The students began converging into their respective groups outside the forest they had visited on their first field expedition. Dark ominous mountains stood tall in the background nearby. The air held a tinge of sulfur, as Kai inhaled deeply. Everyone was looking at him, or more specifically his new armor. Ethereal wisps began moving around the dull white alderlite armor. Gradually the somewhat heavy armor lightened as it began absorbing what little sunlight made its way through the dark clouds overhead. Its ethereal wisps were dim, as the light it took in was not enough to make a significant difference.

This would be his first time using the armor. He didn’t have time to test its resilience and durability in an environment outside Knock’s smithy. Under his dull white armor, he wore a black long-sleeved shirt and pants made of lightweight fabric that was also tear-resistant. The contrast with the black clothing under the white armor looked quite catching in his opinion. Maybe too eye-catching as he received many stares.

His thoughts went back to his “not a date” dinner yesterday with Ashley. True to her word, she did not show up at the Academy today or the field expedition, causing a wave of rumors spreading already, some accurate, others less so. He had surprisingly enjoyed his evening with her, finding her intelligence and boldness refreshing if not a little troubling at times. Perhaps he could have seen himself becoming friends if they had more time and she wasn’t hiding something from him. Not that finding out what it was might change their relationship. He wasn’t sure if he could ever truly trust anyone outside his family ever again. The betrayal of Lucian was still fresh in his mind and heart even after sixteen years in this life.

The end of the “date” had been anti-climactic. After dinner, Ashley claimed to have to report to the palace to conclude some final business before she left for good. Attempting to be a gentleman, Kai offered to walk her to the palace, but she declined, claiming her mysterious bodyguard was capable of escorting her there. At Ashley’s behest, they did share a quick hug, to which Kai was given a stern warning when an aura was projected at him by what he assumed was her secret bodyguard.

When he had returned home, he checked his coins. To his utter confusion, all of his coins were accounted for. Begging the question of where Akane had found the coins and where had she been storing it?

Approaching the group, he received different kinds of stares, all filled with envy, jealousy, and curiosity. Then there was the odd emotion of anger, he sensed from Jason. Clearly, the marquess heir did not appreciate Kai flaunting his new armor. Uncaring, Kai focused on the instructor who stood impatiently waiting for all the students to gather.

“We will be heading deeper into the forest today, the area this group is planning to visit is about a 20-minute walk into the forest,” the instructor informed the group.

The group proceeded to walk through the woods. He marched next to Hector, his most reliable companion in this dysfunctional group. Even on their fourth trip, group 2 had not formed cohesive teamwork, instead, the nine individuals were split into three different groups. His only saving grace was the policy of allowing one group to be without protection had been squashed. But it didn’t mean he was going to let his guard down and rely on the instructor. The man in Kai’s eyes had proven himself unreliable.

Four of the students with the lowest levels had chosen to stay together. They had the most varied group with the only healer, a tank of sorts, and two other mages. Kai couldn’t see himself fighting with these novices. They still hadn’t proven to him they were worth relying on, especially after that vine incident.

The second group was composed of Kai’s current archnemesis, Jason, and his two goons. While more competent than the first group, Kai simply couldn’t trust them to have his back. Jason had shown his true colors early on, the man was not above petty revenge and wouldn’t hesitate to hurt Kai if the opportunity came to him.

Then there was Kai’s group, or more accurately Kai and Hector. Hector had remained a good reliable companion throughout all of their expeditions. The man engaged their enemies from afar, while Kai took the vanguard position. Jason’s group had attempted to recruit Hector, the second highest-level person of group 2 as of present, but he had refused them, to Kai’s undeniable glee.

Perhaps I’m being petty, but fuck Jason. The Marquess heir hadn’t really bothered him much since after the first expedition, but it was easy enough to tell that the guy still hated him for whatever reason he justified in his mind. It had become a competition between the groups to secure the most kills. Jason’s group aggressively pushed their way every time. During the last few trips, they had undoubtedly grown the most out of the rest of the people present. Jason even went as far as to have one of his goons physically block Kai twice, and without ranged damage, he simply couldn’t do anything.

“Beasts ahead,” the instructor called out helpfully.

Rushing ahead, Jason and his two goons charged through the brush out of vision where fighting began. Still hungry for levels. After the first expedition, a spark had been lit under the noble’s ass, prompting him to rush for levels, he had gained an impressive amount since. Kai suspected he had been taking additional trips under the supervision of his family to gain levels so that he could have a better showing at the final tournament. Jason had reached the Forging realm only a week ago, bringing about a wave of incessant bragging.

Kai couldn’t deny at times he wanted to venture out alone one day and gain levels or hire a higher leveled person to watch over him while he fought out here. But both answers were dangerous. On one hand, he would be without protection or a safety net if he met something beyond his capabilities if he was alone, on the other, he couldn’t trust strangers with no vested interest besides gold to watch over him. Here at the academy despite that bullshit from the first expedition, it was in their best interest to keep the students alive. Kai had heard of backlash from the first expedition, but no changed results had come from it yet.

He could find and ask his brother, assuming he was still in the capital, but he had not heard from him since the first day he arrived in Verdia. He wasn’t even sure where to begin looking, assuming his brother would even help him to power level in the first place, which he highly doubted, the more he thought about it.

Kai let out a depressing sigh. Walking through the thicket, the sounds of battle had ended. Slaughtered indiscriminately a few tiny horned, four-legged beasts lay separated in pieces on the bloody grass. Jason stood above one, a wicked smile on his face as he cleaned his sword with a cloth from his spatial ring.

Hector and Kai shared a look.

Not caring to hide his voice, Jason spoke up, “It’s a pity you know, armor-like that is wasted on commoner trash like you.”

And here he goes. I thought I might actually have a pleasant day. I’m older. I need to be the bigger person. Just ignore him.

Seeing Kai unresponsive to the taunting, Jason continued, “Perhaps it was your sister this time that opened her legs.”

Ok, Fuck that.

“Actually, it was your mother. Payment for services rendered,” he shot back.

A collective gasp went through the group. Ever the wise person, Hector took a step back away from Kai.

Shit. Why am I so impulsive sometimes? It was too late to take it back, and he knew an apology wouldn’t mean shit. Not that Jason deserved it when he started this scene.

A shadow passed over Jason’s face. His eyes of contempt turned dark with promise. He slowly marched towards Kai, his sword trembling.

Body tense, Kai bent his knee’s slightly ready to react to the seething noble.

A massive object struck the earth between the two, flinging dirt and dust everywhere.

“Enough!” roared the instructor. He wheeled onto Jason. “If you can’t take it then don’t sta – “

Shaking, the likes that Kai had never experienced before, flung him to the ground. A symphony of cracks echoed throughout the forest as some trees began collapsing one after another. Everyone except the instructor was on their knees, having been taken to the ground by the powerful shaking. Another crack set off near Kai’s head. Leaves and branches started falling. As if in slow motion, one of the trees started falling towards the group, a few people in its path of destruction.

Standing between the students, the burly instructor reached up towards the falling tree. With heroic might he caught the tree on its descent, his feet digging into the ground as he held its weight up alone. “Move,” he breathlessly exhaled out. His face was turning redder with each passing moment. His arms were trembling, or perhaps it was the ground shaking him. With difficulty, Kai and the others were able to crawl out of the way before the instructor dropped the tree to his side. Falling to his hands and knees, he looked nearly broken, ragged gasps of air filled the instructor, his chest moving up and down rapidly. To the relief of everyone, the earthquake tempered off until it finally stopped completely a minute later.

A single thunderous roar echoed through the forest, making Kai and others cover their ears. It wasn’t sound magic; it was simply so loud that it was physically painful to hear.

“Report. Is everyone ok?”

Kai looked around and could see every student standing now the shaking had dissipated. Everyone looked shaken but unharmed.

“We’re all good,” one of the girls answered.

The instructor nodded. Groaning he stood to his feet. “We need to leave immediately. Let’s head back to the staging area.”

Everyone began walking back, cautiously looking around.

“What was that?”

“An earthquake.”

“But it was so powerful.”

“We must be closer to its source.”

“What about that roar? It was terrifying”

Kai could hear students whispering between each other in conversation as they followed the instructor back to where they began their trip.

In the next few moments, something strange happened. One second, he could hear the usual sounds of forest life, the next nothing. All sounds ceasing. Kai froze as a cold shiver ran down his spine. A premonition. Something had changed, the atmosphere had become unsettling. The instructor had noticed something too, freezing in his tracks he concentrated on something unseen in the distance behind them. Kai was beginning to feel something now, a vibration in the ground, barely noticeable but still there. Not an earthquake but sporadic, like running.

“RUN!” The instructor screamed with panic.

All kinds of sounds rang out around the forest. Beyond his vision, something roared fiercely, growing louder and louder with every passing second as it drew closer. As if the spell had been broken, the silent forest had come alive. Something had stirred all the beasts and animals.

Chaos ensued. All the students began screaming as they ran in the direction that they had been walking a moment ago, but it was too late.

A tree trunk came flying from outside his vision, crashing into one student in front of him. Turning to the source, he saw a brown-furred, four-legged monster with overly huge paws come crashing into the midst of the students. Spikes and rocks seemed molded across its entire body in patches. Easily three times the size of the burly instructor, its presence brought everyone to a shocking halt. Even Jason sat flat on his ass, trembling as he stared at the large creature towering overhead, his lips quivering in fear. Kai felt his hands shake. He knew this monster was obscenely powerful.

The monster’s mouth unhinged in a roar, two large fangs hanging down. First, to react, the instructor launched towards the monster, blue crystal angular armor encasing his body. The monster showed no mercy, its giant paw batted into the instructor smacking him through the air until he crashed into one of the fallen trees and ricocheted into the air beyond the branches. Kai could see sharp spiked crystals sticking out of the monster’s paw, but it was uncaring.

[Spiked Earth Bear - ???]

Within seconds, the instructor was back, blue crystal platforms materializing in midair, as he jumped to each one, going faster and faster as new ones spawned. Pushing off the last one, he rocketed towards the monster. In his hand was a jagged edge blue crystal sword. He slammed straight into the beast’s back, a roar accompanying the terrific explosion of dirt and debris.

Finally regaining his senses, Kai had seen enough as he started running. He dashed to the side, the fighting between the instructor and the monster had blocked the route back. Behind him, he heard one of the female students scream before being abruptly silenced. More sounds rang out until the sound of his instructor screaming pulled his attention.

Twisting his head back, he saw the instructor pinned underneath the giant paw of the monster. Dozens of crystal pillars shot out of the ground at angles, all colliding with the beast. The rocks across its back seemed to spread out over its once brown fur, causing the crystals to shatter against the beast’s armor. Unable to move the instructor’s face turned to terror as the creature brought its unhinging mouth closer. Panicking, the instructor struggled to no avail. His arms were pinned. Kai pitied the man. His screams of agony and fear resounded throughout the forest.

Still running, Kai watched nearly dazed, as the monster bit down on the head of his once group instructor and protector. A cruel silence overtook the once loud battle.

The silence was again replaced by the sound of one of the students screaming in anguish and terror from nearby. He didn’t stop or turn around as he kept running for his life.