It looked sharp, its handle brown and its blade plain but powerful.
Inventory: 2/20
Space Remaining: 18 Slots
Mike slowly approached and picked it up.
"Maybe this… was the real reward."
A portal opened before him. Mike stepped through, and suddenly, he was back in the bathroom. The air was still, as if nothing had happened. He glanced at the wall clock. Only three minutes had passed.
Relieved, he thought, Time must move differently in that forest.
He took a deep breath, straightened up, and walked out of the bathroom.
Outside, Kad and Giel were already chatting. Mike joined in casually, hiding what he had just been through. Time passed quickly, and soon the group was heading toward the cafeteria.
There stood Glus, waiting for them with his arms crossed and his expression serious.
"Training begins today," he announced. "You'll be working in teams, with your roommates as your partners."
A few students murmured, some nodded with anticipation.
"Follow me. We're heading to the training grounds."
They followed him outside, and finally, they saw it—the massive training field.
It was enormous, much bigger than anything they had imagined.
Scattered across the area were:
• Combat dummies in all shapes and sizes
• Targets for ranged practice
• A large obstacle course with climbing walls, ropes, and moving platforms
• Training machines that adjusted in real time, some even seemed to talk
And then one section stood out. A large sign read:
Simulation Arena – Challenge a Friend
A real combat simulator where students could fight one another in a safe but intense environment.
Glus looked across the crowd and smirked. "I have a feeling I know who wants to fight first."
The tension in the air rose.
"Alright then," said Mike.
With a low hum, a digital field flickered to life. The world around them dissolved. They were now standing in a rocky canyon, surrounded by bare stone, the sky above dark and ominous.
As soon as the signal sounded, Giel was already on the move. He focused his energy, his feet barely touching the ground as he shot toward Mike. Magic glowed in his fists.
"Gravity Blast!"
Mike was hit by an invisible wave. His legs were swept out from under him, and he slammed into the ground, but he managed to roll away just in time.
"Not bad," he muttered.
He got back on his feet, clenched his fists, and his eyes sparked.
"Wolf Strike!"
In a flash, he was in front of Giel, striking with full force. The blow landed on Giel's side. He gasped but immediately stood up again.
Suddenly, Mike felt like he was made of lead. Every movement became heavy. He dropped to his knees, sweat dripping from his brow.
"If you give up now, it's over," Giel said seriously.
But Mike slowly raised his head. His voice was calm.
"I'm not giving up."
Willpower Surge activated – Strength and Speed increased for a short time
With a sudden burst, Mike broke through the gravity field and dashed forward, his movements fast as the wind. He kicked Giel in the shin, followed by a sharp left hook.
Giel fell but rolled and sprang right back up. Both were panting.
Giel raised his hands, gathering mana. Small orbs of gravity floated above him. The spheres launched toward Mike. He ducked under one, leapt to the side, and charged straight at Giel.
"Pack Bite!"
Two ghostly wolves appeared at Mike's side. One was destroyed mid-leap—Giel had reacted—but the second made it through and sank its teeth into Giel's upper arm.
Giel screamed in pain, staggering.
Mike didn't hesitate. He jumped. Two solid punches—one to the gut, one to the chest. Giel was thrown against a rock wall. The simulation froze.
Combat ended.
Winner: Mike Tyl
Performance Rating: A-
Giel stood up, took a deep breath, and grinned. "Okay… that was more than I expected."
Mike reached out his hand. "You're fast. That could've gone either way."
Giel took his hand and smirked. "If that's what you're capable of, then you're definitely not a normal Sal-2."
Whispers spread among the onlookers.
"What were those abilities? I thought he only had strength."
"He summoned wolves. That's magic, isn't it?"
"But he doesn't usually use any."
Some looked confused. Lasa, standing quietly nearby, furrowed her brows.
"Must've been the simulation," someone murmured. "Sometimes it brings out what's deep inside… or what's yet to awaken."
Mike said nothing.
He'd heard the questions. Felt the doubt. But deep inside, he knew: that wasn't a glitch. That wasn't a trick.
Something inside him was waking up.
"Hey Mike, what were those wolves in the simulation?" Giel couldn't shake the image from his mind. The way they appeared—almost real.
They were walking back from training, the evening sun low in the sky.
Should Mike tell him everything now? Even he wasn't sure what to say.
Mike paused, then answered honestly. "I… don't really know. They just came. I shouted 'Pack Bite' like usual—but this time, something was different. They felt real."
Giel narrowed his eyes. "You're not supposed to have magic, right? Or… do you?"
Mike looked away. "I'll tell you more when I understand it myself. Promise."
Giel nodded, but it clearly still bothered him. Not suspicion—just concern.
⸻
Meanwhile, with Kad and Lasa:
They stood off to the side on a padded section of the training area. Lasa moved lightly on her feet, then gestured to Kad.
"Watch—you're putting too much force into your first strike," she said. "Try to control with movement, not just brute power."
She demonstrated: block, sidestep, a swift strike to the solar plexus.
Kad tried, but stumbled a bit. "Ugh… I'm not really built for finesse."
Lasa smiled. "That's okay. You've got strength. Let me show you how to blend it with technique. Strength and precision."
Kad nodded. For the first time in days, he seemed focused. Calm. He trusted her.
⸻
Back with Mike:
He now walked alone toward the dorms. The wind stirred gently around him, and the sky had grown darker. His thoughts
But with a strange sense of knowing.
…..