After 30 days, the training grounds had transformed into a place routine for the heroes. Those with lower talents had undergone training that pushed their mental and physical endurance to extreme levels. Among them, Ethan was on a unique and challenging journey because of his talent.
He gained 3 extra years of life in just a month thanks to his tireless hard work, sacrificing sleep to channel energy into his Starling Orb. Yet, his efforts seemed to leave no impact on the Orb. Ethan was still considered the weakest, as he remained at Starling Rank 1.
The cafeteria was filled with trainees gathering in groups, discussing strategies and joking about their training. Ethan walked slowly, alone. Scornful glances greeted him from all directions as if he were something unwanted.
He took his breakfast and sat at an empty table, eating quietly. No one approached him until a girl came and stood in front of his table.
"May I sit here?" Lyra's voice broke the silence around Ethan. She possessed a C-Grade talent as a spiritual disciple, and her mastery of elemental powers had advanced her to Starling Rank 3.
Ethan glanced at her, realising the hidden intent behind her smile. He swallowed his food in one gulp, stood up without saying a word, and left the table.
Lyra clenched her jaw in anger, her lips tightening. Her plan to charm Ethan had failed. She had wanted Ethan to become one of her subordinates, a mere tool to attract the attention of the S-Grade Heroes. Of the 100 summoned heroes in this kingdom, four were S-Grade, and those four had established their own elite organization.
But Ethan knew Lyra's motives. Since they arrived in this world, he had observed all 100 heroes. Among them, some seemed ordinary, but others were dangerous and threatening. It was even possible that one of these 100 had been killed before, back on Earth.
Ethan arrived at the armada grounds. Today was the day of the test. The trainees gathered, some full of excitement, others pale with fear. A general stood before them, his voice echoing across the field.
"30 days have passed, and some of you have advanced. Others have fallen behind," the general said, his eyes sweeping over the lines of trainees. "Today's test will determine your position in this kingdom. If you fail, you'll be absorbed into the regular army. If you pass, a rank awaits you."
Ethan opened his eyes. Throughout this time, he had absorbed energy into his body like a madman, forcing himself to survive. He knew this test was a trap to eliminate those deemed useless without raising suspicion. If lower-ranked heroes died during training, the kingdom would not be blamed. It was a cunning and cruel of this kingdom.
"TELEPORTATION OPENED!"
In an instant, they were all transported to a barren wasteland. Dust and scorching winds whipped across their faces, creating a landscape of death.
The general gave them a cold stare. "This is the Dead Land," he said. "You have 3 days to reach the end. If you fail, you will be eliminated." Then he vanished, leaving them with the threat in the dry, dusty air.
Anxiety gripped several people, fear etched on their faces.
"Listen up, everyone!" one of the trainees shouted, trying to rally a group around him. "If we want to survive, we need to work together!"
Ethan stood off in the distance, watching them like a shadow, until he sensed something approaching. GROOOWWWWW.
Half of the man's body was severed and devoured by the beast. The once calm group erupted into panic and began to scream.
Some attacked the white wolf, but the beast devoured them instead. Within mere minutes, 20% of the group had been slaughtered, and if they continued this way, many more would perish.
Suddenly, a girl with long, fiery red hair leapt into the air, wielding her sword and activating her skill. "Sword Flame!" she shouted, and in an instant, the white wolf's head was severed from its body.
Ethan's eyes widened. He was stunned to see a bold and skilful girl amidst the chaos. Why had he never noticed her abilities before? Since they were first summoned to this world, this girl, Sarah, had never stood out. But now, there was something undeniably compelling about her. What was she hiding?
A burning curiosity flared within Ethan, one he couldn't ignore. Who was this girl?
Suddenly, a notification appeared in front of him.
(YOU CAN VIEW ANOTHER PERSON'S STATUS AT THE COST OF 1 MONTH OF LS (LIFE SPAN)).
Ethan frowned. Damn it, is this system trying to kill me? The price to view someone's status was one month of his lifespan, definitely no small sacrifice. If he kept spending life like this, he'd die faster than a fly. Every choice in this world came with a cost, and now the system was threatening his very existence.
Yet, despite the fear and anxiety gnawing at him, Ethan had no choice. He had to know who this girl was.
With a heavy heart, he finally made his decision. Ethan chose to use the option, fully aware of its risk.
The girl's status displayed clearly before him:
Sarah
Maximum Age: 60
Talent: Sword Element (C)
Status: The Fated One. Returned from the future after being killed by one of the heroes in the past. Now, she seeks revenge and aims to grow stronger than she ever was. To achieve this, she's heading to the Sahaga Cave in the Dead Land to obtain the Fruit of Miracle and reach Starling Rank 4.
Damn! She is the main character! Returned from the future? That's a plot twist straight out of a crazy novel. I never expected a main character to be here. Could she be one of those with an extraordinary fate? She probably knows about future events. But what does that have to do with me? I'm just an ordinary character in this world.
Sarah looked at her reflection in her sword, her gaze hardening as determination surged. "I'm back in the past? This time, I'll make sure you're dead before I get killed! I'll change everything and fix my mistakes." Memories of her regrets resurfaced, but she vowed to make things right with this second chance.