The day started earlier than he expected. The dorm's automated system woke him with an insistent chime and a disembodied voice announcing, "Orientation Trials begin in two hours. Report to the training grounds."
He rubbed his eyes, the unfamiliar ceiling a constant reminder that this wasn't a dream. "Trials?" he muttered groggily.
The system responded, cold and impersonal as always:
[Objective: Complete the Orientation Trial. Reward: 50 System Points.]
[Failure Penalty: Immediate Expulsion.]
"Expulsion? Already?" His heart sank. He hadn't even figured out what his powers were, let alone how to use them.
After a rushed breakfast in a dining hall filled with equally anxious students, he found himself in a sprawling arena that looked like something out of a sci-fi action movie. Transparent domes hovered above, projecting holographic images of various terrains—jungles, deserts, cities—all shifting seamlessly as though the world itself was alive.
An instructor, a towering woman with flame-like hair and a no-nonsense demeanor, stood at the center of the gathering students. Her voice carried effortlessly across the grounds.
"Welcome to the first trial," she said. "This is your chance to show us what you're made of. Your task is simple: survive."
The murmurs among the crowd grew louder.
"You will each face a simulated challenge tailored to your abilities—or lack thereof," the instructor continued, her gaze cutting through the nervous faces like a blade. "Failure is not tolerated here. You don't belong if you can't adapt."
His stomach churned. The system chimed in again, its timing impeccable:
[Simulation Assignment: Jungle Terrain.]
A panel of light appeared, displaying a countdown: 00:10:00.
"You've got ten minutes to prepare," the instructor announced. "Make it count."
Panic set in. He still had no idea what his powers were. The system had offered no explanation or tutorial. As others around him began stretching or summoning weapons, he stood frozen, feeling utterly out of place.
A girl with auburn hair and a confident smirk sauntered over. She was the same one who'd knocked on his door earlier. "Still clueless, huh?" she asked.
He glared at her but said nothing.
"Figures," she said, tossing him a small orb that glowed faintly. "Here. Basic shield charm. Might keep you alive for a few seconds."
Before he could thank her—or reject the offer—she vanished in a flash of light, leaving him alone with his spiraling thoughts.