Marcus turned sharply, sensing eyes on him. At a distance, beside the trunk of a tall tree, he spotted a boy standing in silence. He had medium-length white hair, sharp red eyes, a childlike face, and a thin, short build. His expression was impassive, unreadable, as he observed Marcus without a word.
Marcus narrowed his gaze. He recognized him. The boy was in his class at the Academy. His name was Adrian.
For a brief moment, their eyes locked, but Adrian didn't do anything. Instead, he turned calmly and began to trot away, following the same direction where the girl had fled. Within seconds, he disappeared into the dense trees, leaving Marcus standing alone in the jungle.
Day 3
Marcus arrived at his cave, exhausted. He had discovered it earlier that morning while exploring and had taken the time to move his belongings inside. The cave was an ideal spot: slightly elevated, offering a good vantage point, sheltered from the elements, and hidden enough to remain relatively safe from wandering monsters or other students.
Today, Marcus had finally reached 150 points. He felt a surge of pride for devising a strategy that perfectly leveraged his trait—climbing a tree and striking from above—allowing him to take down low-rank monsters efficiently with a single attack.
Still, he wasn't entirely at ease. Marcus understood that the minimum requirement of 150 points wasn't particularly demanding. After all, this was just the first exam, and it was likely that many other students had already reached the same score.
Day 4
Adrian had been tracking the girl who had attacked Marcus ever since the first day on the island. He hadn't focused on killing monsters or accumulating points himself. His monstrous form was highly specialized for stealth and assassination, rather than brute strength, making it difficult for him to efficiently take down low-rank monsters.
Recognizing this limitation, Adrian adjusted his strategy. He decided to follow someone else, patiently observing as they accumulated points, and strike decisively once the opportunity arose. He didn't want to wait too long, however, in case she noticed him and became cautious.
So, as soon as the girl reached 150 points, Adrian launched his attack, seizing the moment he had been carefully waiting for.
It was snow-white, humanoid in shape yet slender and frail, standing at 2.2 meters—short for a monstrous form. Its legs were covered by loose pants, and its long arms ended in sharp claws that extended over both hands and feet. Its face was an odd fusion of bat and human features, with long ears, completely red eyes, and a mouth full of fangs.
Then Adrian leapt into action. Oddly, his trajectory didn't appear to come directly from above; he was at a considerable distance. But mid-air, membranes extended from his armpits, like a bat's wings, propelling him forward and closing the distance at incredible speed. Strangely, the entire movement made no sound.
Without hesitation, he kicked the girl in the back with both feet, sending her flying into a tree. Adrian followed up instantly, slashing with his claws toward her neck—but stopped just one centimeter away as the girl's bracelet flashed red, signaling her surrender.
Adrian shifted back into his human form and glanced at the bracelet as the points registered. His expression remained completely impassive, revealing no hint of satisfaction or emotion. Without a word, he turned and walked away, leaving the girl behind.
Day 6
Marcus was stalking a mid-rank Scalebrack, his eyes fixed on the creature as he moved silently through the underbrush. In his hand, he held a long spear, three meters in length. At the tip of the spear was a gray, pointed piece measuring 70 centimeters, a creation of his own design.
He had already previously considered using his plates as weapons. They were hard and durable, but lightweight and not sharp enough to serve as effective offensive tools, so he had abandoned the idea.
However, just before going to sleep yesterday, inspiration struck. He quickly rose, summoned a plate on his shin, and detached it, pondering a new approach. Marcus wondered: if he could manipulate the shape and thickness of his plate, could he also control its density?
Testing it immediately, he discovered he could. Excited, he began a lengthy process of directing ether into the plate, shaping it into a spearhead. Gradually, it grew larger, sharper, and denser, until it became a formidable tip.
He then grabbed a long wooden shaft and, using a survival technique he had learned, integrated the plate seamlessly into the end, creating a powerful spear ready for battle.
Marcus spotted the beast from 80 meters away and shifted into his monstrous form. He didn't move closer, wary that the creature might hear the faint sounds of his approach.
Standing his ground, Marcus prepared to throw his spear, recalling the javelin techniques he had observed in his past life—the way athletes would balance, rotate their torso, and release the spear with precise timing, channeling all their strength into the throw.
With his incredible new coordination and control over his monstrous body, the motion felt almost instinctive. At the same time, he applied Kara's ether technique, which he had decided to call "ether throw", channeling his energy into the spear.
Then, with full force, Marcus hurled the spear toward the Scalebrack, the tip slicing through the air at an incredible speed.
Although Marcus had aimed for the neck, the spear pierced the Scalebrack's side instead.
The force of the throw caused the spear to slide through, and the creature, stunned and enraged, charged toward Marcus with the weapon still lodged in its body, demonstrating its incredible vitality.
Even though low-rank Scalebracks were already sizable, this mid-rank monster was even larger, reaching up to the chin of Marcus's monstrous form, making the impending clash all the more dangerous.
Marcus remained calm and precise, reading the Scalebrack's charge with careful focus.
With a swift, controlled movement, he dodged to the side of the beast's face, narrowly avoiding its attack. At the same time, he grabbed the spear lodged in its side and yanked it free, maintaining his balance and readying himself for the next strike.
The Scalebrack, wounded but far from defeated, roared and charged at Marcus again.
Marcus sidestepped to the left, drawing the creature's attention, then leapt to the right, using the movement to mislead and distract the monster. Seizing the opening, he thrust the spear back into the same wound, driving it in with precision and force.
Although the Scalebrack was supposedly of the same rank as the Sab-Leon, it was much easier to defeat.
While it was true that the Scalebrack possessed greater strength and superior defense thanks to its thick scales and robust build, its attacks lacked agility and were highly predictable. This made them relatively easy to anticipate and dodge, allowing Marcus to exploit openings
Marcus repeated the same strategy six times. Each sequence was precise: he feinted to the left, then leapt to the right, and in the moment of distraction, he drove the spear into the same monster's wound.
After the sixth repetition, the Scalebrack finally collapsed, crashing to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
Marcus watched calmly as 20 points registered on his bracelet, a tangible reward for his precision, strategy, and exceptional use of his trait.