Chapter 256: Careful of Everything
Meanwhile, as Ash and Ray were entering the Mist to deal with the monsters, somewhere on an unknown island the third exam had already begun. The students placed there were struggling desperately against the harshness of nature itself.
In the middle of that isolated island, hidden deep within a dense forest, a boy sat crouched on the ground, rubbing sticks together with all the strength he could muster. His breath came out in heavy pants, sweat dripping down his face as smoke began to rise from the friction of the wood. His arms trembled from exhaustion, yet he did not stop.
At last, a small flame flickered to life. His eyes widened and a bright smile stretched across his dirt-streaked face. But as he quickly leaned forward to feed the spark with dry twigs, a drop of sweat rolled off his chin and landed directly on the tiny flame, extinguishing it instantly.
Luthan froze, his body stiff as disbelief washed over him. His disheveled black hair was tangled with leaves and dirt, and his once clean academy tracksuit was drenched in sweat, stained with mud, and clinging uncomfortably to his slender frame.
His build, lean and almost feminine in appearance, hid the strength of someone who had awakened, though his current state hardly reflected it.
"Damn, damn, damn..." he muttered, pulling at his hair in frustration. "I was actually this close to getting the fire started. I could almost taste the food already. But of course my rotten luck has to step in right at the last second, like it always does... as if the universe has some personal grudge against me."
Being from Class 1E and considered one of the weakest, Luthan had been assigned what was supposed to be a modest and easy task. Even so, it already felt like torture.
His teammates had fared better in their assignments. Veyric of Class 1A, whose affinity leaned heavily toward defense, had stayed behind to guard their makeshift resting place. His duty was to protect both Luthan and... Alina.
Alina, a healer from Class 1C, was with them as well. Considering how rare healers were, Luthan should have been relieved to have her on the team.
If only...
If only there had not been those two final members.
Luthan lay back on the ground, staring up at the night sky as the pale moonlight filtered through the branches above. His thoughts circled in frustration.
Out of all possible possibilities, why did I have to get her...?
He was not thinking about an ex-girlfriend or any childhood crush, but rather Elysia Moonglow, the girl who had immediately taken the role of leader after they met.
At the moment she was away, hunting small animals to serve as their dinner.
I don’t know what ’that’ devil will do if something happens to her... would he end up lashing out and hitting me too? Just my luck. A shiver ran down his spine as the thought sank deeper.
The Devil of the Academy. That was what people called Ash. The stories about his ruthlessness were whispered across the campus like a curse, and though they were only rumors, the possibility that they were true was enough to make Luthan’s stomach churn.
I’ve even heard he doesn’t spare women, treating everyone the same. What kind of madman is that? Definitely a devil... After all, why would anyone disfigure the face of a beautiful girl? Girls are something gods made for men to admire, and beating them is nothing but a sin. A monster like that shouldn’t even exist.
Groaning, Luthan sat up once more and returned to rubbing the sticks together, though his shoulders sagged in defeat.
"It would be nice if we had at least one fire mage in this group," he grumbled under his breath. "But no, we had to get stuck with a water mage. What good will he do? Curse my luck..."
The water mage he was referring to was Corin, a student of Class 1D. At that moment, Corin was away with Elysia, both searching for food.
The exam had started in earnest, and every team had been teleported to different locations islands, with 2 teams on one island. For Luthan’s group, their arrival point had been right in the middle of the woods, surrounded by towering trees and endless shadows.
Their task was simple on paper yet brutal in practice: defeat another team within seven days. No restrictions, no rules. They could use anything they had at their disposal, as long as they emerged victorious.
Simple, yes. But also barbaric.
And they were currently trying to move towards the edge of the island. Traveling through the forest could be dangerous, as there was no telling what kind of creature might lurk there.
Monsters could appear without warning, and even the smallest threat, like venomous insects, could become a problem. That was why they decided the best course of action would be to reach the clear land of the island.
It was safer there, and the ocean promised a reliable source of food. Fishes could be caught easily, and water was not a concern since they had a water mage with them.
Injuries were also manageable, though caution was still necessary. Alina’s healing abilities were only suited for minor wounds, as she was still not that skilled.
As for shelter, that problem was already solved with Veyric in the group. He could manipulate the earth and create sturdy, igloo-shaped structures for them to rest in, which gave them some sense of security.
Right now, they were somewhere deep in the forest, moving toward the nearest stretch of ocean they could hear faintly in the distance.
At that moment, Luthan finally succeeded in making a fire. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he carefully placed the spark onto a piece of oil-stained wood, which caught fire quickly.
Alina, who had been quietly watching him from the start, smiled at his success. But when Luthan turned to look at her, she blushed lightly and shifted her gaze away. She was shy by nature, and her reactions often betrayed it.
Luthan, still basking in the small delight of his achievement, suddenly heard footsteps approaching. His hearing was sharper than most, and he could tell two people were coming toward them, carrying something heavy.
Looking to the side, he saw Elysia dressed in a dark tracksuit, followed by a boy with sky-blue hair and matching eyes, a playful grin stretched across his face. Between them, they carried the carcass of a four-legged creature. It had slender limbs, a graceful body, and horns that curved like polished wood, giving it the look of a deer.
Oh, looks like... at least I will be able to eat my fill tonight...
Pushing himself up, he knew what awaited him next. The task of butchering the meat would naturally fall to him, as he was the only swordsman among them. Of course, there was Elysia as well, but...
I would rather die than let her do this work. If that devil finds out she was made to butcher a creature, who knows what he would do to me..?
So Luthan took the task upon himself. He carved up the fresh meat with practiced movements and set it over the fire to cook. Once the work was done, he sat down beside the others, who were already chatting among themselves. Just as he lowered himself onto the ground, he caught the tail end of their conversation.
".....we need to be careful."
Luthan shifted slightly and asked, "Miss Elysia, careful of what exactly?"
For a moment, everyone glanced at him before turning their eyes back to the fire in the middle, where the tender cuts of meat were roasting slowly, their aroma mixing with the forest air.
"Of everything," Elysia answered calmly, her voice carrying a quiet weight. "This forest, this land, the sky above, even the ocean... we have to be careful of everything."
"I see," Luthan replied softly.
That was when Corin smirked and spoke in his usual teasing tone. "Seriously? ’Miss’? We’re stuck on an island, not at some noble banquet. Why not add ’Your Majesty’ while you’re at it, right Elysia?"
His remark drew a few chuckles from the group.
"Shut up, I was just trying to show some respect," Luthan shot back, annoyed.
"Yeah, yeah," Corin replied casually, waving him off without a care.
Fucking bastard...
Luthan clenched his teeth but chose to remain silent after that. Instead, he sat back and listened as the conversation drifted from one topic to another, with Corin constantly throwing in comments that made the others laugh. It was not hard to notice what he was trying to do—his jokes, his lightheartedness, all of it was his way of getting closer to Elysia. The reason behind it, however, was something Luthan could not understand.
If the devil finds out, you will be dead....
Eventually, the conversation shifted to something more serious. They began discussing the night watch and who would take turns guarding the camp. After a short discussion, the order was set: Alina would go first, then Veyric, followed by Luthan, Corin, and finally Elysia.
No one raised any objections, and with that settled, they gradually lay down to rest, waiting for the next day to arrive.
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