He arrived home, parked the motorcycle, and quietly went to his room. He told his mother he didn't want dinner. Exhausted from the shock of everything that had just happened, he collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep almost immediately.
The next morning, he left for the Academy on his motorcycle. He woke up early, ate quickly, and set off, the cool morning air whipping past him as he rode. Once he arrived, he spent the day reviewing lessons, running through drills, and practicing basic combat movements.
He visited one of the training rooms to do some shadow exercises, honing his reflexes and footwork, and spent time running scenarios to anticipate attacks. At one point, he transformed into a monstrous form, stretching and adapting his body to the new shape, making sure every movement felt natural.
Throughout the day, he also focused on light tasks: organizing his training area, doing warm-ups, and running short sprints. Nothing too intense, but enough to keep his body alert.
He knew the month ahead would be grueling, filled with rigorous training, mental challenges, and full-scale combat simulations. Today was just the start—a preparation, a calm before the storm that awaited him.
He finished training early, went out for dinner, and allowed himself a hearty meal. He went to bed early, savoring the last moments of relaxation he could enjoy, knowing that a very tough exam—both physically and mentally—was coming.
He woke up at 6 a.m., took a quick shower, and got dressed in his exam clothes: a long, tight black shirt, black cargo pants and military boots of the same colour. He left his backpack behind—no one was allowed to bring anything into the exam
He left his room and headed toward the Academy's helipad. When he arrived, a helicopter was waiting, its rotors spinning slowly, and his five companions and his teacher were already there, ready for the journey ahead.
Marcus replied that he had been in intensive training, since he had joined late. With a childish grin, Víctor, sitting in the co-pilot seat, announced, "In case you didn't know, Marcus has already taken down a Sableon"
Liora and Rylan, along with a few others, stared at him with astonished expressions. Then Liora, her tone full of excitement, asked, "What? How did you do it? That must have been incredibly tough!"
Marcus replied, "Well, honestly, it was very tough. The fight was long and grueling, but fortunately my monstrous form and abilities were a good match."
Víctor interrupted, his charismatic voice cutting through, "Do you all know the rules, right?"
The students nodded, but Víctor, with a knowing smile, said, "Just in case some of you are lying,."
The students nodded, but Víctor, with a charismatic grin, reached into a stack of materials and handed out booklets and bracelets to each of them. The bracelets were wide, gray, and equipped with a small screen on the top
Marcus picked up the bracelet, slipped it onto his wrist, and examined it briefly, noting the small screen and its sturdy design. He then grabbed the booklet, opened it, and began reading carefully, taking in every detail of the rules and instructions for the upcoming exam.
Survival Exam – Instructions and Rules
Welcome to the Survival Exam. The main objective of this evaluation is to learn how to survive. You will spend one month on the island, completely isolated. Bringing anything from the outside is strictly prohibited, so each student must obtain their own resources, weapons, and equipment within the island.
The island is populated with monsters of different ranks: 1,000 low-rank, 100 mid-rank, and 10 high-rank. You will have to face them and, if necessary, other Transformers, always following the established rules.
Points and Scoring:
Points are earned by defeating monsters according to their rank or defeating another Transformer in regulated combat.
The minimum number of points to pass is 150.
Students can give or return points in certain situations, for example to help a teammate or correct unfair advantages, but all transactions will be monitored and evaluated by the examiners.
The top three students will receive special rewards.
Transformer Combat Rules:
Killing is strictly prohibited.
Each participant wears a special bracelet that lights red if they surrender or become unconscious.
Once the red light activates, the fight ends immediately.
The winner keeps the points of the defeated opponent.
Continuing to fight after the red light activates results in disqualification.
Monsters and Safety:
All monsters have special collars around their necks. If a student puts a monster in lethal danger, the collar will explode, and the student will be automatically disqualified from the exam.
Surprise Events and Random Missions:
During the exam, evaluators may trigger unexpected events, such as ambushes, changes in resource locations, or simultaneous monster attacks. Successfully handling these events grants additional credits, while failure or poor reaction may result in point deductions or penalties.
This exam does not only test strength or combat skills, but also adaptability, decision-making under pressure, and survival in adverse conditions.
An hour later, they reached the island. Each student was handed a parachute and told they could jump whenever they were ready. Marcus waited until the very last moment, watching the others disappear into the sky below, then finally leapt, feeling the rush of wind as he plunged toward the dense green canopy of the island.
Marcus waited until he reached 200 meters of altitude, recalling the advice the instructors had given in class about timing and posture. Taking a deep breath, he opened his parachute and glided down smoothly, landing on the northern coast of the island.
As soon as he landed on the northern coast, Marcus clearly remembered his objectives for this exam. Everything he did that day had a purpose: survive, earn points, and adapt to the island.
The island was vast, approximately 20 kilometers long and 12 kilometers wide, with a humid tropical climate, hot during the day and cool, damp nights. In the center stood a towering mountain, covered in dense jungle and occasional mist at its peak, serving as a landmark visible from almost anywhere on the island. Around the mountain, vegetation varied: thick jungle with tall trees and hanging vines, open clearings with tall grass, and streams winding their way to the coast. The northern coast, where Marcus had landed, was rocky but had small beaches that allowed safe access from the sea.
Marcus's objectives for the exam were clear and layered. His main goal was to stay away from chaos and quietly farm points, carefully observing the environment and avoiding unnecessary conflicts. Another goal was to gain experience by learning how to fight different monsters and, potentially, other Transformers—he knew that some students would be tempted to attack others to steal points, and each victory would not only earn him credits but also remove a potential competitor. Finally, a more ambitious but less probable goal was to finish among the top three, which would be extremely challenging due to more experienced Transformers and well-trained clan students—but keeping it in mind gave him a long-term target to strive for while he focused on survival and steady point accumulation.
Marcus spent the day exploring the island, following Kara's advice from class: observe first, understand your surroundings, and avoid unnecessary risks. He mapped the terrain, identified potential monster zones, scouted safe routes, and studied the vegetation, streams, and open clearings, thinking ahead about how he could use them strategically in future encounters.
He also searched for a safe place to set up a temporary shelter, gathered branches and stones, and located a nearby water source. Throughout the day, he avoided heavily traveled paths to reduce the chance of encountering competitors before he was ready.
By the end of the day, Marcus sat beside his improvised shelter, taking in the island: the dark jungle surrounding his camp, open clearings beyond, and the towering mountain at the center, seemingly watching over everything. It had been a long first day, spent entirely exploring and planning, but he knew that every decision made today would be crucial for the rest of the exam.