Snowy awoke to the first light of dawn, his eyes slowly adjusting to the new day. He rubbed his hair into place, then got up and made his way to the bathroom. The morning routine was a familiar ritual: brushing his teeth, washing his face, and preparing for the day ahead.
As he exited his room, he saw Emily. She greeted him with a cheerful "Good morning," but Snowy, lost in his thoughts, gave her a curt nod and continued on his way. Today was crucial—his final exam awaited, and he needed to be focused.
Snowy followed Emily through the academy grounds to the exam center. She had proven to be a helpful guide, and he appreciated her knowledge of the shortcuts. Arriving at the exam center, Snowy found a towering building covered in thick metal plating. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of exam required such heavy security. His curiosity was about to be answered.
The building was a hub of activity as candidates gathered, chatting nervously. An announcer stepped forward, catching everyone's attention.
"Good morning, everyone," he began with enthusiasm. "Today's final exam is unlike any other you've encountered. We've discovered portals to other worlds, and you'll be using them in this exam. These portals lead to ten different realms. Some are hostile, filled with beasts and creatures you've never seen before. Your task is to gather resources or, if necessary, deal with any threats that come your way."
Snowy's interest was piqued. The idea of traveling between worlds was intriguing, but he quickly tempered his excitement. He'd already been through one other worlds, and this seemed more like another test of survival.
The crowd's excitement grew as the announcer explained the exam's nature. They cheered loudly, their enthusiasm echoing through the city. Snowy, however, remained unfazed. He'd faced challenges before, and this was just another obstacle.
As the students prepared to enter the portal, Snowy observed their chatter about the beasts they might encounter. Most seemed naive, their fears exaggerated. Snowy, with his previous experiences, knew that while beasts could be formidable, they were manageable if approached correctly.
Standing before the portal, Snowy muttered to himself, "I wonder if we're the ones invading those other worlds, like in those manhwa where monsters break through the gates to bring chaos."
With that, he stepped into the portal, following the stream of candidates. The light was blinding, and Snowy closed his eyes until it faded. When he opened them, he found himself in a dense forest, surrounded by other candidates who were still recovering from the disorienting transition. Emily was among them, looking slightly dazed.
"Oh, Snowy, you're here!" Emily exclaimed, noticing him.
Snowy surveyed the scene. "Looks like most people are still on the ground. I guess the blinding light took them by surprise."
Emily nodded, glancing at the fallen candidates. "Yeah, I wasn't expecting it either. But you seem unaffected."
Snowy shrugged. "I'm used to bright lights. It's nothing new."
In truth, Snowy wasn't entirely honest. His lack of reaction to the blinding light as many births first time opening his eyes was as bright as this, because a new born opening their eyes right away is not good.
As they began exploring, Snowy heard rustling in the bushes. He tensed, ready for a potential threat. To his surprise, a rabbit emerged, its leg bleeding. Snowy picked up the injured creature, noting its distress.
He approached Emily, who was trying to wake a fellow candidate. "Hey, I found this rabbit. It needs help, any thing at disposal?"
Emily looked at the rabbit and immediately took action. She unwrapped a bandage from her bag and carefully wrapped it around the rabbit's injured leg. After a few minutes, Emily set the rabbit free, and it hopped away, looking slightly better.
"Well, that's one good deed done," Emily said with a smile. "Thanks for bringing it to me."
Snowy nodded. "I did what I could. But now, what exactly is our mission here?"
Emily pulled out a notepad, reviewing the instructions they had received. "We need to gather as many resources as possible by either killing high-grade beasts or collecting materials. The portal will stay open for a limited time, so we should make the most of it."
"Alright," Snowy said, "let's get started. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can get out of here."
The duo ventured deeper into the forest, encountering various beasts along the way. True to form, Snowy and Emily handled the threats efficiently, their combined skills making short work of the creatures. They gathered plenty of resources and were about to head back when a particularly dangerous beast appeared.
It was a massive bear-like creature, radiating an aura of pure mana. Snowy and Emily immediately sensed the danger.
"Careful!" Snowy shouted as the mana beast swung its claws menacingly.
Emily moved to strike, but Snowy noticed an arrow streaking towards her. Instinctively, he leaped into the path of the arrow, catching it just in time.
"When did beasts start using arrows?" Snowy wondered aloud.
Another arrow followed, faster and more deadly. Emily and Snowy dodged it barely, realising that staying put would be fatal. They sprinted towards the portal, but the mana bear was relentless, chasing them with surprising speed.
"What should we do?" Emily asked, her voice tinged with panic. "This beast is too fast. If we lead it to the portal, it could endanger the other candidates."
Snowy assessed the situation quickly. "I'll distract it. You get the candidates through the portal and make sure everyone is safe. I'll catch up later."
Emily hesitated but nodded. "Are you sure? I can help."
"No," Snowy replied firmly. "The arrow... something or someone else is shooting these clearly not wanting us here so if the beast finds unconscious candidates when any of us reach them, it could be disastrous. Go now!"
Emily took off towards the portal, and Snowy turned to face the mana bear. He taunted it, leading it away from the portal. As the bear charged, Snowy used his agility to dodge its attacks and strike back with precision. He employed the Hound Clan's technique, Ten Fangs, slashing and digging into the bear's flesh.
The bear roared in pain, thrashing violently. Snowy continued his assault, but he knew he couldn't sustain the fight forever. As the bear entered a berserk state, Snowy lured it towards the edge of a cliff. With a well-timed dodge, Snowy watched as the bear charged off the edge, falling to its death.
Snowy smirked as he was reminded of his past life when he was a wolf.
Without looking back, Snowy ran towards the portal. He arrived to find Emily and the other candidates safe, but something nagged at him. He felt a strange sensation, as if he were being watched. Snowy glanced around but saw nothing. Shrugging off the feeling, he stepped through the portal just as an arrow struck the ground where he had been standing. The impact shattered the earth, but Snowy was already safely back in the academy's building.
Teachers rushed in, concerned for his well-being. Snowy gave them a brief nod, indicating he was fine, and walked away, his thoughts preoccupied with the mysterious presence he had felt.
Back in his room, Snowy sat on his bed, his mind racing with thoughts of the enigmatic presence in the forest. Emily came in his room to have a little talk.
"So, you managed to kill the mana beast?" she asked.
"Yes," Snowy replied.
Emily looked relieved but then grew somber. "I need to talk to you about something important. Out of the 34 candidates who entered, 15 are missing. The school is shutting down the gate permanently, and no one should know about this incident. Can you promise me that you'll keep it a secret?"
She extended her pinky finger, a gesture of trust. Snowy, surprised by the gravity of the situation, sighed. "Do others know about this?"
"No," Emily answered. "It's crucial that we keep this quiet."
Snowy hesitated but ultimately agreed. "Alright, I promise."
Emily smiled, visibly relieved. "Thank you. Goodnight, Snowy."
As Emily left, Snowy lay back on his bed, his thoughts still swirling with unanswered questions. The missing candidates and the strange sensation of being watched weighed heavily on his mind. But exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted off to sleep, uncertain of the outcomes and the challenges that lay ahead.