The academy's entrance exam is not for the weak hearted. Designed to test not only strength but also intelligence, endurance, and adaptability, it was a trial that had hurt many before. This year, 590 students stood on the precipice of their fate, each with a singular goal—to carve their name into the academy's student list.
Some would say that children of this low age shouldn't even try to pull tests of this nature. Many agreed, yet had no say in the academy's influence.
Adding onto that, some argued back that students who could pass these entrance trails had wonderful potential, and that they did not want to raise fodder as future talent.
Despite those arguments It was well-known that failing to pass meant more than just rejection.
It meant humiliation, very rarely did a student die, however…the possibilities weren't outside of the equation.
Only those who reached the finish line in the first trial would earn the right to move forward.
The entrance exam consisted of three grueling trials:
Trial One: The Survival Trek – Examinees had to survive for three days in the vast, perilous Setsu Forest while navigating towards the hidden finish line, rankings were fixed on arrival, meaning the more students arrived at the finish line the more others would have it easier at finding it, later arrivals meant lower scores.
Trial Two: The Great Hunt – Set in the infamous Dead Labyrinth, filled with monstrous creatures lurking within its depths. Most of the time, Instructors can save the participants from certain death, or they could surrender beforehand, in which case they'd be escorted out and failed.
Trial Three: The Ranking Duels – The final test, was one where participants had to battle one another, proving their worth and ranks in direct combat. The higher your score here meant that your standing as a first year student was to be higher.
The announcement of these trials had sent waves of excitement and anxiety through the crowd.
Many had prepared for survival situations.
"Return the guides and go in!"
An instructor barked, his voice carrying the authority of a seasoned in-bred nobleman.
One by one, students handed over their thick guidebooks—books that had contained valuable survival tips—before stepping toward a towering, shimmering magic gate.
The one who had conjured it was an imposing man with scarlet-red eyes and hair that matched his scarlet eyes, his presence something faint, but present.
His sharp gaze swept over the examinees, assessing them as they passed through.
The moment the last student entered, the gate snapped shut behind them.
And just like that—
They were cut off from the outside world. The trail grounds, where the test would take place were a mysterious academy secret, but it's vaguely believed that they're artificially constructed.
Silence settled over the examinees as they took in their surroundings. The Setsu Forest was unlike any ordinary woodland.
The dense canopy above obscured much of the sky, allowing only slivers of light to filter through. An eerie fog drifted between the thick trunks, shifting like living tendrils.
The air was thick, damp, and filled with the distant cries of unknown creatures.
Some students turned back instinctively, but the portal was gone.
Reality struck.
There was no turning back.
590 students had entered, but only those who reached the finish line would move on.
The examinees were quick to recognize the dangers of traveling alone. Within minutes, many scattered into groups conversing amongst themselves.
Three major groups had formed, each with a unique approach:
One. Group Survivor – The largest faction, boasting 273 students. They believed that relying on numbers to ensure protection was most efficient and were led by a brash yet charismatic young man, chosen as the leader by the insecurities he seemed to lack in the face of others.
Two. Group Lodus – A medium-sized group of 191 students, preferring strategy and cooperation over brute force. They favored the idea of logical decision-making and careful planning.
Three. Group Restless – The smallest of the three with 126 members. The ideology in this group was aggressivity. They saw everyone as competition and were probably the ones who wanted to reach the highest ranks the most.
Koku observed them carefully. Each group had strengths and weaknesses, but after a brief deliberation, he made his choice.
He joined Group Lodus. It probably was the one to attract less attention since its being in the middle ground while being the logical group.
This was better in idea than joining the group with 'anger issues' or a sheer numbers group. A loud group would find trouble by attracting lots of creatures.
In the case the big group could defend against the well. They'd encounter equal trouble, supplies.
As he chose to blend into the ranks, the air shifted.
The tree's shade looming over him.
The wind stirred through the trees, rustling the leaves in a rhythmic whisper, as if the forest itself was listening in on the tense exchange.
Shadows wavered in the dimming light, stretching and curling like silent spectators to the confrontation about to unfold.
"Hey,"
A voice called out, brimming with confidence, touched by arrogance.
The approaching figure was taller than most, his presence commanding in a way that demanded attention.
His smirk, sharp and calculated, his eyes flickered with amusement as he scanned the group, his gaze carrying the weight of someone who had already decided the outcome before anyone else had spoken.
Yuusha, the one blessed by the world and the self-proclaimed leader of Group Survivor, carried himself with an undeniable air of superiority.
He was here, due to the higher ups inability to interfere with the other higher academies social structure.
He was favored by the world, and given blessings to suit it, he is the rumored hero.
"Nice to meet ya."
Koku barely acknowledged him, offering only the barest shift of his gaze before looking elsewhere.
It wasn't an act of defiance, nor was it intimidation. It was indifference—an absence of interest so profound that it bordered on dismissal.
People like Yuusha thrived on recognition, on the weight of their words affecting others. They fed on reactions, on the push-and-pull of social maneuvering.
Koku saw no need to entertain such a game, he couldn't even feel anything.
Yuusha wasn't gaining anything from this, even the moment he thought of approaching Koku.
Yuusha, however, was not so easily deterred.
"Some of my friends said they saw you reading the full guide in that little time,"
He continued, his voice carrying an easy charm that belied the sharpness underneath.
"That true? We could use someone like you if it is. And if it isn't—well, the more the merrier."
Silence.
Yuusha's smirk twitched at the edges. He wasn't accustomed to being ignored, and patience was not a virtue he possessed in great measure.
"Hmmm, look, we're all pretty young… and not many of us can read well yet, if at all. I'd love to have you on board, so why don't you—"
"Cut it out,"
A voice interrupted, cool and unwavering.
The words sliced through the air like a blade drawn from its sheath.
A boy with striking blue hair and piercing silver eyes stepped forward, his movements fluid, carrying an effortless feeling that was neither forced nor boisterous.
His gaze met Yuusha's with an almost lazy confidence, yet there was an undeniable steel beneath it.
Aron Silverkest, the leader of Group Lodus.
"He's already with us. Move along."
Yuusha's expression flickered—first irritation, then curiosity. His head tilted slightly as he examined Aron, as though reassessing him entirely.
"And who the hell are you to speak like that?"
A heavy silence settled between them, dense and charged. It was the kind of quiet that came not from a lack of words, but from the weight of an unspoken challenge.
The surrounding students felt it, too, their conversations dying down as they became passive observers to the standoff.
It was not merely a battle of words but of presence—two leaders measuring the other, determining whether they were worth considering as equals or as obstacles.
Whilst this occurred, Koku's thoughts weighed on how Sabito would look at this scene in first person, had he been in his current shoes.
"Woahh~these kids acting like they're cool, strong or something else…hell, thinking about it. I'm a kid too. Heh, a cool one for sure, the lazy logical type everyone loves."
Would be his inner thoughts Koku thought had Sabito stood in his position.
Before the tension could escalate further, a girl from Yuusha's group leaned in, whispering something into his ear.
Whatever she said was enough to shift his demeanor, and his smirk returned in full force.
"Tch. Whatever,"
He muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he turned away.
"Have fun with your small group."
With that, Group Survivor melted into the crowd, disappearing under the waning light, voices to murmurs, and to nothing.
Their absence left behind an unsettling ripple in the atmosphere, as though their presence had only been the beginning of something larger.
The remaining students gradually left with their group as well, each making their way toward their chosen destinations.
The sun had begun its descent, its golden light filtering through the thick canopy, bathing the forest in hues of amber and deep crimson.
Shadows stretched longer with each passing moment, swallowing the undergrowth in pools of darkening ink.
The journey east had been grueling, forcing them through dense foliage, jagged rock formations, and unseen pitfalls lurking beneath thick layers of fallen leaves.
Every step carried the weight of uncertainty, every sound a potential threat waiting to strike from the shadows.
As the little visible daylight crept away, the group shifted priorities.
Some scouted ahead, mapping out the safest path forward. Others foraged, seeking out water sources and edible plants, their survival instincts sharpening with necessity, it turned out that not everyone here was useless.
Those with a grasp on rudimentary magic conjured small fires, their flickering embers offering not only warmth but a fragile sense of security against the approaching night.
Koku sat apart from the others, his back pressed against the rough bark of a towering tree. The firelight barely reached him, leaving his form half-shrouded in darkness.
His violet-purple eyes traced the movements of his teammates, watching them converse, strategize, and in some cases, simply distract themselves from the now heavy reality of the exam.
Footsteps approached, the crisp crunch of leaves underfoot breaking the quiet.
"Hi, mind if we sit?"
A girl asked.
The voice was light but kind, carrying an ease that suggested familiarity with social interaction.
Koku gave a silent nod.
The boy beside the girl dropped down onto the grass without hesitation.
"I'm Dan,"
He introduced, stretching his legs out in front of him.
"And this is April."
April offered a warm smile as she settled beside him.
"Nice to meet you. What's your name?"
The girl asked the silent, stoic boy.
"Koku."
His response was brief, but neither Dan nor April seemed to mind. If anything, they took it as a sort of encouragement somehow to continue.
"That guy from earlier—Yuusha,"
Dan started, resting his arms on his knees,
"He's trouble. Probably the type to want to be famous. Thinks numbers will win him this exam."
April rolled her eyes.
"He's an opportunist. He doesn't actually care about who's in his group, just that he has people to use as meat shields."
Koku remained silent. It wasn't that he disagreed—he simply saw no need to state the obvious.
"You read the full guide, right?"
Dan asked, leaning in slightly.
"Is it true? That you memorized it all in that short time?"
A pause.
Then, a small nod.
Dan let out a low whistle.
"No wonder Yuusha wanted you. I couldn't even read the first page… a mind like that? That's cool."
April tilted her head, studying Koku with open curiosity.
"You don't talk much, did something happen to you, is your throat okay?"
Koku stared at them with a tasteless, perfectly still expression,
"Think his throats fine, maybe he kissed a girl and got the cooties and wants to save us all~"
Dan teased April with ghost sounds as he raised his hands into the air imitating a zombie.
This bought Dan a look and a pinch from April. Then Koku replied to the previous question,
'You don't talk much'
"Not really."
She chuckled lightly.
"That's fine. We like to talk plenty."
The girl smiled looking in the direction of Dan, catching his support.
"If you want, we could do the talking for you, then."
Koku nodded at the offer, although he wouldn't be needing it ever.
The three of them fell into a comfortable silence, the night air carrying a crisp chill as nocturnal creatures began to stir in the distance.
The fire flickered, casting long, wavering shadows against the trees.
"You know,"
April mused after a moment,
"I heard that there are ruins somewhere east of the academy. Really old ones. Some say they hold hidden treasures and super secret secrets that could help you in life forever."
Dan scoffed.
"Sounds like a rumor meant to send people on a wild goose chase, i mean no one knows where this place is but the principal and maybe some other higher ups."
April shrugged, but there was a glimmer of excitement in her eyes.
"Maybe. But wouldn't it be cool if it were true? Imagine what we could find."
She turned her gaze to Koku.
"I bet you'd figure out the ruins' secrets before anyone else with that mind."
Dan chuckled.
"Yeah, probably. If he actually decided to share the info or even went there to start it off."
Koku remained silent, though the idea lingered in his mind longer than he expected.
Before he could dwell on it further, a sharp whistle cut through the camp.
Aron stood at the center, his stance unwavering, his gaze sweeping over the group with measured authority.
"Get some rest,"
He instructed.
"We'll move at the first hour of sunrise. The deeper we go, the harder it'll get. So be prepared to lose anything you have."
April looked over at Dan, sighing joyfully.
"Whatever I lose, I know this one will stick beside me."
Dan protested.
"I've only been hanging out with you since we've been friends from birth."
His embarrassed expression, visible.
One by one, the members of Group Lodus settled in for the night, wrapping themselves in what little comfort they could find amidst the forest floor.
Koku remained still for a moment longer, watching the flames dance, his thoughts spiraling into the unknown.
This exam wasn't just about survival from the likes of it since students like himself would have been passed quickly.
It was about something far more intricate—a battle of wits, of calculated risks and or unseen consequences.
It could even be something to teach the students while young.
In the end, only the strongest—or the smartest—would endure, or at least that's the idea.
As the fire burned low, Koku finally closed his eyes, allowing the darkness to consume him, if only for a little while.
As April and Dan conversed, something gnawed at the back of Koku's resting mind.
He recalled something he had read earlier in the guidebook.
The Night Owl.
Then a flashback from earlier that day.
While skimming the guidebook, Koku had stumbled upon an entry about a deadly nocturnal predator.
Night Owl:
Active only at night.
Has incredible night vision and a 360-degree field of view.
Hunts silently, making no noise while flying.
Possesses razor-sharp talons and a beak capable of piercing metal.
Can emit paralyzing sound waves to immobilize prey.
Hunts in packs of 2-4.
A sudden, physical feeling crept up his spine, a chill.
Almost like an animal's instincts, prey animals.
This reminded him of the rabbits he killed when he still had his mother.
They could sense it quickly.
Koku's gaze snapped upward.
His blood ran cold which confused him.
A pair of massive talons descended from the darkness—
—Aiming straight for his head.
Without hesitation, Koku launched himself forward, rolling just as the claws slashed through the air where he had been sitting.
SCHWING!
A metallic sound rang out as he summoned his aura sword, its purple glow illuminating his face.
Chaos erupted.
Screams filled the air as students scrambled to their feet. Some ran blindly, others fumbled for weapons of any kind.
"Form a circle! Back to back!"
Aron yelled, commanding as much as he could despite also being panicked and unprepared, drawing his miniature iron sword in the process.
From the treetops, more glowing eyes emerged.
There wasn't just one Night Owl.
There were four.
April acted fast yanking orbs from her pouch and chanted a spell.
"Lumos Flare!"
The orbs already a small glow began to brighten rapidly.
She hurled them into the air, causing small blinding white explosions where every orb was.
They did nearly nothing and were to illuminate the area to see whatever was up there.
The Night Owls screeched in pain as their eyes were suddenly exposed to so much light.
Koku darted forward.
CLANG!
His sword clashed against razor-sharp talons. Sparks flew.
A piercing screech rang out.
The beast lunged.
Koku dodged, rolling to the side before slashing upward.
A streak of purple light flashed—
—The beast's head hit the ground.
Within ten minutes, two Night Owls had been slain—one by Koku, the other by Aron with the students.
The remaining beasts let out haunting cries before retreating into the sky.
They were gone.
For now.
A student collapsed.
"Finally... it's over."
But Koku didn't relax.
After an hour of ensuring safety, Aron approached him, extending a hand.
"That was impressive,"
He said with an appreciative nod.
"You knew about them in advance, didn't you? Seems that the guide reading thing Yuusha mentioned earlier really was true."
Koku glanced at him but didn't answer immediately.
Aron chuckled.
"I have to ask… would you consider—"
Koku raised an eyebrow.
"Hmmm?"
Aron's eyes gleamed.
"Would you consider being my friend and subordinate in the future?"
He beamed as he cupped both of Koku's hands in his own, his grip warm and full of energy.
"I plan to be someone special when I grow up and graduate from the academy."
He followed up his request with a statement.