Chapter 14: The Survival Challenge Begins
The day of the entrance exam arrived.
Hundreds of students gathered in the massive dome-shaped exam hall, the tension thick in the air. A colossal holographic screen flickered to life above them, displaying the Aether Academy crest.
Exam Official: "Welcome, candidates, to the entrance examination of Aether Academy. As you all know, only the best will be accepted. This exam will test your intelligence, endurance, and survival skills. If you fail… you're out."
Whispers filled the hall. Some students were confident, others nervous. Rei Kurogane remained silent, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd.
Exam Official: "Your challenge is simple—survive."
Suddenly, the floor beneath them shifted. The entire hall vibrated as mechanical panels opened, revealing glowing teleportation platforms.
Exam Official: "You will be transported to a vast, AI-generated battlefield. The environment will change dynamically, simulating forests, mountains, ruined cities, and hostile terrains. Each zone contains obstacles, challenges, and rival teams who will do whatever it takes to eliminate you."
The students braced themselves.
Exam Official: "The rules are simple: Each team must secure checkpoints, gather supplies, and complete survival tasks. Failure to do so means elimination. Only the strongest teams will advance."
Rei exhaled slowly. This is it.
As the countdown began, he turned to his teammates.
Souta Arclight: "Finally! I was getting bored." He grinned, stretching his arms. "Let's get this started."
Akari Kisaragi: "Rei, you analyzed the academy's methods better than any of us. Any last-minute advice?"
Rei adjusted his glasses, his mind processing thousands of possibilities.
Rei: "Stick together. We don't need to fight head-on. Let the others wear themselves out. And most importantly… don't waste energy. This exam isn't about strength—it's about survival."
His teammates nodded, trusting his judgment.
The countdown hit zero.
A blinding light consumed them.
The First Zone: The Endless Forest
When Rei opened his eyes, he found himself standing in a dense, fog-covered forest. Tall trees loomed over them, their branches forming a natural maze. The air was thick with humidity, and distant sounds of wild animals echoed through the trees.
Akari (looking around): "A forest… this will slow everyone down."
Souta (grinning): "Not me. I could run circles around these trees."
Rei, however, was already deep in thought.
Rei (thinking): The exam officials chose this terrain first for a reason. It forces teams to navigate blindly, making them easy targets. If we move recklessly, we'll be ambushed.
Suddenly, a loud horn echoed through the forest. The exam had officially begun.
A holographic notification appeared before them.
[Objective: Secure Checkpoint 1]- Location: Unknown- Survival Tip: Not all dangers come from enemies. Some come from nature itself.
Souta: "So, we just have to find this checkpoint, right?"
Rei (shaking his head): "No. We need to think deeper. This forest is a trap. It's designed to separate teams, get them lost, and make them vulnerable."
Akari: "Then what do we do?"
Rei knelt down, brushing his fingers against the dirt. He closed his eyes, focusing.
The soil was damp, but there were faint footprints—multiple sets—all leading in the same direction.
Rei (smirking slightly): "Follow me. I know where the checkpoint is."
Souta (blinking): "Wait, what? How?"
Rei: "It's simple. The exam officials won't place the first checkpoint randomly. They want to test awareness. See these footprints? Multiple teams passed through here. If we track them, we'll find the checkpoint."
Akari and Souta exchanged glances.
Akari: "You figured that out in seconds?"
Rei: "I see things others don't."
Without hesitation, they followed Rei deeper into the forest.
The Chase Begins
As they moved swiftly but cautiously, they heard distant shouts and the sound of movement.
Souta (grinning): "Looks like the fighting has already started."
Akari: "We should avoid it."
Rei silently agreed. Their goal wasn't to fight—it was to outsmart everyone else.
But as they approached a clearing, Rei suddenly raised his hand.
Rei (whispering): "Stop. Someone's up ahead."
They crouched behind thick foliage, observing.
In the clearing, another team stood before a massive stone obelisk—Checkpoint 1.
Team Leader: "Secure the area. No one else gets through!"
They had arrived at the checkpoint first.
Souta: "Damn. Someone got here before us."
Akari: "They're guarding it."
Rei's mind raced. If we fight now, we risk injury and exhaustion. But if we sneak past…
Then he noticed something.
The guarding team was strong, but they had one major weakness—they weren't paying attention to their blind spots.
Rei smirked.
Rei: "I have a plan. But we'll have to move fast."
Souta: "Oh? I like the sound of that."
Akari: "Let's hear it."
Rei's strategy was set. The first real challenge had begun.