The pale light of a floating crystal bathed the inside of the medical tent in a soft glow. The air hung heavy with subtle scents of linen, sweat, and soothing magic.
I lay on a camp bed, shirtless, my arms resting at my sides, my breathing shallow.
Under my ribs, pain pulsed with every breath — a brutal reminder of the mana I had forced to flow beyond its limits.
"You really picked the perfect moment to tear yourself apart inside," muttered a voice, tired and dry.
Camila frowned as she passed her hands above me. A fluid white glow slid from her palms to my skin, slowly seeping into my damaged tissues.
I could feel the magic flowing in, realigning my channels, stitching what could be stitched, soothing the invisible fire burning me from the inside.
She knew what she was doing.
And she wasn't just a healer — despite what most people thought. Camila possessed a second element, far more offensive, one she kept carefully hidden.
"Your channels are cracked. I don't know how you even stayed standing. You forced an already unstable core. Were you trying to die or did you have a plan?"
I gave a humorless smile.
"I don't know. I improvised."
"Idiot," she whispered.
She continued without another word. Camila never talked much. Even less when she was healing. But I could feel a strange tension in her hands today.
The base had been reached a few hours earlier. Ninety out of a hundred and ten students had made it.
And half of the eliminations had come from one person.
Kaera Silvaris.
When the last groups had arrived, they'd discovered a frozen landscape, sliced with jagged red crystal spires and streaked with dark trails — where blood had spilled and frozen into shards.
The question had quickly arisen:
What happened here?
And I answered. Without lying. At least, not entirely.
I spoke of the ambush. Of Kaera. Of the fight.
What I left out was the exact moment I'd sacrificed someone else to force an opening.
I wasn't ashamed. But I didn't have the strength to admit it out loud.
Rumors spread quickly. Not just about the bloodied crystals or the battlefield turned frozen graveyard.
But about Kaera's sudden disappearance.
Even those who hadn't witnessed it talked about it as if they had.
The story had been twisted, exaggerated — but at its core, one fact remained: Kaera Silvaris had teleported.
And no one understood how.
Three theories emerged, whispered like certainties throughout the camp.
The first was the artifact theory.
But that idea was quickly dismissed.
The trial had started less than an hour ago — far too soon for her to have gotten her hands on such a powerful item.
The second, more plausible on the surface, suggested a third element.
Kaera already possessed Crystal and Blood, two extremely rare affinities. But some claimed she might have hidden a spatial one.
That could explain the teleportation...
Except spatial movement normally left mana residue.
And here, there was nothing. Just a clean void.
Which left the third theory.
The most credible.
The most terrifying.
A trait.
Something innate. Unique.
A gift etched into the marrow. A talent that belonged to Kaera and Kaera alone.
And if that trait allowed her to retreat at will, to escape any danger whenever she wished — then she wasn't just powerful.
She was nearly untouchable.
Camila finished the last wave of healing, then straightened up silently.
She wiped her palms on her tunic and twisted her wrist slightly, revealing the exam bracelet strapped to her left forearm.
A thin screen of mana rose, projecting numbers, names, and symbols. Her eyes skimmed the interface quickly.
She sighed.
"See for yourself," she said, deactivating the display with a sharp gesture.
"This is getting ridiculous."
I frowned slightly and activated my own bracelet.
Current Score Rankings:
1. Lyra Class — 115 points
2. Apus Class — 106 points
3. Indus Class — 88 points
4. Norma Class — 72 points
5. Orion Class — 67 points
6. Draco Class — 53 points
7. Crux Class — 31 points
8. Mensa Class — 27 points
"Fuck."
Everything was moving way too fast. Nothing like the original story.
One hundred and fifteen points? Seriously?
And that wasn't all.
Apus Class — Kaera's class — was right behind.
At this pace, we were screwed. We absolutely had to finish in the top two in this exam.
[Time: 12:00]
[Name: Noah Arryn]
[Class: Orion]
[Class Points: 67]
[Individual Points: 15]
[Class Objectives]
1. Eliminate 150 students: [30/150]
2. Eliminate 5 advanced-rank monsters: [0/5]
3. Reach 5000 class points: [67/5000]
[Available Data: Rules – Point System – Rewards – Map]
It's not that we're bad… Actually we're doing pretty good. It's just that the pace of the top two is absolutely insane…
Camila scratched the back of her head, clearly irritated, and let out a short sigh.
"Alright. I'm out."
She turned, stopping just before exiting the tent and said, without looking at me:
"Maelys is organizing the teams to rack up points. If you weren't half broken, I'd tell you to come. But for now, get some rest."
I pushed myself up slightly, wincing from the pain.
"No, I'm good. I'm coming too."
She froze for a second, turned her head toward me, hesitated. Her gaze scanned me from head to toe, then she shrugged.
"Whatever."
She left the tent, and I slowly got up to follow her.
Outside, the camp was bustling with activity. Students moved between tents, some patching up their gear, others checking their bracelets or discussing strategy.
We crossed the camp in silence, skirting the rest area to head toward the main structure.
Inside, several key figures bustled around a large magical table. Maps hovered above it, marked with runes, glowing points, and shifting circles. At the center stood Maelys. She held a mana tablet in one hand, Aram by her side, looking focused.
When Camila entered, Maelys looked up.
"Perfect, you're here. You're going with Maya's team to track the five Advanced-rank monsters."
Camila simply nodded.
I stepped forward.
"Can I come too?"
Silence.
Maelys's eyes landed on me — first surprised, then slightly annoyed. Aram looked at me too, raising an eyebrow. I could feel them assessing — not my skills, but my current condition.
"No," Maelys said flatly.
"This team is made up of the best. If you want to be useful, join the groups handling secondary quests. The ones that earn points without too much danger… that is, if you can find a team that wants you."
Her tone wasn't scornful, just realistic.
But before I could respond, Camila spoke up.
"He's coming."
Maelys stared at her, surprised.
"He has his qualities," she added without emotion.
"And I trust him."
A heavy silence settled around the table.
Maelys crossed her arms, weighing her options, then finally let out a breath.
"You're serious?"
Camila said nothing. She just waited.
Eventually, Maelys gave in with a small nod.
"Fine. But go now — we need to move quickly."
We both nodded and stepped out of the tent.
As soon as we crossed the threshold, I glanced at Camila.
"Thanks."
She waved her hand dismissively.
"Don't get excited. Don't put words in my mouth. It's not about trust."
I looked at her, puzzled.
She sighed.
"I know you need a Gornak horn for your damn potion. And guess what?"
She turned her eyes to me.
Her gaze, neutral at first, sharpened. Cold.
"The Gornak is one of the Advanced-rank monsters."
A silence fell between us.
Then she tilted her head slightly, her eyes still locked onto mine, studying every blink, every reaction.
"What a coincidence, huh?"
Her voice had turned drier, almost sharp.
She stepped closer, closing the distance between us.
"You gonna tell me that's just luck? That you're just blessed by the stars?"
I stayed silent. Her suspicion was clear. But she had no proof. Just a gut feeling.
And Camila's instincts were worth more than most evidence.
After all, if she had agreed to work with me in the first place, it was mainly because I'd piqued her curiosity — because her intuition told her there might be something worth digging into.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Sometimes, I get the feeling you know things you shouldn't. Like…"
She paused, her pupils hardening.
"Like you know the future."