Through out the second week, Naro took command.
He gathered them in the training hall one night, a map of the outer kingdom walls spread before them. "Listen carefully. This isn't just brute force. This is survival."
Markus leaned over the map, frowning. "So what's your idea?"
Naro traced lines across the map. "Most teams will rush to eliminate each other quickly. That's desperation. We won't. We'll control territory, force others to fight on our terms. And…" his smile sharpened "…we'll let stronger teams clash first, then strike when they're weakened."
Markus raised an eyebrow. "So… scavengers?"
"Hunters" Naro corrected smoothly.
Elara slammed her hands on the table, eyes alight. "Brilliant! We'll be the shadows that strike at just the right moment." She looked at Naro with bright admiration. "You really do think differently, don't you?"
Naro gave a modest shrug. "I just prefer to win."
…
By the third week, their improvement was undeniable.
Elara's movements grew sharper, her strikes faster, her aura control tighter. Markus became the shield of the team, his body enduring punishing blows without faltering. Naro adapted seamlessly between them, sometimes leading, sometimes supporting, always calculating.
Their sparring matches drew attention. Other students stopped to watch, whispering among themselves. Some with respect, others with envy.
"They're actually good together."
"Elara's relentless… Markus is like a wall… and Naro…"
"…Naro's the one tying it all together."
One afternoon, as they finished a particularly fierce sparring round, Lloyd passed by with Elizabeth and Darian. He stopped, watching silently.
Elara noticed and smirked, brushing hair from her face. "What's the matter, Lloyd? Scared already?"
He didn't rise to the bait. His eyes remained locked on Naro. "Enjoy your practice. Out there… it won't be so simple."
Darian scoffed. "Don't waste your breath, Lloyd. They'll crumble against rank threes anyway."
Elizabeth, though, seemed uncertain. Her gaze lingered on Elara, perhaps sensing her growing strength.
Naro only smiled faintly, offering no reply.
…
As the last week began, tension spread through the academy like smoke. Some students cracked under pressure, dropping out. Others doubled their efforts, driven by desperation.
But Naro's group only grew stronger.
One night, the three sat atop the academy's outer wall, overlooking the faint glow of the kingdom beyond. The moonlight painted their faces in its glow.
Elara hugged her knees, her voice soft but filled with conviction. "We're really doing this. The three of us… together. I don't care who we face. I don't care how dangerous it is. As long as it's us, I know we can win."
Markus nodded, a rare seriousness in his tone. "Yeah. Win or lose, I'd rather fight beside you two than anyone else."
Naro smiled gently, his voice smooth as silk. "Then we'll win. For each other."
Elara beamed at him, her heart lifting. Markus chuckled quietly, reassured.
But deep inside, Naro's thoughts were painted black.
The final days were a blur of training, planning, and waiting. And as the month drew to a close, the academy gates opened ahead. Beyond them, the outer walls awaited.
The sky was painted a clear, indifferent blue. Birds flew high above the walls, but to the gathered students, air pressed heavy on their chests—anxiety coiled with anticipation, excitement tangled with dread. Today was no ordinary day.
The outer gates of the Radiant Kingdom creaked open, and beyond them stretched the wilds: an endless sprawl of ancient trees, jagged ravines, and the hidden whispers of beasts. For one month, that world would be their homes.
Students bustled in the open field outside the gates, strapping on armor, checking weapons, securing packs filled with food and tools. The chatter was nervous—laughter edged with fear. Everyone knew what was at stake: the chance to claim a rank three Nyx of their own path. Such a prize could change destinies.
Near the front, Naro adjusted the strap on his shoulder as Markus tightened the bindings of his gauntlets. Elara, glowing with restless energy, stood between them.
"Look at all of them" she whispered, eyes darting across the crowd of students. "Half of them are already sweating and we haven't even started yet."
Markus smirked, his tone rough but steady. "Fear does that. Makes people choke before the fight even begins."
Naro replied "Then let them choke. It only makes our work easier."
Elara's grin widened. "That's the spirit."
A sharp whistle cut through the murmurs. Several instructors stepped forward, their presence commanding silence. At their head stood Instructor Veylen, his voice deep and steady.
"Listen well," he began, scanning the gathered teams with hawk-like eyes. "This is not a brawl within the academy's walls. This is survival—one month in the wilds, against not just each other, but the dangers of the outside world. To keep the contest fair, you will not be eliminated by wounds, but by these..."
He raised his hand. An assistant carried a tray of simple leather wristbands, each marked with glowing inscriptions.
"Every one of you will receive a band, inscribed with your name. Protect it, or you are eliminated. If it's taken from you—you lose."
The crowd shifted, nervous whispers rippling.
Veylen's gaze hardened. "Fight if you must. Hide if you wish. Plot, team up with others, betray—it makes no difference. The wristband decides. As long as you keep it, you remain in the contest."
Another instructor stepped forward, her voice softer but no less sharp. "And since this battle is held beyond the walls, know that you will not be entirely abandoned. A squad of guardians will observe from afar. If true calamity befalls you, they will intervene. But…" she let her gaze linger on the students, "…do not expect them to save you from your peers."
The students fell silent. The forest behind the instructors loomed like a shadows, ready to swallow them whole.
Veylen's tone dropped. "You will have two hours after entry before eliminations are permitted. Use them wisely. Scout. Prepare. Choose your ground. When those hours pass, the hunt begins."
Among the gathered crowd, Lloyd stood with Elizabeth and Darian. His wristband gleamed faintly in his hand. Elizabeth checked the equipment they gathered, calm and focused, while Darian yawned as though bored.
Lloyd's eyes weren't on the instructors. They were on Naro.
He leaned slightly toward Elizabeth. "He's smiling again. Always smiling. Doesn't it bother you?"
Elizabeth's gaze flickered to Naro briefly, then back to her bowstring. "I think it bothers you more than it should."
Darian snorted. "Please. Let him smile. Once this starts, I'll rip that wristband off him myself."
Lloyd's tone hardened. "Don't underestimate him. Naro's not like the others. Something about him…" His words trailed off into a silence that made Elizabeth glance his way, but he offered nothing more.
Meanwhile, Markus adjusted his wristband with a frown. "So if someone sneaks up and pulls this off, it's over just like that? Kinda cheap, isn't it?"
Naro chuckled softly. "Not cheap. Efficient. It forces you to be aware every moment. One misstep and you're nothing."
Elara twirled hers around her wrist, unbothered. "Then I'll just make sure no one even gets close. They'll see me coming and think twice."
Markus gave her a sideways grin. "Confident as always."
"Of course," she shot back with a laugh. "You've got to shine, remember? That's why I'm here."
Naro's eyes softened, his voice smooth. "And you will. As long as you're with me, both of you will shine brighter than anyone else."
Elara beamed, Markus nodded firmly. Neither noticed the shadow of calculation behind Naro's eyes.
The instructors began handing out wristbands, row by row. The forest wind stirred, carrying the faint smell of moss and damp wet earth.
Some students muttered prayers. Others clenched their weapons until their knuckles whitened.
And then—silence. All the teams stood at the edge of the treeline, the first step into uncertainty only breaths away.
Veylen raised his arm high. "When the gates close behind you, the countdown begins. Two hours of grace. After that… only the strongest will remain."
His arm dropped. "Enter!"
The forest swallowed them all.
The forest was… strangely calm.
The air smelled faintly of pine. But to the students, the calmness was suffocating. Beneath the rustle of leaves, a crawling anxiety sat heavy in their chests.
Everyone knew what was coming.
For the first two hours, the forest became full of activity. Teams scattered to prepare: some dug shallow traps, others hid in caves or hollow trees, some even climbed high into the branches to spy from above. The air was alive with whispered strategies and nervous laughter.
Lloyd's group crouched together near a river, keeping their voices low.
"Our best chance," Lloyd said, steady but tense, "is to avoid rank threes altogether. Stick to the shadows, don't get greedy."
One of his friends frowned. "But if we don't fight, how will we get bands?"
Lloyd shook his head. "We'll form allies. Smaller groups, twos and threes. If we gather enough of them, we can even the odds against rank threes. It's not about charging in—it's about stacking the field in our favor."
Elizebeth nodded reluctantly. "Alright, Lloyd. We'll trust your call."
Meanwhile, deeper in the woods, Naro's group found a mossy clearing. Markus kicked a stone, clearly restless.
"So we're just gonna sit around like cowards?" Markus muttered. "Hide for days while everyone else fights? That's your big plan, Naro?"
Naro leaned lazily against a tree, his face calm, unreadable. "That's exactly what we're going to do."
Markus's fists clenched. "I hate hiding. I didn't come here to play squirrel."
Elara placed a hand on Markus's shoulder, her eyes bright and dazzling. "Think of it like a game of chess. The pawns charge first and fall. We're not pawns."
Markus shot her a look. "You're too cheerful about this."
She laughed lightly, brushing her hair back. "I'm just glad to be here. We have a good team. Besides… I like watching Naro pretend to be boring when I know he's plotting."
Naro smiled faintly but said nothing.
And then the forest erupted.. the two hours are up.
Shouts echoed in the distance. The crash of trees, the flare of Nyx clashing like thunder. The calm forest quickly turned into chaos as the first day unfolded. Rank threes dominated with overwhelming power, while desperate rank twos scrambled to form larger groups. Some succeeded, ganging up on rank threes and even winning a few wristbands. But many more fell.
By sundown, the numbers had already thinned. Twenty percent of the trainees were gone. Everyone left realized they had to play safer.
Night crept in.
The forest grew cold and sharp with silence. Naro's group made a small camp under a veil of Elara's mist, her Nyx forming a protective screen that made the firelight barely visible.
"Alright," Markus muttered, tossing a twig into the flames. "Day one, and we did nothing. Nothing!"
Naro's voice was quiet, even. "We're still competing. That's more than enough."
Elara smiled as she unpacked rations. "And together, we'll stay alive. That's more than most can say right now."
But then—
A snap of a branch.
All three froze. The sound was close. Too close.
Elara's mist stirred, curling defensively around them. "Someone's here…" she whispered.
From the shadows stepped a lone trainee, his band glowing faintly. A rank three. His uniform was torn, his expression sour, but his eyes burned with cruel arrogance.
He sneered. "Rank twos. Hiding by the fire like scared children. Hand me your bands, and maybe I'll let you keep your dignity."
Markus stood instantly, fists ready. "Say that again."
Naro's eyes narrowed, calculating. His tone was calm, mocking. "Strange. Alone, at night? What happened to your friends?"
The trainee's face twisted with anger. "None of your business. You're dead meat anyway."
Elara stepped forward, her mist spilling into the clearing like a living fog. "Three against one. You really want to test your luck?"
The rank three snarled, energy flaring as his Nyx burst around him. The ground trembled. "You're nothing but insects."
Markus grinned savagely. "Then let's sting."
The trainee charged, cutting through the mist with raw power. Elara's veil thickened, clouding his vision, warping sound. Markus darted through it, laughing wildly, his voice echoing in every direction.
"Over here! No—here! Too slow, rank three!"
The trainee swung blindly, fury fueling his strikes.
And in that blind rage, he never noticed Naro.
Silent as shadow, Naro slipped behind him, dagger glinting faintly before slicing clean through the glowing wristband. He caught it before it hit the ground.
The trainee froze, staring in horror at his bare wrist. "What—?! No… impossible!"
In an instant, the instructors appeared, seizing him before he could retaliate. His furious shouts faded as they dragged him away.
Silence returned.
Then Markus exploded with laughter, loud and raw. "Did you see his face?! Hah! Rank three, beaten by a bunch of rank twos hiding in the woods! WE WON!" He stomped around, laughing so hard it sounded almost insulting.
Elara clapped excitedly, her face glowing with joy. "Our first victory! And we did it together. That was beautiful teamwork."
Naro studied the wristband in his hand, expression unreadable. "One down. Many more to go."
Markus threw an arm around Elara's shoulder, still laughing. "I don't care if we ganged up on him, a win's a win!"
Elara leaned into the moment, her smile wide. "This is just the start. We're going to shine."
Naro finally looked up, his voice calm but firm. "Celebrate quietly. Tonight we sleep in shifts. One keeps watch while the others rest. The forest is listening."
Markus groaned. "Fine. But if another rank three shows up, I want round two."
Elara smirked playfully. "Not without me, you don't."
The fire crackled softly as they settled down, their small camp swallowed by the mist. For the first time since the contest began, they slept with victory on their side.
But Naro's faint smile in the shadows was colder than the night air. To him, this was only the beginning.