"Hey, move to the side! I want the window seat," Anna said, her voice carrying its usual softness.
I sighed and slid over, giving her some space. She flopped down beside me with a satisfied look on her face, as she pressed her forehead against the glass to look out for the view.
We are currently in a bus, as I looked around, the bus was alive with loud chatter as everyone settled down on their seats. We were heading to Frostvile Mountain for the practical class, a trip that had been on our schedule after the lunch break.
As Anna made herself comfortable beside me, my mind wandered to the mountain itself. Frostvile Mountain—a place restricted by the Hero Association for the general public. The top half of the mountain was crawling with monsters, like Hounds, Chimeras, Manticores. Creatures that, under normal circumstances, would pose a deadly threat. But because of the Hero Association, they had managed to confine them using a high-class barrier, turning the area into a training ground for aspiring heroes.
"Is everyone here?" Sir Lucas's the 176 th ranked hero's voice broke my thought as he stepped onto the bus.
"Yes, Sir!" we all answered in unison.
He gave a quick nod and motioned for the driver to start the bus. "Now, listen up every one—this practical is going to test your teamwork and combat skills. You'll be pairing up in groups of at least two, and at max four members, and engaging with Hounds, the lowest-tier Rank F monsters. While they may be the weakest in the ranking system, don't take them lightly. Their speed and ferocity make them dangerous when they are in packs."
[Hounds]. My mind immediately pictured them—large, wolf-like creatures with jet-black fur and glowing red eyes, their razor-sharp claws which could tear through steel, and their fangs coated with venom, even a scratch from them will lead to a potential death sentence. They are surrounding their hunt in groups and hunted them with precision, using their high-speed motion and numbers to overwhelm their prey.
"If anyone finds themselves in danger, don't hesitate to press the SOS button on your wristbands. They're directly connected to the Nova's emergency response team," Sir Lucas added.
The bus continued, and soon we reached our destination, I leaned towards the window and saw the towering gates of Flora Mountain came into the view. The entire area was enclosed in a shimmering force field, its faint white glow was barely visible in the sunlight.
"Hey! You are squashing me," Anna hissed, looking in my direction with her cheeks slightly flushing red, maybe due to the cold weather.
"Sorry."
Five armed guards stood by the entrance, their advanced weaponry was a clear sign, of the level of security this place needed.
After a brief check, the gates opened making a loud screeching sound, as our bus rolled through. The training area inside was a hive of various activity—military personnel shouting orders, heavy equipment being moved, and heroes-in-training preparing for battle.
"Everyone, get off," Sir Lucas instructed as the bus came to a halt. "Head to your assigned rooms to change into your combat uniforms and be ready in thirty minutes."
After checking my wristwatch, I made my way towards the room that assigned to me.
Suddenly the atmosphere around me charged. The military personnel present here weren't just regular soldiers; they looked like elites, at least four-digit-ranked heroes.
'Hmm? That's unusual, did something happen?'
The four-digit-ranked heroes were mostly stationed near the border, placing them here without any reason wouldn't make any sense.
Without any delay I activated my skill, "[Elemental Sense]."
As those words left my mouth, a faint ripple courses around me, I adjusted the range around 20 kilo meters radius. The world around me blurred and the map of everything in 20 k.m radius came alive inside my mind.
Within a second, I analyzed the whole area, there were around 47 [Hounds] present, but nothing seems out of ordinary.
'Then Why….?'
I increased the range of my ability, now the distorted glowing map of the entire area took shape inside my mind, tiny particles of different color flowed out from every structure, trees and living creatures, but this time the range is 50 k.m.
Adjusting my focused, I witnessed an unusual busy movement deep within the underground, the people present their emitted Essence of different colors, clearly indicating that participants are from various kingdoms, and are doing something with absolute precision, which needs the requirements of four-digit-rank heroes.
'Looks like, they are performing some kind of experiment.'
Ignoring it, I took a mental note, to check it after the whole Glory thing settled.
Reaching my room, I pushed the door open to find a small but functional space, a bed, a study table, and a compact bathroom. On the bed lay a large briefcase with my name and class—Zane Skylark, Class 1A—printed on it.
I opened it, and it revealed my combat uniform. It was sleek, a perfect blend of practicality and cutting-edge technology. The material was lightweight yet durable, probably due to the enchantments to enhance mobility and protection. Nano-computers embedded in the fabric which monitored vitals and movement in real-time. The uniform consisted of a tight black t-shirt, military-grade black jeans, and a half-length white leather jacket. The NOVA emblem was etched on the right chest, while my name and class rank '45' were engraved on the left pocket. A belt with a dimensional pouch for carrying equipment's and potions completed the look.
I changed quickly, feeling the uniform fit perfectly on me, my vision landed on my left pocket: Rank 45. The class rank is calculated per class basis, and out of 60 students in Class 1A mine was 45, It wasn't too high to attract unnecessary attention but not too low to invite trouble. For blending in—it was perfect.
As I stepping out of my room, I bumped into Julius-The silver-haired Celebrity First Year and his team. He was followed by two classmates, a blonde guy whose smug expression for some reason irritated me immediately and a black-haired beauty who seemed completely absorbed in her tablet.
'God! She looks like a princess.'
As I thought that, I realized that i was staring her too much, her jet-black hair matching mine, her sapphire blue eyes darted across the tablet screen in her hand.
*Cough...*
"!"
Julius's sudden cough jolted me out of my thought.
" Good afternoon, Zane," Julius greeted me with a light smile, which catched me off guard.
"Oh… hello Julius," I replied.
'What does he want from me?'
"We've got an open spot on our team. Why don't you join us?" he offered.
I hesitated but eventually shook my head. "I'm already paired with someone."
"Was it Anna?" Julius asked, raising an eyebrow.
Before I could respond, the blonde guy scoffed. "You're pairing with her? How'd you manage that? She doesn't exactly strike me as the friendly type."
I shrugged. "It just, you know… happened."
The blonde snorted again but said nothing more. Julius didn't seem to mind my refusal and simply nodded, as if satisfied with my answer. The black-haired girl, still engrossed in her tablet, spoke up for the first time.
"Let's go. The practical's about to start," she said curtly, her eyes met mine but she shifted it immediately.
Julius gave me a polite nod before following his team. I watched them leave and then exhaled slowly.
As I stepped out, I spotted Anna waiting at the corridor. She was wearing the same combat uniform as me, but the number engraved on her jacket was '3', a clear reminder of her rank in the class. She gave me a look, her sharp eyes scanning me from head to toe.
"It suits you," she said casually, her tone was light.
"Thanks," I replied, adjusting my jacket as we made our way toward the gathering area.
Sir Lucas was already there, his high-volume voice cutts through the chatter like a blade. He didn't need a speaker, his commanding tone was enough to silence the entire military base.
"Listen up carefully! One last reminder of the rules," he began. "Pair up, stay cautious, and remain aware of your surroundings. Normally, final-year students would be stationed here to oversee this exercise and help you if you were in trouble, but they're occupied with tomorrow's event. That means you're on your own out there. Do not underestimate the Hounds—they're still dangerous, especially if you let your guard down. Follow the marked path, and remember, press the SOS button on your wristband if you encounter trouble."
'Wait, didn't he previously stated that he will keep every one safe.'
With that, his lecture ended, and the group began to move. Anna and I stuck together, walking side by side as we followed the path leading deeper into the mountain.
"The Hounds are sensitive to sound and smell," I reminded her. "Stay quiet and keep your movements controlled."
Anna nodded listening to me carefully, as we went further. The atmosphere grew heavy, and the only sounds left were the rustling of leaves and the occasional whistle of the wind. I glanced behind us but couldn't see any of our classmates. I guessed, maybe they'd either fallen behind or taken a different route entirely.
*Rustle… rustle…*
"Be ready," I whispered, sensing the shift in the air. "We're surrounded."
Anna tensed up, her hand moving to the hilt of her saber.
"Relax, nothing's going to happen to you," I assured her.
Four [Hounds] suddenly emerged from the bushes, their glowing red eyes locking onto us. Two were in front of us, two behind. They growled, saliva dripping from their fanged mouths, their intent unmistakable.
"Take the two in front," I instructed, unsheathing my black katana.
Anna hesitated for a moment but nodded, as she drawher saber.
The [Hounds] jumped infront of me, I adjusted my stance, keeping my movements deliberate. I wasn't here to show off—this was definitely a monitored exercise, and I didn't want any unnecessary attention. The first Hound lunged at me, and I waited until the last second before stabbing my katana into its neck. It fell with a pained whimper, blood pooling beneath it.
The second Hound hesitated after witnessing this, its eyes darting between me and its fallen companion. It tried to flee, but before it could, I was already in front of it. With a quick slash, I torn it's stomach open, and it collapsed in a heap.
Turning to Anna, I was surprised to see she had already dispatched her targets. Her saber glinted with fresh blood as she looked at me, a slight smirk appeared on her lips.
'I'm impressed...'
"That was… easy," she said. "Are Hounds always this weak?"
"They're just F-rank monsters," I replied, sheathing my katana. "Don't let this give you a false sense of security. There are monsters out there capable of eradicating entire cities. Hounds are nothing compared to what's waiting beyond this training ground."
She listened intently, her smirked replaced with genuine curiosity.
Tapping in my wristband I checked the time displayed on the holographic screen: 03:00 p.m.
The rest of the practical passed without any incident. By the evening, we returned to the military base and regrouped with the others. Sir Lucas stood before us.
"Congratulations on completing your first monster hunt," he announced. "But don't get full of yourselves. Hounds are among the weakest of F-rank monsters. This is only the beginning."
With that, he dismissed us.
I went back to my assigned room, I wasted no time in taking out the combat uniform and stepping into the shower. The hot water cleared the sweat in my body, washing away the grime and blood of [Hounds].
When I stepped out, I noticed my wristband glowing faintly. Tapping it, a holographic screen appeared, displaying a message that made me grin ear-to-ear.
"The job's done. By tomorrow afternoon, it'll be all over the news."
~Hopes to work with you again.
-Mia ♡
The message was from Mia, my contractor from the Black Market's mercenary department. It had only been seven hours since I'd assigned the task, and they'd already completed it.
"They're fast," I muttered to myself, drying my hair with a towel, as I stared at the message.
'Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.'
End of chapter.