The instructor's voice had grown hoarse from repetition, yet he maintained his stance before the swirling azure portal, methodically distributing bracelets to the steady stream of cadets passing through. The ethereal light from the portal cast dancing shadows across his stern features as he delivered his briefing once again.
"I'll repeat again," he called out, his tone carrying a hint of resignation. "The test is survival based, lasting for one month. Your score directly correlates with your survival time." His eyes narrowed as he emphasized the next point. "Hurting fellow students is strictly prohibited!"
The portal's gentle hum provided a constant backdrop to his words. "The moment you enter, you'll be teleported to a random location." He paused, catching sight of a couple approaching with intertwined fingers. "And no, holding hands doesn't mean you get transported together," he added with a touch of exasperation.
"If you encounter any problems and are unable to continue, press the button in your bracelet for instant extraction..." his voice continued to echo as the procession of students moved forward.
Marcus approached with measured steps, collecting his bracelet with practiced ease. As he drew closer to the portal, a slight smirk played across his features. The academy's presentation of this as a simple test seemed almost comical to him. His gaze swept across his fellow students, noting their casual demeanor with a mixture of pity and disdain. In his assessment, most wouldn't last more than a few days, let alone the full month. With one final breath, his hand instinctively brushed against the familiar weight of his sword at his waist. Then, without hesitation, he stepped through, vanishing into the dimensional void.
At the back of the line, Ambrose observed the proceedings with growing unease. He had already convinced Hualing and Adelaide to go ahead, though Hualing had been particularly resistant to the idea. He had to explain to her that it wouldn't matter either way since they'd be teleported randomly upon entry to finally persuade her to proceed without him.
As the line dwindled and his turn approached, Ambrose's apprehension only grew. He collected his bracelet, studying the swirling portal with a critical eye. Years of reading similar scenarios in stories had taught him better – when a main character was involved in such scenes, unexpected things often happened. Dungeon breaks, high level monsters, sabotage… and when multiple protagonists were involved, the likelihood of unexpected developments increased exponentially. With himself, Marcus, and Meihua all potentially qualifying as main characters, he couldn't shake the feeling that something extraordinary was bound to occur.
What troubled him even more was the portal's peculiar effect on him. It seemed to call to him, almost demanding his entry. His space-time talent was resonating more powerfully than ever before. If it was what he thought, there was a high possibility of awakening a space-related skill. However, such an awakening would likely render him unconscious and vulnerable in an unknown location. Although he could cancel the forcefull awakening, he wouldn't bet on it actually working. He looked at the description of one of his abilities:
[Thought Transmission](A) - An evolved form of mental communication that approaches true telepathy. The user can transmit their gathered information telepathically to multiple willing recipients within a 500-meter radius, complete with sensory details from their observations. They gain near-perfect sensitivity to mental transmissions in their vicinity, able to detect, intercept, and even redirect telepathic communications within 300 meters. This sensitivity extends to reading surface thoughts and emotional states of those around them.
With a resigned sigh, he formulated a hasty contingency plan. He would attempt to establish thought transmission with both Hualing and Adelaide immediately upon entry, hoping at least one of them would be within range to locate him before anything else did.
The moment he crossed the threshold, he activated his ability, but before he could complete the transmission, system notifications began flooding his consciousness:
[Ding! The host has come into contact with a large amount of spatial force]
[Ding! Requirements met! Forcefully awakening an observation related skill with space essence]
"Dammit! You didn't even ask me this time," Ambrose managed to grumble before consciousness slipped away, his body crumpling onto the grass below.
…
Marcus materialized in a vast expanse of grassland, his trained instincts immediately prompting him to scan his surroundings with careful precision. Only after completing a thorough assessment did he allow his guard to lower slightly. His mind quickly prioritized the essentials - shelter and sustenance would be his first objectives. Though he knew the instructors had kept certain details to themselves, the fundamental nature of this trial remained true to their words - survival was paramount.
As he traversed the terrain in search of a suitable location for shelter, a twinge of regret nagged at him. His past life's memories of these trial grounds were frustratingly vague - he had been too preoccupied with running from... The thought dissolved as his ears caught the distinct sound of flowing water. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the source.
The sight of the river sparked an unexpected reaction in him. In a moment of pure, unbridled joy, he leaped into the water, splashing about like a child before abruptly freezing mid-motion. "How embarrassing," he chided himself, somewhat mortified by his display. He tried to rationalize his behavior - surely the relentless sun justified such excitement over finding water? The excuse felt weak even to his own ears.
With water secured, his next priority crystallized - establishing shelter nearby would guarantee access to both hydration and potential food sources through fishing. After careful consideration, he selected a spot roughly thirty meters from the riverbank - close enough for convenience but far enough to avoid potential flooding and other water related risks.
The construction process began with him cutting down logs and using his sword to dig holes for the support posts. He found himself apologizing to his trusted blade for this mundane abuse of its craftsmanship.
Sword: (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
Using common reeds gathered from the riverside, he bound the logs together, then covered the structure with a layer of leaves. The result was... modest, to put it kindly. Calling it a house would be generous to the point of delusion, but functionality mattered more than aesthetics in this situation.
After completing the shelter, he returned to the river to carefully clean his sword with a cloth before returning it to its sheath. His attention turned to his next challenge - food procurement. Looking at the rushing river, he reassessed his initial optimism about fishing. The task suddenly seemed more daunting than he'd anticipated as he lacked both tools and skills. With daylight waning, he decided to focus his immediate efforts on hunting small animals in the surrounding area. He needed to secure some form of sustenance before darkness fell.
The entire time, a part of him remained acutely aware that this was just the beginning. The real challenges of this month-long trial still lay ahead, but at least he had established a basic foothold for survival.