The sky was gray.
Clouds floated low, and the wind felt cold.
Eiden stood at the academy gate, wearing his simple black training gear.
A sword hung on his back.
Behind him, Kai was yelling.
"Why do we have to go together?! I can handle monsters alone!"
Sera laughed nervously. "Come on, teamwork is important!"
Elara didn't speak. She looked at Eiden with quiet eyes.
---
Mr. Corvin stood in front of the class.
He wore a cloak and had a serious face.
"This is not a game," he said.
"Inside Blackroot Forest, monsters can appear from anywhere."
He pointed to the trees behind him.
"You will go in as a team. No teachers. We'll watch from a distance. You must complete the mission."
Sera raised her hand.
"What's the mission, sir?"
"Each team must bring back one monster core. No fake ones. No help from outsiders. Good luck."
---
Team 3 moved to the forest gate.
Tall black trees blocked the sun.
Eiden stepped in first.
His eyes scanned the dark ground.
He felt the mana in the air.
Unstable… like something is wrong.
Sera followed behind, holding a small staff.
Elara had twin blades.
Kai dragged his sword across the dirt, still frowning.
"Stupid team," he muttered.
---
After one hour of walking, they found nothing.
Only silence.
No monsters. No sounds.
It felt… too quiet.
Sera stopped walking.
"Isn't this weird?"
Eiden nodded.
"This place is empty."
Kai smirked. "Then let's grab a fake core and leave."
"No," Elara said coldly. "We do this properly."
She looked at Eiden.
"You feel it too, don't you?"
Eiden closed his eyes.
He focused on the mana.
"…Something is hiding underground."
---
Suddenly, the ground shook.
Rumble… RUMBLE…
A monster jumped out from the shadows!
It had six legs, sharp claws, and yellow eyes.
A Low-Class Tunnel Spider.
Kai shouted, "It's mine!"
He rushed in first.
But the spider moved fast.
SLASH!
Kai's sword missed.
The monster clawed his side.
He fell back, coughing.
Sera cried, "Kai!"
Elara dashed forward, blocking another claw with her blades.
"Get back!"
The spider roared.
Elara's attack landed, but the monster was too strong.
---
Eiden stepped forward.
He pulled his sword out slowly.
The air around him felt calm.
He whispered, "Stay back."
The others stopped.
Even the monster paused.
Why is he so calm? Elara thought.
Eiden ran forward.
His sword moved with perfect control.
SLASH—SHING—THRUST!
In just three moves, the spider dropped to the ground.
Dead.
Everyone stared in shock.
---
Kai stood up, bleeding a little.
"You… how?"
Eiden wiped his blade.
"I watched its movement."
Sera smiled. "You were amazing!"
Elara said nothing.
But her heart beat faster.
That sword style… too clean. Too perfect. That's not normal training.
---
They took the monster core.
Elara held it up.
"We can return now."
Kai crossed his arms. "Tch."
Sera clapped.
"We did it, team!"
Eiden looked back at the trees.
His eyes narrowed.
"Something's still watching."
---
Up on a high tree branch, a shadow moved.
A figure in dark robes wrote something down.
"The boy hides his magic… interesting."