(Elaine Vaelthorne's POV)
The ground trembled beneath my feet.
From the distance, beyond the crumbling ruins and ancient stone pillars, something massive moved.
A deep, guttural roar echoed through the air.
The first wave of monsters had arrived.
I tightened my grip on my twin swords, feeling the mana inside me stir, ready to be unleashed.
Evelyn and Morganna stood beside me, their eyes locked onto the approaching threat.
The exam had begun.
From the shadows of the ruins, hulking beasts emerged.
Dire Wolves—massive creatures with dark fur, glowing red eyes, and razor-sharp fangs.
There were dozens of them, prowling forward, their bodies tense like coiled springs, ready to lunge.
Behind them, stone golems rumbled to life, their rocky bodies cracking with magic-infused power.
And above us?
Winged harpies circled, their screeches filling the battlefield as they prepared to dive.
These weren't weak creatures.
Even a single one could overwhelm an untrained fighter.
For the weaker examinees, this would be the end.
I took a deep breath, mana surging through my veins.
A soft silver glow enveloped my swords as I activated my blessing.
The power of the Moon Huntress pulsed through me, merging with my nature magic.
Focus.
I channeled my magic into the earth, and immediately—
Vines erupted from the ground.
They twisted like living serpents, wrapping around the legs of the Dire Wolves, binding their movements.
The beasts snarled, struggling, but I didn't let them escape.
With a burst of speed, I dashed forward.
My twin swords sang through the air, slicing through fur and flesh, cutting them down before they could react.
One.
Two.
Three wolves fell within seconds.
Their bodies hit the ground, motionless.
But there were more coming.
I twisted mid-step, barely dodging as a harpy dove toward me, its talons slashing through the air.
I countered, my blade flashing—
A single crescent arc of silver light.
The harpy's screech cut off, its body falling lifelessly.
Beside me, Evelyn was a force of nature.
With her sword and shield, she moved with precision and discipline.
A Dire Wolf lunged at her, fangs bared—
But her shield met it head-on, stopping it mid-air.
With lightning-fast precision, she plunged her sword into its exposed throat, ending its life instantly.
Another wolf charged.
Evelyn turned, her sword glowing gold as she activated Athena's Blessing.
She sidestepped, bringing her blade down in a perfect, calculated arc.
The wolf was cleaved in two.
She didn't waste a single movement.
She fought like a warrior who had already survived a thousand battles.
A few feet away, Morganna fought like a specter in the night.
Her cursed rapier flashed, leaving behind a trail of black mist.
She didn't fight with brute force like Evelyn.
She fought with trickery, illusion, and precision.
A golem swung at her.
A heavy, stone fist that could crush a human instantly.
But the moment it struck—
Morganna's body vanished.
An afterimage.
The real Morganna was already behind it.
Her rapier sank into its rocky body, black energy corrupting the stone, spreading like a deadly poison.
The golem froze, its magic core cracking apart, and then—
It crumbled into dust.
Morganna smiled, her violet eyes glowing with eerie amusement.
"This is fun."
****
The entire field had turned into chaos.
All across the ruins, examinees fought for their survival.
Some worked together, forming temporary alliances.
Others?
They turned on each other, seeing this as an opportunity to eliminate the competition early.
Screams rang out as the weaker students fell.
The academy wasn't interfering.
They wouldn't step in unless someone was on the verge of dying.
This wasn't a friendly test.
This was a battlefield.
And only those who proved themselves would make it.
****
I cut down another harpy, its body hitting the ground as I landed in a crouch.
My breathing was steady.
I had barely broken a sweat.
But even as I fought—
My thoughts kept drifting to one person.
Alistair…
Where are you?
I knew he was here.
I knew he was fighting somewhere in this field.
Had he already taken down his enemies?
Was he moving alone?
Or had he been targeted the moment the battle started?
The thought sent a wave of unease through me.
I wanted to believe he was fine.
That he was strong enough to handle anything.
But I couldn't ignore the fact that the entire world was against him.
Even if he had survived this long, how much longer could he keep fighting alone?
I clenched my fists.
I had to find him.
But before I could move—
A new presence appeared.
****
A figure stepped forward through the battlefield, their aura crackling with power.
I turned, my instincts screaming at me to be cautious.
A young man with blood-red hair and piercing golden reptile eyes.
Dressed in a combat suit reinforced with draconic runes.
Dain Drakonis.
The Dragonkin Prince.
And one of the strongest examinees in this trial.
He smirked, flames flickering at his fingertips.
"I've been looking for worthy opponents," he said, his voice laced with excitement.
His golden eyes locked onto me, Evelyn, and Morganna.
A challenge.
I tightened my grip on my swords.
Evelyn raised her shield.
Morganna… simply smiled, her cursed aura flaring to life.
if Dain Drakonis wanted a fight?
We would give him one.
A low rumble echoed through the battlefield as Dain Drakonis stepped forward.
His golden eyes locked onto me, Evelyn, and Morganna, burning with unrestrained excitement.
Flames flickered around his clawed fingertips, and the air around him shimmered from the sheer heat radiating off his body.
"Three elites" he mused, his draconic aura flaring. "This should be interesting."
Boom!
Dain vanished.
No, not vanished—moved.
His speed was monstrous.
In an instant, he closed the distance, his fist wreathed in fire, aimed straight at Morganna.
But she was already moving.
Her body blurred—an illusory afterimage taking her place.
Dain's flaming punch obliterated the illusion, sending a shockwave of heat through the air.
Morganna reappeared a few feet away, her rapier crackling with dark energy.
She smirked. "Close."
Dain didn't even hesitate.
He pivoted mid-step, redirecting his momentum—
Straight toward Evelyn.
He struck fast, his claws igniting as he swung at her with a blazing arc of fire.
But Evelyn was ready.
She raised her shield, her Athena-given reflexes calculating the perfect angle of impact.
Boom!
The moment his attack connected, a golden barrier flared to life—absorbing the explosion of flames.
Without wasting a second, Evelyn countered.
Her sword lashed out in a golden streak, aiming for his exposed side.
But Dain was just as fast.
He twisted his body mid-air, his draconic scales hardening just in time to deflect the blade.
Sparks flew.
The two combatants locked eyes—warriors clashing on equal ground.
And then—
They both disengaged, leaping backward, resetting the fight.
For the first time, Dain grinned.
"You're good," he admitted, rolling his shoulders. "But let's see how long that defense lasts."
His mana flared—flames roaring even hotter.
I tightened my grip on my twin swords, stepping forward.
Dain's aura was overwhelming, but I wasn't about to stand back and watch.
I flicked my wrist—vines erupted from the ground, twisting toward him like living serpents.
But he saw it coming.
With a single burst of fire, he burned through my attack, the vines turning to ash before they could reach him.
I wasn't done.
Using the momentary distraction, I dashed forward—enhancing my speed with lunar mana.
Step. Dodge. Strike.
I wove between the dying flames, closing the distance—
Then slashed.
My swords flashed—two silver arcs aimed for his flank.
But—
Clang!
Dain raised his arm, blocking both blades with his scaled forearm.
The impact sent vibrations through my arms.
His defense was insane.
"You'll need more than that," he taunted.
Then, with explosive force,
His knee shot forward—faster than I expected.
I barely twisted my body, avoiding a direct hit, but the shockwave alone sent me skidding backward.
I felt the heat singe my combat suit, but I ignored it, regaining my stance.
Dain let out a breath, flames spilling from his mouth like a dragon preparing to incinerate its prey.
"I hope you're not holding back," he said, his aura flaring.
I exhaled, feeling my mana surge.
The moonlight above glowed faintly, amplifying my connection to the Huntress.
"I was about to say the same thing."
TO BE CONTINUE...