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š Chapter 4: The Weight of a Team
Passing the written test should have felt like an achievement.
For most, it probably did.
But for Auren, it felt more like stepping into something heavierāsomething that hadn't even begun yet.
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Out of thousands who had applied, only around three thousand had managed to pass.
Three thousand.
And yet, only five hundred would move forward.
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The announcement had been clear.
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The selected students would undergo a second test.
A field test.
A survival test.
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A hunting exam.
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Those who ranked within the top five hundred would be given the opportunity to advance furtherāto study in the Sage Realm, alongside students from the opposing clans. It wasn't just about education.
It was about proving worth.
Strength.
Control.
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Auren stood among the others as they were transported to the testing site, his gaze quiet but observant, taking in everything without reacting.
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The moment they arrivedā
the atmosphere changed.
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The Hunting Grounds stretched endlessly before them, vast and untamed. Towering trees blocked out most of the sky, their branches twisting together like a cage. The air was dense, almost suffocating, carrying a faint metallic scent that didn't belong to any normal forest.
This wasn't just land where monsters lived.
This was their territory.
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Every part of it felt alive.
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The distant growls. The sudden rustling of leaves. The unnatural silence that followed too quickly after sound.
It was a place balanced on the edge of violence.
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A large projection appeared above them, cutting through the tension.
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> STAGE 2: HUNTING EXAM
You will enter the Hunting Grounds.
Hunt monsters and collect their gemstones to earn points.
Points vary depending on the monster's level and rarity.
Only the Top 500 students will pass.
Cooperation is allowed.
There are no restrictions on combat.
Time Limit: 48 Hours
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A murmur spread instantly.
Excitement. Anxiety. Calculation.
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Auren remained still.
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Three thousandā¦ fighting for five hundred spots.
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That meant one thing.
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Most of them would fall behind.
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Before anyone could move, another instruction followed.
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Groups would be assigned.
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Auren barely reacted when he was placed into a team of five.
It didn't matter.
At least, that's what he told himself.
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Because in a place like thisā
teams weren't always an advantage.
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And as he glanced at the people around him, that thought only settled deeper.
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There were five of them in total.
And from the very beginningā
it was clear none of them were particularly skilled.
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Except one.
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"Stick together. Don't act on your own."
Jake's voice cut through the uncertainty with ease, carrying a confidence that didn't invite disagreement.
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He stepped forward like it was natural for him to lead.
And no one stopped him.
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Auren didn't either.
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Instead, he watched.
Quiet.
Careful.
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Because sometimesā
the fastest way to understand someoneā¦
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was to let them take control.
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And with thatā
they stepped into the Hunting Grounds.
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