The Sword Academy has a variety of ways to test their students' survival skills, both inside and outside the dangerous dungeon, known as the Dungeon Monster. Some Dungeon Monsters cannot survive for long outside the dungeon, while others can. These monsters, referred to as Mana Beasts, were once normal creatures before the manifestation of mana on Earth. For example, a normal wolf could turn into a Mana Beast, with the transformation depending on the species. However, the true threat is not limited to monsters or beasts—it is the humans themselves. Should we still call them humans? I am uncertain. Nonetheless, the majority of people refer to them as demon worshipers or devil cultists. These individuals are humans who worship demons or any other beings associated with the dark side in exchange for power. They capture beginners who have just awakened to their abilities and use them as sacrificial offerings or experimental materials. Therefore, this trial is not merely a simple camping trip; it is a group survival camp where participants can even attack each other to steal points. It is a competition.
"Alright, cadets," Ms. Camille addressed the group. "We are about to venture into a dungeon owned by our school. But don't fret, it's just a rank E dungeon. Some of you are only ranked F to E+, so there's no need to worry. This will be a team-based survival camp, which means that if you work together, you can easily defeat an E-ranked monster. Check your holographic watches, which we will distribute one by one. They will display details about the dungeon and the monsters you'll be facing. We have a total of six dungeons, with five teams assigned to each one. In each team, there will be four cadets. You can view your teammates and their details on your SH Watch. The only rule is no killing, and if you find yourself in danger, you can send a distress signal on your smart holographic watch. However, be mindful that using this signal will result in a deduction of your points. Call for help only when absolutely necessary. With that said, get yourselves ready. You have 30 minutes to check your survival tools and equipment, and we will be inspecting for any illegal items. If we find anything in your team, all of you will be automatically disqualified from this trial exam, receiving zero points. Now, prepare yourselves."
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After Ms. Camille's speech, I checked my SH Watch to see who would be my teammates.
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TEAM 3
Natalie Heart
Natasha Belza
Luna Torres
Crius Raven
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"Not bad," I thought to myself. I only know Natalie from the bow clan. I'm not familiar with the rest, but maybe I should showcase some of my survival skills. I've always been excellent at camping. Before meeting my disciples, it was just me and the wilderness. But now.
!!!
My expression full of confidence become panic and confustion I don't know what happened. It feels like i fogot something.
!!
I can't remember half of what happen to me on another world what the hell happened.. is it effects of going back?
"Hey," a voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I turned to see a girl next to me, her black hair flowing down to her shoulders. She had a petite figure and held a cane in her hand as she looked up at me with concern and worry in her eyes.
"Hello," I greeted her, still trying to process what had just happened.
"Hey, listen. What happened to you? You're sweating so much. You look like you've seen a ghost," she asked, her voice filled with genuine concern.
"Oh, I'm alright. I'm just nervous," I replied, trying to brush off the strange experience.
"It's normal to be nervous. So, you're one of my teammates," she said, a small smile appearing on her face.
"I suppose I am. What's your name?" I asked, realizing I had forgotten to introduce myself.
"Oh, how rude of me. I'm Luna Torres. I play the role of support. I can heal and buff. By the way, have you already met the rest of our team?" she inquired.
"Not yet. Let's go look for them. We only have 30 minutes," I suggested.
"You're right."
I followed Luna while my mind continued to wander, pondering what had happened to me. After a couple of minutes, we finally found the rest of our team, and I felt a sense of calm wash over me. Natalie was accompanied by a girl with fire-red hair and tan skin, her hourglass figure exuding strength and muscle. I assumed her name was Natasha. It appeared that there were only four of us, and Luna was with me. I noticed some of the guys whispering to each other while stealing glances at me.
I turned my attention to our team and realized that I was the only guy among us. Interrupting my contemplation, Natalie called us over.
"I'm going to be the leader. Any objections?" she asked.
We all shook our heads.
"Good. So I'll assign you all tasks for camping and combat. We have a balanced team, so let's stick to the basic formation. The tank will be at the front, and as the spear user, that's your position, right?" she questioned, looking at me.
"Yes," I replied.
"Great. You'll be with Natasha. Luna will be in the center, and I'll take care of the back. I have a good sense of danger, so I'll handle that. As for the camp, Crius, you're in charge of setting it up. I'll go hunting with Natasha, and Luna, you'll be responsible for creating defensive magic around the camp and using spells to eliminate our scent so that monsters won't detect us. Are we clear?" Natalie explained, her commanding presence shining through her words.
"Yes," we all responded in unison.
"Not bad," I thought to myself. Natalie seemed like a capable leader. Maybe I should just give it my all when it comes to setting up our base. After our discussion, we checked our weapons, tools, and supplies provided by the school. We had limited food and were told that we would have to hunt for our own sustenance. Thirty minutes had quickly passed,
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"Are all of you ready? I'm going to call the team that's going to enter the dungeon, so if I call, your team will move forward. Let's get started."
"Team 1! "
"Team 2! "
"Team 3! "
.
.
.
"After entering, you have 20 minutes before you are allowed to attack the other team! You may enter
****
After we step inside the dungeon, we see a big forest full of tall trees. I look at the other team and notice them looking queasy. Ignoring them, Natalie signals that we should move forward, and she starts running. Luna follows suit, and we run for two hours before deciding to find a good place to camp.
We come across a massive tree, standing at a height of 120 meters. Natalie volunteers to check if there are any monsters inhabiting the tree. She jumps from branch to branch to climb up and returns after five minutes, informing us that there are no monsters. I had actually scared them away with my intimidating aura.
With that settled, I start to build our base while Natalie approaches Luna, who possesses water and earth elemental abilities, to help flatten the ground and create a comfortable floor. Luna does so with her magic, and I express my gratitude. Luna then informs me that she will go and install the defense barrier, as it is her responsibility.
As I finish the base inside, I go outside and notice the surprised expressions on the tree of there faces. Natasha is the first to speak up, mentioning how talented I am in creating the base.
Natalie chimes in, reminding us not to let our guard down, as there are still other cadets present in the dungeon. She specifically warns against going outside the barrier alone. We all nod in understanding, and Natalie suggests going inside since we haven't found any monsters to hunt yet. Luckily, our academy provided enough food to sustain us for two days.
After we finish our meal, we take turns watching for any dangers during the night. As the first one on watch, I hear a scream in the distance. Natalie doesn't seem to have heard it, as she is still inside the base. I feel the need to investigate, but Natalie's warning echoes in my mind. However, Natasha comes out of the base for her turn, and I see an opportunity.
"It's my turn now; you can rest," Natasha says.
"Yeah, thanks, but I need to go somewhere," I reply.
"Where? Natalie said not to go out alone!" Natasha protests.
"I know, but I really need to go. If not, I'm going to wet myself. If you want, you can come with me," I suggest.
"No, you can go by yourself," Natasha responds, her cheeks turning slightly red.
"Thanks," I say appreciatively before running off.
I need to find out where that scream came from. I run as fast as I can towards the source of the sound