Zephyr, on the other hand, surveyed the crowd around him. His gaze moved cautiously, curiosity flickering within his eyes. These individuals would soon become either rivals… or obstacles.
Once everything settled, a man strode forward and took his place at the center of the stage.
"Good morning, future pillars of the human domain!"His voice reverberated throughout the entire hall, commanding attention with effortless authority.
"I am Chris,the one who will be supervising this training camp. You may address me as Commander Chris."
He paused briefly, allowing his presence to sink into the minds of the participants before continuing.
"I can see that many of you are already holding weapons… while some of you are not. I value fairness."His gaze sharpened slightly.
"Therefore, everyone will choose the weapon they wish to wield. As for those who already possess weapons—I will be taking them. You may simply choose the same type again, should you prefer. For those who have yet to acquire one, you are free to select any weapon you desire."
A faint murmur spread across the hall.
"However," he added, his tone turning colder, "those who have yet to determine their weapon of choice are already at a disadvantage compared to those who have trained beforehand."
Several individuals snickered quietly, their expressions filled with ridicule. To them, the outcome was already decided.
Even so, everyone complied. Some grumbled in frustration, but none dared to defy the command.
People like Zephyr… were simply cast into a pit.
What could they possibly do?Nothing.
At best, they could only struggle to survive.And Zephyr was no exception.
"I will give you ten minutes to choose your weapon," Commander Chris declared.
With a snap of his fingers, countless weapons materialized out of thin air.
The sight was astonishing.Blades, polearms, ranged weapons—every conceivable instrument of combat appeared as though conjured by an unseen force. Daggers, greatswords, longswords, katanas, jian, halberds, spears, tridents, war hammers, bows… it was an overwhelming arsenal.
Zephyr's eyes widened slightly, but he restrained himself. Acting recklessly would only expose his ignorance.
Instead, he remained where he stood, carefully observing.
What suits me? he wondered.
Or perhaps… something greater.A calling.A resonance between wielder and weapon.
One by one, the students stepped forward and claimed their choices. The three heirs had already selected their weapons and returned, their
movements confident and assured.
Finally, Zephyr walked.
He examined several weapons—spears, longswords, daggers, and more.
Yet no matter what he held, there was no connection. No sense of belonging.
Until...In the far corner, he noticed a katana.
Drawn by an inexplicable impulse, he reached out and grasped it.The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, something shifted.He lifted the blade and gave a tentative swing. Then another.His form was crude, unrefined....his strikes lacking technique. Yet none of that mattered.
There was a faint resonance.A subtle harmony.For reasons he could not yet comprehend, the weapon felt… right.
He didn't even know its full nature, yet his instincts told him—this is it.
After a few more experimental slashes, he lowered the blade and quietly returned to his position.
*****
Ten minutes passed.
With another snap of Commander Chris's fingers, the remaining weapons vanished like illusions dissolving into thin air.
That was… kind of badass, Zephyr thought.
He paused.
"Wait… what does "badass" even mean" ? He asked himself a stupid question, really....
"Now that you have chosen your weapons," Commander Chris continued, "let us proceed to the main matter."
"The training camp will last for three days. Each of you will be randomly teleported into a designated zone. Your task, future pillars of humanity… is to kill and survive."
He flicked his finger once more.Thin, paper-like objects materialized and floated into his hand.
"This," he said, holding one up, "is called a talisman. Specifically—a safety talisman."
His gaze swept across the crowd.
"Each of you will receive one."
He continued, his tone steady and authoritative.
"This talisman will monitor your vital signs. It will also record every beast and possibly fallen you eliminate.
Each kill corresponds to a certain number of points."
"Beasts and low-level fallen entities have been distributed throughout the designated area."
A brief pause.
"Some of you may fear death. Let me clarify that is not our intention."
"The primary function of the talisman is to prevent it. If you are on the verge of death, you will be immediately
teleported out of the training grounds."
A faint tension lifted from the crowd.
"However," he added, "once you are removed, you cannot re-enter. Your accumulated points will be finalized at that moment."
He raised his finger.
"Next is the ranking. The more points you obtain, the higher your rank. A higher rank grants better standing within the Academy, as well as greater access to resources."
"Cooperation is permitted. If you are fortunate enough to encounter others, teamwork will be taken into account."
His voice then turned sharper.
"But…"A heavy silence fell.
"Stealing another's points is also allowed."The atmosphere shifted instantly.
"You may force others into situations that trigger their talisman, effectively removing them from the training."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"The question is… do you possess the strength to take what belongs to others?"
Silence,Tension and Anticipation.
"Well then," he concluded, "I expect satisfactory results. Do not disappoint us."
He clapped his hands.In an instant—
Everyone vanished,Zephyr included.
The transition was abrupt—almost disorienting. Yet before he could even process it fully, the talisman had already marked him.
"Thud!"
Zephyr landed on solid ground.
He found himself standing within a dense forest. The trees around him stood roughly five meters tall modest compared to the towering ones he had encountered during his first trial, which had reached heights of over a hundred meters.
Still, the environment felt alive.Unpredictable and Dangerous.
Zephyr carefully surveyed his surroundings.He had no experience.
No training ,only instinct.
And instinct alone was a fragile thing to rely on.
He knew nothing of the threats lurking within this forest. Even the plants surrounding him could be venomous, capable of ending his trial prematurely.
He was, quite literally, walking blind.
Cautiously, he began to move along a narrow path.
Then...He stopped.
A faint rustling sound emerged from the nearby bushes.
His body tensed instantly.
"Maw… is there any beast nearby?"
Zephyr asked inwardly.
"Not at the moment" Maw replied calmly. Then his tone hardened.
"But let me remind you, Zep—do not rely on external assistance" a pause then continued
"I will not help you." Ablvoice echoed in his ears repeatedly
Zephyr exhaled softly.
"Yeah… I know," he muttered.
And with that, he tightened his grip on the katana.
Whatever lay ahead.He would have to face it alone.