As soon as Maximus reached the university, he noticed that around 20 buses were parked outside of the gate, each carrying heaps of supplies atop them. Following them were around ten trucks, probably filled with their supplies too.
When he entered the campus, there were several signs along the way which pointed students who have registered for the field trip to head over to the public square. Once there, Maximus noticed that a large crowd had already gathered, with there being several smaller groups among them.
William was a loner thorough and thorough, like mentioned earlier, the only reason he even became friends with David was to leech off his familiarity with the grocery store and his willingness to help. Aside from that, he had no proper friendly relationship with anyone aside from talking during the class.
Maximus noticed through his memories that his classmates weren't too fond of him either. Although his short contact with them helped hide his despicable personality, the little time he spent talking still leaked of his crappy attitude.
His willingness to go to the university itself was probably a lasting influence of their parents on him, similar to his sister cooking extra portions of meals. Maximus reckoned these instances of influences would've soon waned off anyway as it had already been three months since their parents died.
With no one to talk to, Maximus stood alone near the corner of the square while he began scouting the groups. No one knew what the trip would be, always good to have information about people he would be going with.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed that the student council couple, one of whom he suspected to be a supernatural being, was also present, talking with people in their own group. He hurriedly remembered the faces of that group and moved on to avoid attracting attention.
Approximately ten minutes later, the principal walked in with two bodyguards in tow, his tummy fat wobbling with each step he took.
Facing the crowd on the podium, he addressed the excited students,
"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed students of our wonderful university.
"As we stand here today, on the cusp of an exciting adventure, I am filled with immense pride and joy. We are about to embark on a field trip that will not only be filled with fun and laughter but also with unforgettable moments of learning and growth.
"I encourage you to embrace this opportunity to step beyond your comfort zones and discover the wonders that await us. Throughout this journey, remember that we are not just students but representatives of this university.
"Yes, there will be three more universities joining us on the trip. At the last moment, for a little harmless fun, we've decided there would be several tasks and the university with best performance would be given prize money. Of course, if y'all win, the entire money will be distributed among you guys, I won't take a single penny. Make me proud my dear students.
"As we venture into the unknown, let's cherish every moment, savor every experience, and make memories that will stay with us forever. Take the chance to make new friends and open your minds to new perspectives.
"Always keep in mind your moral compass and the values that have guided us here. Be kind, compassionate, and responsible in your actions. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey, and I wish you all a safe and memorable field trip!
"Now, let's go out there and make this adventure truly remarkable!
"…
"…
"... "
Almost yawning out loud, Maximus muttered under his breath,
"So long speeches of principals stay constant in any world you go to."
Instantly, the crowd of almost 200 students followed the principal out of the gate, where they reached just in time to witness the other three universities arriving with their respective headmasters, who, contrary to the fatty, were of medium build.
Maximus's university's name was Serenity, while the other three were Accadia, Harmony, and Cascade university respectively.
The four universities with 800 students filled 16 of 20 buses, each having a capacity of 50 while the other four buses were filled with principals, professors and the private armies.
Unfortunately fortunately, not sure which, he noticed that his partner was one of the members of the group which the couple belonged to. He planned to let nature take its course, that is, ignore.
Alas, it seemed that nature had different plans though,
"So? What is your name?"
Turning to the brunette sitting beside him, Maximus replied with the original name to avoid confusion.
"William Clark. You?"
"Seraphina Hawthorne. Is it your first time out in the wilderness?"
Technically, as a archeologist in what he should now refer to as past life, he had indeed been in the wilderness plenty of times with his dad and the team but William had neve left this city, so he replied,
"Yes, I haven't even left this city once. Do you have experience with it though?"
"Nope haha. But we should be fine, the principal has always been reliable plus all four of them have brought their private armies with them."
"I hope so."
Just like how cities here on Earth were circular shaped, different to his original planet, there were a few more differences here, in that large corporations were allowed to have their own private armies here. Even after extensively searching the internet, Maximus hadn't come across a proper reason as to why it was so. Everyone inherently felt it was the right thing to do so.
The rest of the journey was him making small talks with Seraphina. She was a beautiful brunette, her hair shade on the darker side coupled with caramel highlights flowing freely down her shoulders. Her brown eyes just added to the elegance she exuded while taking.
Being a young man, Maximus was happy to engage with her. Several times she left to mingle among her group and returned swiftly. Naturally, Maximus knew it wasn't because she detested him or was finding him a bother but she truly was simply spending time with her group too. It worked in his favor that they were in different classes so she didn't know anything about William.
The trip lasted approximately three hours - two to leave the city and one to arrive at the spot in the wilderness.
Maximus watched with wonder as the army rapidly made a supply station and began distributing the supplies. Their mobile phones and other dangerous objects, like guns, if anyone bought them, were taken by the army.
The principal of Serenity Universe, that fatty, Sebastian, took the lead and addressed the huge crowd of 800 students standing in an already cleared expanse forest,
"We are finally here little guys. Don't panic, we've only confiscated the mobile phones and other items to let you enjoy the real joy of living in the wilderness. We will still let you keep the supplies you bought yourself though don't worry.
"I recommend everyone to form groups of minimum three first, as few of the supplies we have here would be given to groups rather than individually. An example would be tents and flares, incase of the latter, do not hesitate to fire at the first sign of danger to avoid mortal danger.
"Lastly, the army will be deployed at the perimeter to prevent unwarranted circumstances. So, it's best to not to do anything unethical alright? I guarantee no amount of authority will save you if you are caught by me.
"Alright, here's your first task: establish a base before midnight. Since we can't expect everyone to move together, the university with the most groups having an acceptable location and setup will win this round. The better your location and setup, the more points you'll earn. Also, remember that the fewer supplies you consume by the end of this trip, the more points you'll score. We'll be there watching you, good luck."
The army resumed working swiftly after the speech, leaving only the personal supplies like food, water and clothes bought by students to them, additional supplies were allotted to each student and some to a group.
[Individual - compass, water purifying tablets, compressed biscuits, frozen meals, chocolates, 7 sets of clothing, mini first-aid kit, lighter, pocket knife, flashlight, insect and animal repellents, sanitizer, soap, ID card, trash bags]
[Group - tent, flares, 2 water dispenser bottles, portable bathroom, mini camping stove, cooking utensils, large first-aid kit, big flashlight and batteries]
The individual items barely amounted to a backpack, leaving more than enough space and strength to carry the group supplies.
"Hey, aren't you alone?"
'Ouch, that hurt you vicious girl.' Forcing a smile, Maximus replied,
"Yea, I happen to lack a group I could join. Is there any way I could join yours?"
Maximus didn't know if his use of abilities would invoke a similar sense of detection in other supernatural beings, but it was still better than being in some other group.
First, it would be safer, there weren't even enemies, so there was a chance they could develop a better relationship if he got exposed — ignoring the possibility he would not even use his ability — and that was a massive gain.
Second, Maximus was already familiar with Seraphina, far more than any other student, including William's interactions. So it was pleasant to be in a group with someone you knew.
"Of course. Come on, they are already gathering their supplies, I'll introduce them to you."