The atmosphere at the border gate of the Training Forest felt so alive.
The morning breeze blew coolly, carrying the scent of damp earth, old moss, and dense foliage thriving under the shade of giant tree canopies.
The first-year students stood in groups according to the previously given directions.
Some of them looked very excited, swinging their wooden magic staffs into the air as if they were ready to face a major battle against legendary monsters.
However, quite a few students also began to show anxious expressions, closing ranks in their groups, and looking into the darkness of the forest trail covered by dense bushes.
In the front row, Erin stood upright in a dark blue travel robe that fluttered softly in the morning breeze.
Her bright yellow eyes watched each group with great precision, ensuring that no student's safety equipment was left behind or worn incorrectly.
"Remember the basic rules we discussed in class," Erin's voice sounded clear and calm, cutting through the small commotion among the ranks of students.
"Inside this Training Forest, you are not participating in a power-showing competition. You are learning to survive. Stay within the group, never walk alone, and always pay attention to the mana condition of the friend beside you."
Among the clustered groups, Leon Arven stood with an upright posture, holding a magic staff with a small crystal hilt in his right hand.
As a noble accustomed to luxury facilities, Leon wore a face full of confidence, as if this forest were nothing more than a vast decorative garden.
On the other hand, Serena Rose looked busy checking pouches of protective potions and scrolls of notes in her waist bag, ensuring everything was arranged neatly according to the best theoretical standards.
Meanwhile, in a different group, Kai Renford stood slightly behind his peers, taking a deep breath to calm his suddenly pounding heartbeat.
The memory of the private tutoring with Erin some time ago had somewhat calmed his mind, but the quiet and enclosed atmosphere of the forest still evoked anxiety in his heart.
"Very well, the gate will open," shouted Professor Adrian, the teacher of physical endurance and field tactics accompanying today's activity, while pulling a large iron lever beside the sturdy wooden gate.
With a heavy creaking sound, the large Training Forest gate slowly opened wide, revealing a stony trail that soon disappeared behind the dense ancient trees.
"Please enter group by group. Keep a distance of ten steps between one group and the next. No one should get ahead of the leading instructor," Erin continued giving instructions.
One by one, the groups began to step into the forest area.
The atmosphere inside the forest immediately felt very different compared to the academy courtyard.
Morning sunlight could only pierce through small gaps among the dense leaves, creating pillars of golden light shining on the forest floor filled with wild mushrooms and leaf litter.
The sounds of forest birds echoed, mixed with the scratching of branches and the footsteps of dozens of students breaking the silence.
Erin led the very front row together with Professor Adrian, walking at a relaxed yet alert pace.
She did not just let the students walk aimlessly, but gave periodic instructions at every important point they passed.
"Pay attention to the tree roots on the left side of your path, children," Erin said, stopping briefly and pointing toward a mossy mound of earth.
All the students immediately stopped their steps and paid attention to the direction pointed by the professor.
"That is Low-grade Glowing Moss," Erin continued explaining in a patient tone.
"For some novice mages, this moss is often ignored because it is considered useless. However, if you know how to process it, the extract of this moss can be used to detect the presence of residual mana tracks of low-level monsters around."
Serena Rose quickly pulled out her notebook and pen, writing down every detail of Erin's explanation very meticulously.
Some other students who initially underestimated this field lesson began to open their eyes wide, realizing that this forest held a lot of practical knowledge never written in classroom textbooks.
However, not all groups could follow this journey with a calm mind.
In the middle group, Leon Arven began to feel bored with the walking speed that was far too slow for his standard of thinking.
He felt that he had sufficiently mastered basic magic theory and was able to cast first-level attack spells smoothly.