Prologue – The Mist Before the Storm
The morning mist clung to Eldoria's training grounds like a living thing.
The stone walls surrounding the battlefield seemed taller than ever, their gray faces swallowed by fog. The cold bit at exposed skin, and every breath hung in the air as pale white wisps. Even the crows that usually lingered around the watchtowers had fallen silent.
The silence was unbearable.
Hundreds of boots pressed into the damp earth as trainees stood in rigid formation, but no one dared speak above a whisper. Kaen's heartbeat thundered in his ears, drowning everything else. He tried to steady his breathing, but it came in shallow bursts. His fists were so tight that the nails dug into his palms.
Why does it feel like the air itself is heavy?
Beside him, Riku's sharp eyes never wavered, scanning the mist for threats that weren't yet there. Lyra stood with arms crossed, her expression unreadable but her stance relaxed, almost mocking the tension around her. Daren shifted nervously from foot to foot, muttering under his breath, while Fin looked like he wanted to disappear altogether, his face pale.
Then, all at once, the silence was broken.
Instructor Veyra stepped forward. His presence was enough to make every trainee straighten. Behind him, five armored figures followed. Their steps were slow, deliberate, and filled with an aura of unshakable dominance.
The Special Squad.
Their masks reflected faint light from the rising sun. Two held gleaming swords at their sides, one carried a massive spear taller than a man, another twirled twin short blades effortlessly between his fingers, and the last — a mountain of a man — carried nothing at all. He didn't need to. His sheer presence pressed down like a predator watching prey.
Even the most confident trainees instinctively lowered their gazes.
Kaen's throat tightened.
These… these are the ones. The warriors we dream of becoming. And today… we face them.
The Rules of the Test
Veyra's voice cut through the mist like steel.
"This is your next trial. You will survive against these warriors for three days. You may hide, you may fight, you may strategize. But once your entire team is subdued, your test ends — permanently. Do not forget: these are not your peers. They are veterans. Hunters."
A ripple of fear ran through the formation. Someone whispered, "Three days…?" Another muttered, "Impossible…"
Veyra's gaze silenced them instantly.
"This test is not about raw strength. It is about endurance, awareness, and above all—teamwork. If you think you can win alone, you will fall faster than you can blink."
He paused, letting the words hang heavy in the air.
"The hunt begins now."
The five Special Squad members raised their weapons in perfect unison. The faint metallic ring echoed like a death knell.
Kaen's chest tightened further. His dream… his nightmare… both stood before him.
The Battlefield Opens
The great horn sounded.
A deep, resonating BOOOOOM shook the ground, and suddenly the battlefield gates swung open. Beyond lay an expanse transformed for the test: dense groves of twisted trees, jagged stone outcroppings like teeth, shallow rivers cutting through the land, and patches of open ground that looked inviting but were death traps under watchful eyes.
"Begin!" Veyra roared.
Chaos exploded instantly.
Trainees broke formation, scattering into the fog. Some sprinted for the treeline, their breaths ragged, desperate to vanish before the hunters made their move. Others stayed close together, shields raised, muttering hastily about strategy. A few reckless ones shouted, declaring they would take the Special Squad head-on.
The earth shook under the stampede.
Kaen's group dove behind a line of rocks, crouching low. His heart thundered in his chest, but he forced himself to look outward.
"Don't panic," Riku hissed, eyes darting from shadow to shadow. "If we move recklessly, we'll get caught immediately."
Lyra's lips curled in a half-smile. "Half of them are already panicking. Watch."
The First Elimination – The Lone Wolf
A scream shattered the mist.
One trainee, his eyes wild, had rushed alone into the woods. His footsteps cracked twigs, his breath loud in the silence.
Then—a whisper of movement.
From the fog, a masked figure emerged. A Special Squad swordsman. He didn't run. He didn't even hurry. He simply appeared, closing the distance in a blink.
The trainee swung his wooden training blade desperately. His strike met empty air.
The veteran's blade struck his chest with the blunt edge — precise, merciless. The impact launched the trainee backward, crashing into the dirt. A glowing red mark seared onto his arm, signaling elimination.
The boy gasped for air, clutching his chest. Guards rushed to pull him away. His cry echoed, then was swallowed by the mist.
Kaen's blood ran cold.
That… that was faster than my eyes could follow.
The Second Elimination – The Brave Four
Not far away, another squad — four boys with makeshift shields and spears — had chosen courage over caution. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder in a defensive line, facing the spear-wielding Special Squad warrior.
"Don't give him space!" their leader shouted. "We can hold him if we fight together!"
Their weapons clashed with his spear in a storm of sparks and wood. For a moment, they seemed to hold their ground. Their formation was tight, their roars fierce.
But the spear moved like lightning. Each thrust drove them back, inch by inch, until the warrior spun the shaft in a wide arc.
CRACK!
Two shields shattered instantly. Two trainees were thrown to the ground, wind knocked from their lungs. The remaining two lunged with desperation, aiming for his unguarded side.
The spear reversed in a blur, sweeping their legs from under them. Before they could rise, the blunt end pressed against their chests — precise enough to mark them eliminated.
All four marks flared red. They collapsed, gasping, defeated.
The warrior didn't even break a sweat. He turned away as if swatting flies.
Kaen gritted his teeth. His stomach churned.
Even four against one… they couldn't last more than minutes.
The Third Elimination – The Cowards' Gamble
On the opposite side of the battlefield, three trainees had hidden in a shallow ravine, hoping the Special Squad wouldn't notice. Their whispers trembled.
"If we stay low… maybe we'll last until nightfall."
But shadows shifted above them. The unarmed giant of the Special Squad crouched at the ravine's edge, staring down with eyes like a predator.
One trainee screamed and bolted, scrambling up the rocks. A massive hand closed around his ankle, yanking him down with bone-crushing force.
Another tried to stab upward with his wooden knife. The giant's palm caught the blade effortlessly, then shoved the boy into the dirt.
The last trainee dropped his weapon and begged, "Wait! We surrender!"
The giant didn't speak. He simply tapped each of their arms with terrifying precision, activating their elimination marks in seconds.
Their cries faded as guards dragged them away.
Kaen's skin crawled. Hiding won't save us either…
Kaen's Team Holds Steady
By now, nearly a dozen trainees had been taken out within the first thirty minutes. The battlefield echoed with clashes, screams, and the dull thud of defeat. The Special Squad moved like ghosts, their presences felt before they were seen.
Kaen crouched lower, sweat dripping down his temple despite the cold.
Fin's voice trembled. "They're… they're too fast. We don't stand a chance."
"Shut up, Fin!" Daren hissed, his jaw clenched. "We can't lose before it even starts!"
Riku pressed a hand on both their shoulders, steady and firm. "Listen. We're not fighting them head-on. Not yet. We survive first. We think. Every step we take, we move together."
Kaen forced a nod, his determination burning through his fear. "She's right. If we split up, we're done."
Lyra's smirk returned, sharper this time. "Good. Then we'll play the hunted… until it's time to strike."
The five of them slipped deeper into the forest.
The fog thickened.
The screams grew distant.
But Kaen couldn't shake the feeling — eyes were already on them.
The hunters were watching.