The day had almost marked its end as the remaining soft rays of sunlight managed to peer to the surface.
A group of five students and two older men gathered near a massive fence of thick walls and a semi-transparent barrier.
In front of them secluded a great gate, as metallic and pale as a basic wall, though it was thinner than it.
"Your mates left a couple of hours ago. Wishing you all good luck!" The man that spoke had short blonde hair and a beards – Mr. Ferron –
He wore a gleeful smile while staring at the wondrous outfit each of his students wore, stunned by the distinct aura radiating off them even though the attire was uniform.
"Elite master Blaze. I hope you find what you're looking for in my students."
"Of course!" Blaze Starlight, the Elite Master replied starring a bland smile atop his face, "I've seen their potential."
The principal nodded and walked towards the wall, swiftly planting his palms on the soft film of blue barrier on the wall.
A shockwave seemed to have stemmed from the contact as the barrier film vibrated on its position, dimming the parts around the giant gates.
"Passing through those gates will transport you to Moorloch Academy's forest ground."
Mister Ferron added, "The school awaits your arrival, at least before nighttime by tomorrow."
The formal composure of the Elite Master, as well as the dashing figures of his disciples, proceeded to walk through the pale gates of the wall.
At the blink of an eye, the group appeared in an eerie atmosphere, their gaze lost in an epitome of pitch blackness.
Each student unfortunately contrasted with the sharp eeriness of the surroundingsss, standing out as an avatar of colors upon a glittering robe of golden hue, worn underneath a half-length cape drawn from a metallic neck pad.
Their boots were a speck of perfection, sleek and golden with the glittering armor of their knee pads.
"Welcome to a glimpse of real-life kids! Your mission as of the moment is to clear an awakened beast."
The students nodded.
From what they'd read, the Awakened beast stood two levels above an original beast were wild creatures that hadn't responded to mana since Earth's invasion.
The tier rank was simply a movement from the original beast into mutated, and then the awakened beast.
Other tiers were the Blessed prototype, a definite challenge for students.
But as far as they were concerned, this adventure gave them something that no other students in the academy had - Real life experience.
The Elite Master barely finished his words when a repulsive screech bellowed through the forest.
The blood of the students boiled in absolute pressure, their eyes gazing around the blackness that hovered even over the trees.
The students however weren't curious for long.
The monster jumped out from wherever it had hidden, striking its horrific stature at the students.
Best to be described as a composition of the spine and nerve endings of a human body, the only solid part was a large brain that connected to its spinal cord.
Three of the monstrosities had laid siege on the students, pouncing at them even before they realized it.
The Elite Master made an instinctual attack, bombarding one of the creatures that jumped towards him with a brutal flare of white light.
Like an abyss, the monster was sucked into the white light. But also, the intense flare allowed the five students behind him a proper look at the forest.
Only massively tall trees ranged around them, each bearing one of the creatures that lurked against its barks.
The students lost in the hasty action were only bumped into reality by another wild flare of white light.
The monsters were approaching brutally, like sharks attracted to a spurt of fresh blood in the sea, but were also consumed in a burst of light.
While the Elite Master was lost in his continuous exhibition of power, he as well was aware that he could never eliminate all the monsters on a whim.
If the students remained stunned to plunge into action, then they would have died before he cleared the species.
And finally, a student had snapped from his shock.
"[Force Of Explosion]"
A tall chap beside Acer chanted after realizing one of the monsters had navigated its way from the Elite Master's unmerciful flares, crawling towards the group with its pair of stringy legs that floated inches from the ground.
In response, the beast exploded into a spurt of guts and blood. Coating everyone in a downpour of red droopy liquid.
"Where the fuck did that much blood come out from!" The student exclaimed.
Judging by the figurines, he could have sworn they'd barely bring out any blood - but it seemed he couldn't guess the books by their cover.
Instantaneously, a pair of monsters lunged at them at lightning speed, both aiming at the pale facade of one of the students who was lost in their demeaning sight.
Acer who saw the monsters lunge at him with such impalpable speed could only shut his eyes and grit his teeth.
Perhaps, he would be the student to show the class how much damage the monster could deal.
"[Push]"
Although cast over a pool of blood, the boy beside him defended the latter with a simple push-off skill.
"Acer! What is up with you?"
Acer saw the anger that swelled in the boy's face.
It looked like he could hit Acer, but still bottled it because of the Elite Master's presence.
The three other students gave him a chilling look as well. And from the side-eyes of the Elite Master, it seemed to be immersed in a more bloodcurdling, and condescending stare.
All eyes soon gazed into the number on the latter's watch.
"Zero?"
Adam asked, disconnected from the receding chaos of the forest, bore from the monsters that seemed to have endured enough of the Elite Master's unholy flare of light.
"Acer Pierce! What number is on your watch." The Elite Master asked, his face purged with a chilling frown.
"Z… ze-zero."
At that moment, everyone understood what was going on.
The tears that welled in Acer's eyes, and his faded complexion furthermore confirmed their suspicion.
Did Acer Pierce become mana disabled?
"Acer Pierce! Are you mana disabled?"
At that moment, the tears that had only threatened to escape his eyes came running down like they were from a broken pipe.
He could never stare at his mates or the Elite Master, in the eyes. It was shameful – if not even disdainful.
But for some reason, he still wanted to know how Adam felt. Probably he was smiling or cared less about whatever was his problem.
But when their gaze met, he only saw a pair of pale eyes, their hazel brown color shining in the darkness. Everything else was subtle, and perhaps locked within himself, but he was shocked by the discovery.
Acer had had enough of the looks that preyed on him.
From the Elite Master's disgust to the sour and unbelieving stares of his schoolmates.
At this rate, he would do everything to become invincible, and protected from the shame.
His brain wanted to escape all of it, and his next reaction was a race into the darkness.
"Elite Master!"
Adam gazed at the elite master in response to Acer who ran into the pitchy blackness, "Shouldn't we go after him?.. He's – he's vulnerable."