The Association Sky Carrier soared through the endless heavens.
Below it, mountain after mountain rolled endlessly toward the horizon.
Ancient forests blanketed the land like an emerald ocean, broken only by winding rivers that glittered beneath the morning sun.
Kyle stood beside the transparent window.
For the first time...
He realized just how enormous Sector Eight truly was.
Twenty-five minutes had already passed.
Yet they were still flying.
The Sky Carrier wasn't slow.
If anything...
Its speed would have put even the fastest fighter jets of the Old Era to shame.
The scenery below had become nothing more than streaks of green and gray.
Suddenly...
The cabin lights flashed crimson.
WARNING!
WARNING!
Every student stiffened.
"What happened?"
A second later...
A deafening screech echoed through the sky.
SKREEEEEE!!
Dark clouds gathered ahead.
Lightning flashed continuously between them.
Then...
Massive shadows burst from within.
One...
Three...
Seven...
A flock of gigantic birds with wingspans exceeding fifty meters spread across the sky.
Blue lightning danced across every feather.
One student immediately shot to his feet.
"T-Thunder Rocs!"
Another's face turned pale.
"Those are Rank Six Thunder Rocs!"
"They can destroy cities!"
The leading Thunder Roc let out another ear-piercing cry.
Lightning gathered inside its beak.
A heartbeat later...
A pillar of blue lightning descended toward the Sky Carrier.
BOOOOOOM!!
Before the attack could reach them...
A translucent barrier expanded around the aircraft.
The lightning exploded against it.
Not even a ripple appeared.
The students stared in disbelief.
The female instructor smiled calmly.
"No need to panic."
"Our barrier is designed to withstand attacks far stronger than that."
The Sky Carrier didn't stop.
Instead...
Its mana engines roared.
Blue flames erupted from the rear.
BOOM!
The enormous carrier accelerated once again.
Its terrifying speed instantly surpassed the Thunder Rocs.
The flock tried to change direction.
Too late.
The carrier tore straight through their formation.
The violent shockwave sent the Rank Six beasts tumbling helplessly through the sky.
Within seconds...
They were nothing more than distant specks.
Silence filled the cabin.
One student whispered,
"...What kind of speed was that?"
Lucas Valerius finally spoke.
"The propulsion system was developed by the Valerius Family."
Several students immediately looked toward him.
"It flies at speeds comparable to a Rank Eight Sky Eagle."
"No Rank Six flying beast can hope to catch it."
His tone remained calm.
As though he were stating an obvious fact.
Kyle glanced at him briefly before returning his attention outside.
Beyond the mountains...
A forest unlike anything he had ever seen came into view.
Trees hundreds of meters tall stretched toward the heavens.
The mana in the air became noticeably denser.
Even from inside the carrier...
Everyone could feel it.
The female instructor stepped forward.
"We have arrived."
The bottom of the Sky Carrier slowly opened.
Wind rushed into the cabin.
Far below...
An endless forest waited.
"Listen carefully."
"This is the practical examination."
"Each of you will be deployed to a random location."
"No one knows where they will land."
"No one will receive special treatment."
"A cultivator does not choose the battlefield."
"You adapt to it."
Staff members began handing every student a small metallic bracelet.
"Wear this."
"It will automatically record every beast you kill."
A holographic screen appeared above the instructor's palm.
Scoring Rules
Low Rank One Beast: 1 Point
Mid Rank One Beast: 2 Points
High Rank One Beast: 5 Points
Low Rank Two Beast: 10 Points
Mid Rank Two Beast: 20 Points
High Rank Two Beast: 50 Points
"The minimum passing score is thirty points."
Many students immediately relaxed.
The instructor smiled.
"Don't misunderstand."
"Thirty points only means you pass."
"It does not make you exceptional."
"The higher your score..."
"...the higher your academy evaluation."
"Better rankings."
"Better instructors."
"Better cultivation resources."
"So don't aim to survive."
"Aim to excel."
The students' expressions became serious once more.
Kyle fastened the bracelet around his wrist.
Thirty points...
That's only the beginning.
He looked toward the endless forest below.
Master always said...
"Humans are harder to kill than beasts."
"Beasts rely on instinct."
"Humans lie, scheme, and betray."
A faint smile appeared on Kyle's face.
With everything Master has taught me...
...these beasts shouldn't be much different.
As long as I don't get careless.
The instructor raised her hand.
"Candidates..."
"Prepare for deployment."
One by one...
The students walked toward the open hatch.
The practical examination...
...was about to begin.
Kyle stepped off the hatch.
The wind roared past his ears as he plummeted toward the endless forest.
The towering trees rushed closer and closer.
At the last second…
Mana surged beneath his feet.
BOOM!!
He landed heavily, a shallow crater forming beneath him.
The bracelet on his wrist lit up.
«Practical Examination Commenced.
Current Score: 0»
Kyle slowly stood.
“…”
“…”
“…”
His eyebrows twitched.
Surrounding him…
Pairs of crimson eyes stared from every direction.
The bushes rustled.
One…
Three…
Seven…
More and more beasts emerged from the trees.
Gray fur.
Razor-sharp fangs.
Claws that dug trenches into the earth.
At the center stood a wolf nearly twice the size of the others.
Its golden eyes remained fixed on Kyle.
Its aura was clearly stronger than the rest.
A High Rank One Ironfang Wolf.
Surrounding it were over a dozen Mid Rank One Ironfang Wolves.
Kyle looked around once.
Then sighed.
“What kind of shitty luck is this?”
“I thought they’d at least drop us somewhere safe.”
“I’m sure the others didn’t start like this…”
The wolves slowly spread out.
They weren’t rushing him.
They were hunting.
Trying to surround their prey.
Kyle exhaled slowly.
“So…”
“…that’s how you want to play.”
A faint grin appeared on his face.
He drew his Iron-grade sword.
SHING!
The blade gleamed beneath the sunlight.
Mana Guard enveloped his body.
Then…
He tightened his grip.
His eyes became frighteningly calm.
“If that’s the case…”
“…come.”
The High Rank One wolf let out a thunderous howl.
The entire pack lunged at once.
The forest exploded into motion.