This time, Morca didn't look for a grand entrance. He just found a random spot and sat down, with masked male youth standing silently behind him.
---
Soon, a group of youths burst out of the forest, their faces pale and drenched in sweat as they struggled to catch their breath.
One of them gasped out, "Mo… monster… ki… kill… ing peo… peop…le," before collapsing to the ground, dead.
The others trembled like leaves in a storm, as if they'd seen death itself. Among the group were Denis Sherman and a few other Sherman clan members. Denis, usually calm and composed, was now pale and breathless–his usual mask of cold danger replaced by raw fear.
That was when it happened.
The forest began to part unnaturally. The ground trembled violently. Everyone's hearts pounded against their ribs, the sound of their own blood rushing louder than ever. Even Morca felt it—this was no ordinary tremor. Nobody was spared from the dread that suddenly clawed at their minds.
Only one thought echoed in every trial candidate's mind: Run.
Whatever was coming wasn't a regular monster. It could very well be a 2-star+ beast—or worse.
And then, they saw them.
Three colossal monsters emerged, each towering over 19 feet tall. Their forms were skeletal, with huge black skulls crowned by triple horns. Six hollow, abyssal-red eyes glowed on each of their grotesque faces. Jagged bone-thorns sprouted from their shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips. Their aura weighed down the air like a death sentence.
Each step they took cracked the earth beneath them, leaving small craters in their wake. Their bony limbs clanked with unnatural rhythm. Their mouths hung open in a permanent snarl, as if hungry to consume souls.
Bone Devourer Skeletons... a nightmare given form.
"What… are those?" Neo Laura, known to be one of the strongest among them, muttered with a serious expression.
"I–I can't move! Help meee...!" someone screamed.
And then horror struck.
The trial candidate who cried out was suddenly engulfed in a red mist. His screams ended as his body dried out in seconds. Bones sprouted violently from within him, peeling his skin and flesh into dust. The twisted figure that remained crumbled to powder and vanished.
A silence followed–a heavy silence filled only by thudding hearts.
In a blink, an awakened rank expert had been reduced to nothing.
Terror choked the weaker candidates. Some collapsed, unable to breathe, their hearts pounding like war drums.
But it wasn't over.
From the abyssal black cave hugging the high cliff, more monsters began pouring out... hundreds, maybe thousands.
At the forefront of the stampede were five monstrous beings, all 2-star+ ranked. Each one radiated power that made the air vibrate.
Two of them had the heads of goats with massive horns, standing on sturdy limbs. Their black fur looked like armor—these were the Dark Horn Mountain Goats, known for their brute strength and unshakable posture.
The third is a Two-Headed Poison Fire Lizard, with crimson scales and a single red eye per head. Flames and venom shimmered in its snarls.
The fourth and fifth were Ironclaw Pathan, wrapped in silver scales, a single sharp horn on their head, and glowing red eyes that screamed bloodlust.
Behind these beasts, an endless tide of monsters emerged from the abyss, each carrying unique traits and killing potential.
The trial candidates were stunned.
Something was wrong.
How could a trial ground contain this many 2-star+ monsters? Including the Bone Devourers, that made eight of them. And that's not counting the ten 2-star monsters they'd already fought in the forest.
It didn't add up.
"Buuzzz"
Then, all the trial candidates' wrist devices buzzed to life with a notification.
---
Academy Trial Notification
Trial 1: Survive the Apocalypse Monster Hunt for One Day
Objective: During the apocalypse, humanity almost went extinct due to our limited knowledge of monsters and their power levels. But we survived.
Now, young geniuses, this is your true trial. Face the brutality of the monster race. Experience what our guidances endured. Survive. The days ahead at the academy will be even more brutal.
Survival is the only key to entry.
Trial Begins.
---
Darkness fell across their expressions as realization dawned.
Vice Principal Evans Tamar's words echoed in their minds: 'Mind you, there are ten 2-star monsters inside. Study the rules well–it might just save your life.' That's when it drowned on them he never said only ten.
Morca frowned at the message, then smirked. The battle instinct within him burned. 'Just right,' he thought. 'I was worried I wouldn't find worthy opponents after breaking through. But now, there's more than enough.'
He glanced around at the others. Most wore expressions of fear or hopelessness. Only a handful maintained serious composure. One youth, in particular, had stars in his eyes like he'd just been handed his favorite toy.
Faint lightning cracked around him.
It was Brain Magnus, his arm slung over by Max Magnus, who was clearly trying to restrain him.
Far in the distance, monsters surged toward them like a tide.
Jack Voidspace, the prodigy of the Voidspace family, stepped forward–calm and noble.
With a powerful voice, he declared, "Everyone, we need to work together. Most of us can't handle a 2-star+ monster, and there aren't just one or two... there are eight.
In other words it means we are going to fight against eight peak saint-rank monsters, not to mention the endless lower-ranked ones behind them."
"We, the leaders of our respective ancient families, along with the nine representatives of the other factions, should form teams of two or three to hold back or defeat the 2-star+ monsters. The rest will handle the 1-star+ monsters and assist when needed. What do you all think?"
There was no time to argue.
Brain and Max Magnus were the first to step up.
"Agreed. Max and I will take one," Brain said without hesitation.
"I'm in," another voice called out.
"Count me in!"
"Ready!"
"In!"
One after another, the leaders voiced their agreement. In seconds, a total of twenty-one peak awakened experts had committed.
Jack Voidspace quickly laid out the team formation:
I would pair with Zoe.
Gina Erickson would team with Ashley and Zaphi. (Ashley one of the nine)
Brain and Max Magnus formed one team.
Denis and Tyler Sherman formed another.
Karon and Carly.
Rider and Vic Henley (from the nine).
Leo Mordric and Mulan Night (also from the nine).
Marcus Stormer and Alex Maxwell.(from the nine)
Zack Moss, Lucian Freud, and Nathan Walker formed the final team. (all three from the nine)
Nine teams in total, each assigned to a 2-star+ monster and assist in clearing the endless lower monsters
When it came to Neo Laura, she said only one thing:
"I'll handle one alone."
Shock rippled through the group. Was she truly that powerful? Had she broken through to saint rank? If so, she might be their strongest among them.
As for Morca, only Neo Laura and Leo Mordric might know little about his true power. The others assumed he'd join the fight against the 1-star+ monsters, and he didn't argue.
He would speak with action.
Seven teams would each take on a monster. With Neo Laura handling one solo, and two teams left as reserve support, they would cover the rear and assist as needed.
The monsters drew closer, thundering across the field.
Jack Voidspace raised his hand and shouted:
"KILL!"