The ship landed smoothly in an open field near the forest's edge. The students were guided out by the professors, greeted by the sight of a wide encampment filled with crystal monitors, glowing pillars, and several arcane devices humming with mana.

Professors and staff moved around swiftly, checking machines and setting up screens that displayed forest maps.

Professor Aria stood at the front, her presence not composed this time. Rather, she was smiling cheerfully and excited. Beside her was Professor Crystina. Her sky-blue colored hair was tied in a high bun while she was wearing a suit.

Professor Asher was also present there.

"Welcome, first-years," Aria began, her voice carrying clearly across the field. "This year's practical exam will be a survival test."

A murmur ran through the students. Amon's eyes widened slightly.

'This was a survival game. Now that's some good exam,' Amon thought.

"You will be transported into this forest," she continued, gesturing toward the dense woods behind her. "The area is protected by a large barrier. Inside, only Rank 1 and Rank 2 monsters exist. Only a countable number of Rank 3 are there. No higher-level creatures will enter the forest area where your exam is held within. Your task is simple; survive for one week."

A few students exchanged nervous glances.

Professor Aria raised her hand, and a group of assistants stepped forward, carrying small, metallic bracelets. "Each of you will receive a mana-linked bracelet. It will record everything you do, your location, your battles, your mana usage. The data will be projected live for us to observe from this camp. There will be recording crystals all over the forest, so we can keep an eye on everything."

She paused, her eyes sharp. "If you are severely injured, your bracelet will automatically teleport you out of the forest for your safety. But it can only do so once. Use that protection wisely."

The students began whispering among themselves again.

"Additionally," she continued, "you will earn points based on your performance. Killing monsters will grant points according to their rank. Defeating another student will allow you to claim their accumulated points. You may form teams if you wish, but remember. Only the top survivors at the end of the week will receive the highest rewards."

Then she surveyed the students.

"Rank 1 will give you 50 points. Rank 2 will give 100. While Rank 3 will give 500."

Amon's lips twitched into a faint grin. "So it's basically a live survival game," he whispered to himself.

A battle for survival.

Eliana sighed. "This sounds dangerous and fun at the same time."

Marcus scoffed. "Hmph. Fun? I'll just make sure to rank at the top."

Seraphina remained silent, her golden hair fluttering slightly in the wind. "It's a fair test," she said softly. "Let's just stay alive and do our best."

Amon had already decided not to meet Marcus in the forest, no matter what happens.

Professor Aria clapped her hands once. "Get ready. The transport crystals will send you to random locations within the forest alone. Survival, strategy, and control will determine your success."

The students received the mana bracelets. Then they lined up one by one as the glowing blue crystals pulsed brighter. Amon tightened his hands, his expression sharpening.

"Alone, huh? Well," he muttered under his breath, "guess it's showtime."

He smiled. 'This was going to be fun.'

As his turn came, the crystal beneath his feet lit up, surrounding him in bright blue light. The last thing he saw before vanishing was Seraphina's calm gaze meeting his.

Then,

In an instant, the airship, the professors, and the world around him vanished.

Only the endless forest awaited below.

---

Amon's vision blurred as the world twisted around him. The bright blue light engulfed everything, and for a brief moment, it felt like he was falling through a stream of mana. Then,

Thud!

He landed lightly on his feet, knees bending to absorb the impact. The faint glow faded, and silence surrounded him.

Amon slowly straightened, scanning his surroundings. He stood in the middle of a vast forest.

Massive trees stretched toward the sky, their leaves creating a thick canopy that filtered the sunlight into dim golden rays. The air was fresh, filled with the earthy scent of moss and wet soil.

"…So this is the exam site," he murmured.

Birds chirped in the distance, and somewhere far off, a faint growl echoed. The forest was alive. But unnervingly quiet between sounds.

Amon touched the silver bracelet on his wrist. A soft blue light pulsed from it as if acknowledging his presence.

"Alright, bracelet's working. No teleport accidents," he muttered with a small grin. Everything was fine. At least for now.

He looked around carefully. "No people nearby. Looks like I really got sent somewhere random."

He crouched, brushing his fingers over the ground. The soil was firm, the faint prints of small monsters visible nearby. Judging by the tracks, Rank 1 beasts had passed through not long ago.

"Good place to start," he said quietly.

He stood up and bringing out his sword from storage ring, the faint gleam of the blade reflecting through the trees. He was really ti face anything.

Every step he took was cautious. His eyes moved constantly, checking branches, the ground, and shadows. The forest wasn't ordinary; the mana in the air felt thick and slightly distorted.

Amon stopped beside a large root and looked around. "Visibility's bad. Not for me. But still if a monster hides, it could strike from anywhere."

The forest was covered with tall trees. Sunlight don't reach ground much.

Still Amon could see little better than others.

He closed his eyes for a moment, extending his mana sense outward. Weak signatures flickered, mostly Rank 1 beasts. Nothing too close.

"Alright," he whispered. "Let's find a safe spot first. No point fighting right away."

He climbed onto a nearby rock to get a better view, the wind brushing through his hair. From there, he spotted faint smoke rising in the distance. Possibly another student, or maybe a monster's lair.

He tightened his grip on his sword. "Guess I'll check that later. For now… I need to test my surroundings."

The practical exam had just started.

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