CHAPTER 24: FINAL DAY TRIAL (2)

Chapter 24 – Final Day Trial (2)

He rose to his feet, tightening his gloves, eyes burning with focus.

Step one: Gather the materials. The flower would be simple if he searched carefully. The wolf and viper would take more effort, but neither were beyond him.

Step two: Prepare the mixture. Grind, boil, and bind.

Step three: Poison the river.

Step four: Hunt the sharks.

He exhaled, mist steaming in the cold morning air.

"...Simple. But not easy."

His gaze flicked toward the sky, where the sun was slowly rising, painting the clouds gold.

"The others are busy fighting goblins, wolves, lizards... wasting stamina for scraps."

He smirked, voice cold.

"I’ll claim prey they can’t even dream of touching."

----

Michael slung his bag over his shoulder, adjusting his sword at his hip.

Time was precious. He had the plan, he had the knowledge, now he needed the materials.

He stepped out into the snow, the crisp morning air biting against his skin. The forest beyond stretched dark and dense, hiding beasts and secrets in equal measure.

Michael inhaled deeply, the frost stinging his lungs. His expression hardened.

"...This world may shift. The butterfly effect may twist the script. But my advantage remains."

His eyes burned with quiet determination.

"I know the paths. The shortcuts. The tricks the others don’t."

He stepped forward, each crunch of snow beneath his boots echoing like a war drum.

"This trial isn’t just survival. It’s proof."

His lips curved into a cold smile.

"I will remain number one. No matter what it takes."

And with that, Michael Willson vanished into the wilderness, moving toward the hidden materials, toward the river of lurking fangs.

The morning fog still clung to the grasslands, dense and rolling like a restless sea.

Michael stepped out of the wolf-den cave he had used as his base for the night, stretching his stiff arms and shoulders.

His breath escaped in pale clouds, fading into the chill air.

Today was the third day of the Survival Trial. By now, the Academy’s system clock showed 9:00 AM.

The trial would end in nine hours at 6:00 PM sharp.

The thought weighed on him.

I’m leading now, but Leon, Edric, Selena, and Lyra are closing in. If I fall behind even once... I’ll lose first place before the trial ends.

He tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. "Then I don’t fall. I keep moving."

His target: Swallow Sharks in the northern river. D-rank monsters, impossible for most cadets, but worth thousands of points if culled.

The river lay nearly twelve kilometers north of his cave. To get there, he’d need to cut through the forest, skirt around rocky hills, and keep his pace steady. If he stopped, he’d never make it before noon.

---

Michael set out at a brisk pace, boots crunching across dew-soaked grass. He timed his breath, counting steps.

The forest swallowed him after twenty minutes—dark boughs looming overhead, the air damp with moss and shadow. He pushed forward at a jog, not daring to linger.

At 9:40 AM, a low growl halted him. From the brush, a Shadow Wolf emerged, sleek and hungry, its crimson eyes glinting.

Michael smirked faintly. "Perfect warm-up."

The wolf lunged. Michael’s blade flashed in a perfect arc—Sword Slash. One strike. The beast fell mid-leap.

[ +250 pts ]

He crouched, cutting away its obsidian nails with a dagger. His gloves stained with blood, he pocketed the nails before moving again. Time was precious.

By the time he left the wolf’s corpse behind, the sun was higher. 10:00 AM.

The trek deepened. The forest grew denser, the air thicker. Michael’s path wound northward, each step measured. He climbed a rocky slope, vaulted across streams, and forced himself to keep a steady rhythm. He didn’t slow even when fatigue pressed at his calves.

At 10:40 AM, he finally reached a riverside grove—and found the silver-blue glow of a Loltical Flower blooming from a crack in the rocks. Its metallic scent lingered as he plucked it carefully.

"Step two," he muttered, tucking it away.

But the hardest ingredient was yet ahead.

He pressed deeper into shadowed woods, where even birdsong had gone silent.

At 11:30 AM, he reached a wide clearing. The air grew heavy, the ground faintly trembling. His hand went to his sword immediately.

The Venous Viper slithered into view, five meters long, venom sizzling against the dirt where it dripped.

Michael’s gaze sharpened. "D-rank... dangerous, but manageable."

Purple fractals rippled in his eyes as he activated Quantum Analysis Mind. Five minutes of heightened calculation.

The viper lunged. Michael blurred into motion—Shadow Swap. He reappeared to its flank, firing Ice Missiles in quick volleys, shards clattering against scales. Venom sprayed. He countered with Ice Shield, hissing acid gnawing at frost.

"Now."

He lunged, sword slicing where Quantum Analysis guided—its underside. The blade ripped open flesh. The viper screamed and collapsed.

[ +500 pts ]

Michael exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. "Third piece, done."

Carefully, he stripped a patch of venomous hide and packed it away. The stench clung to him as he continued.

By the time he reached the northern river, it was 12:15 PM. His legs ached from the distance, but he pressed on.

On the bank, he built a crude alchemy kit from stones. Shadow Wolf nails ground into powder. Loltical Flower petals crushed to a metallic paste. Venous Viper skin shredded, its fluids mixing into the brew.

When he poured river water into the bowl, the mixture hissed, glowing a poisonous green. Mist rose faintly.

~ Ding

[ Special Item Created – Poisonous Water Mixture ]

Effect: Weakens aquatic beasts’ stats by 70% for 10 minutes.

Michael smirked. "Just like the streamer described."

----

He poured the mixture into the river.

The surface shimmered briefly, then darkened as poison spread downstream.

At first, silence. Then the water churned violently. Fins broke the surface, slicing through like scythes. Swallow Sharks emerged—massive, horse-sized predators with serrated jaws.

Even poisoned, their aura radiated dread.

Michael’s hand tightened on his blade. Frost gathered across the steel, his breath steady despite the storm rising in the river.

He glanced at the system clock: 3:00 PM. Three hours until the Survival Trial ended.

"Ten minutes to finish this fight," he murmured. "And three hours to hold my rank until the end."

The water erupted. The first shark lunged, its gaping maw wide enough to devour him whole.

Michael planted his foot, stance unyielding. His sword gleamed cold.

"If I can’t kill them now... I’ll lose everything."

Steel clashed with teeth as the hunt began.

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