back at the academy, but when it comes down to it, strength is everything.
A low growl rumbled from the shadowed roots nearby, pulling him from his thoughts.
Two creatures, vaguely reptilian with glowing eyes and armours, emerged from the violet mist that clung to the forest floor. Their forms rippled with an internal light. They were fast, agile, but Rue was faster.
He met the first charge head-on. his greatsword blurred.
The clash of steel rang through the silence.
He felt the sting as a claw grazed his arm, but his Life Origin surged, already closing the wound. A subtle green glow came from the cut before it vanished.
His Primal Energy flared, coating his greatsword in a vibrant, almost violent, green light, a manifestation of his Earth Affinity.
The creature shrieked, a high-pitched, piercing sound that grated on his ears. It lunged again, aiming for his exposed neck.
Rue didn't flinch. Instead, he stamped his foot. The ground beneath him, damp and soft a moment ago, instantly solidified. It rippled outwards in a jagged wave. Jagged spikes of hardened earth erupted from the forest floor, attacking the creature's lower body, pinning it in place. It thrashed wildly, its glowing eyes wide with agony.
"Don't move, little one." Rue grinned, his voice excited.
The earth tightened its grip, holding the beast immobile. He then swung his greatsword, a devastating arc of emerald light that severed the creature's head easily. Its body thrashed, spraying black ichor, before collapsing into a still and glowing mass.
The second beast, momentarily stunned by the raw display of power, hesitated. It snarled, its glowing eyes fixed on Rue.
It began to circle, wary. Rue didn't give it a chance. He lunged, slamming the flat of his blade against its side.
He infused the blow with his Earth Affinity, sending a massive shockwave through its armor, making it stumble.
Before it could recover, Rue's right hand shot out, directly towards the ground. Without saying anything, the very roots of the ancient tree beneath his feet seemed to stir.
Thick, ancient roots, glowing faintly with absorbed ambient light, erupted from the earth, wrapping around the creature's legs, then its torso, and squeezed it.
The creature screamed, struggling against the sudden bonds.
Its armor began to crack under the immense pressure, its limbs thrashing futilely.
Rue watched, grinning, then brought his greatsword down. A swift, decisive cut across its exposed neck, and it too joined its companion.
Rue stood over the fallen creatures, disappointed. Just this? That so-called "esteemed headmistress" designed these creatures too weakly…or maybe I'm damn too strong. Must be the second one.
He felt a tremor in the air, then a sudden, pleasant warmth emitting from the defeated creatures, a faint shimmer of light absorbing into his body.
So, this is it, he thought, a grim satisfaction spreading through him. Kill, absorb and grow stronger. Simple and effective. Just like back home.
His gaze then fell upon a cluster of moss directly beneath one of the massive trees. Unlike the faint background glow that illuminated the canopy, this patch pulsed with an almost magnetic intensity, radiating a potent and alluring energy. It was roughly the size of a man's chest, its veins throbbing with a mesmerizing purple light. He had read about such phenomena in his lessons back home. It was "Heart-Moss," conduits of raw and ambient Primal Energy. They were rumored to be extremely rare, found only in the most vibrant of natural dimensions.
He approached it, cautious, but his instincts screamed for him to touch it. He placed his hand on the pulsating moss.
An exhilarating energy surged through him. It flowed into his body, sharpening senses, making his Essence hum with renewed power. He felt his fatigue melt away, replaced by an almost unbreakable sense of power.
This is it. This is the true treasure of this trial. The academy isn't just testing strength; it is rewarding us too.
This is what separates the true elites from the bookworms and the schemers, Rue thought, his Primal Energy thrumming pleasantly beneath his skin. They can talk about strategy and subtle energy management, but when you hit a wall, pure power is all that matters. And these Heart-Moss clusters? They're the accelerators. Find them, claim them, and you'll leave everyone else in the dust.
He was clearly happy.
He moved on, deeper into the dark forest, his resolve stronger. The trial was clear, find these Heart-Moss clusters, clear their guardians, and claim their power. The more he fought, the more he absorbed, the stronger he'd become. This was a place to show who's stronger, to prove his superiority.
The ambient light of the dimension, initially a vibrant purple-green, subtly began to shift, becoming slightly cooler, more blue.
Rue barely noticed it. His focus was entirely on the next challenge.
Through a break in the mist, he caught a glimpse of another student.
He moved with a peculiar quietness, almost hesitant.
Vesper, he thought, recognizing the silvery hair. Everyone knew the son of the grand duke but there was no particular information about him.
The boy seemed to be inspecting a small, withered patch of flora, not engaging anything. Rue scoffed. Too timid for this trial. He'll be among the first losers. A weak spoiled noble.
He dismissed Vesper from his mind and pushed on, drawn by the faint and distant pulse of another Heart-Moss.
***
Lyra landed with grace, her slender form bending with the impact.
Unlike Rue, she didn't immediately draw a weapon. Her sharp eyes swept across the otherworldly landscape.
Her family, minor nobles with a long lineage of scholars and alchemists, had taught her a different kind of strength, observation and knowledge.
This trial wasn't about brute force, she knew. It was about efficiency, about understanding the environment, about finding the hidden paths to victory.
Every detail matters here, she thought, her mind already noting the types of moss, the thickness of the mist and the subtle shifts in the air.
She heard the sound of fighting in the distance but didn't pay much attention. Her mind was on something else. What could be eaten? What offered shelter? What could be used as a tool?
Soon, she found them. A group of small, faintly pulsating fungus. Their colours were pale gold. It made them tempting, making others to eat them.
She carefully plucked one, crushing it lightly in her fingers. She hesitated, then, took a small bite.
Coming from an alchemist family, she had the required resistance for many things, so she wasn't worried about poisons and all.
A delicate warmth spread through her, a subtle but definite replenishment of her Primal Energy.
Passive regeneration, she thought, a quiet satisfaction settled in her.
She collected a small pouch of them. They will be useful in near future.
She moved stealthily, her steps in the shadows of the colossal trees. She needed to memorize this place, understand its every route.
Through a break in the tangled roots, she saw another student.
It was Vesper. He was not engaging any creatures, nor was he harvesting any obvious resources.
He was crouched by a patch of the radiant Heart-Moss, but his hand wasn't on the moss itself. Instead, he seemed to be meticulously examining something in the soil directly beneath it, or perhaps delicately touching the roots of the tree itself.
His movements were slow and precise. Lyra frowned. What is he doing? Is he trying to find a weaker spot to harvest? Or is he just... lost?
She dismissed it.
Everyone has their own methods, she thought.
She continued her quiet exploration, documenting various plant types, testing their properties.
She felt a comfortable sense of being in control of her immediate survival.
The funguses, while helpful, did leave a faint, lingering dullness behind her eyes, a slight heaviness she dismissed as a side effect of their unique properties.
I have to stay hidden until only thirty participants remain in the trial. I can't take them all on at once. But if they turn against each other… then I'll attack. That will be my golden opportunity.
After five minutes, she stopped beneath a towering tree. Before it, lay the corpses of three creatures, their bodies twisted and black blood pooling around them.
But something glowed between them.
Curious, Lyra stepped closer.
As I suspected, its aHeart-Moss, she realized, excited. I never imagined I'd find it here. This is a jackpot.
Without hesitation, she reached for it. The moment her fingers brushed the moss, a surge of otherworldly energy rushed through her body.
She staggered slightly, her eyes widening.
This… power...