The moment we stepped past the barrier, everything changed.

  The air was different—thicker, heavier, wilder. The structured pathways of the academy were gone, replaced by towering ancient trees that stretched endlessly into the sky. Their roots twisted like the veins of the earth, forming natural obstacles beneath our feet. The scent of damp moss, fresh wood, and something else—something unfamiliar—filled the air.

  The forest was alive.

  Not in the way a normal forest would be.

  No, this place was different. The trees swayed without wind, their leaves whispering secrets only they could understand. Strange, unseen creatures rustled in the underbrush, and every few seconds, distant roars and howls echoed through the woods.

  I had expected wilderness.

  What I hadn’t expected was a battlefield.

  The Strongest Two Teams

  It wasn’t just the forest that was alive—the strongest students in our year felt just as untamed.

  At the front of the group, leading their respective teams, stood the two most feared individuals in the entire academy.

  1st Team: Cedric’s Dominion

  The first belonged to Cedric Valtor, the undisputed strongest first-year at Elixir High. A prodigy in lightning magic, his very presence crackled with energy. Every step he took sent faint sparks through the damp soil. His team of three elite warriors followed closely behind—each one a high-ranking mage in their own right.

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  Their strategy was clear from the moment we entered the forest.

  Confidence.

  Cedric didn’t hesitate. He didn’t stop to survey the area like the rest of us. Instead, he moved forward immediately, as if he already knew where to go. His team followed without question.

  “The river’s two miles northeast,” he muttered to them. “We’ll set up there first. If we control the water source, we control the trial.”

  Control. That was Cedric’s strength.

  While most of us were still adjusting, his team had already begun conquering the environment.

  2nd Team: The Crimson Hunt

  Then, there was Aeris Redfang.

  Unlike Cedric, Aeris didn’t radiate raw, untamed energy. She was silent. Calculated. Her long crimson hair blended with the deep red cloak she always wore, making her almost disappear among the autumn-colored leaves.

  She wasn’t just strong—she was a predator.

  Her magic? Wind.

  Not the gentle breeze type—no, Aeris controlled the cutting winds of a storm. Where Cedric’s power was dominating, Aeris’ was deadly.

  Her team moved with surgical precision.

  While Cedric rushed to take control of resources, Aeris’ team vanished into the shadows of the trees, moving so fluidly they looked more like ghosts than people.

  "We'll track the strong ones first," she whispered to her team. "Let them do the work. Then, we strike."

  A hunter’s mindset.

  My Team: The Outcasts

  And then… there was us.

  Compared to Cedric’s unstoppable force and Aeris’ unseen precision, my team looked… pathetic.

  Ethan was trying to keep his balance on the uneven forest floor, Reyn was adjusting his glasses while scribbling something on a notepad, and Lyra looked around nervously, her silver eyes darting to every shadow.

  And me?

  I just walked.

  "Where do we go first?" Ethan asked, gripping his wooden staff.

  "The river," I said simply.

  It was the most basic strategy. Water meant survival. But considering Cedric had already planned to take control of the rivers, I knew it wouldn’t be easy.

  Reyn frowned. "Won't the stronger teams be heading there too? Maybe we should—"

  "Doesn't matter," I interrupted. "If we avoid the river, we'll just be weaker when we have to fight later. We take the risk now, or we suffer later."

  Lyra hesitated. "But… if we run into Cedric or Aeris, won't we just get crushed?"

  I smirked.

  "Not necessarily."

  Because while Cedric was too busy conquering and Aeris was too busy hunting, neither of them had realized something crucial.

  This forest wasn’t just a survival trial.

  It was a trap.

  I could feel it—the unnatural way the trees moved, the eerie silence between the roars of distant beasts.

  This place was dangerous, not just because of the creatures that lurked in its depths… but because it wanted us here.

  And none of them had realized it yet.

  But I had.

  "Let's go," I said, leading the way toward the river. "Before the forest decides we're its next meal."