Class B's Campsite — Day 5
The sun pierced through the tall trees as birds chirped softly in the background. A row of long wooden tables stood at the center of Class B's camp, their surfaces stacked with steaming dishes and bowls of fresh fruit. The students gathered, their laughter echoing through the forest as they sat together in unity.
Lizzy, with her golden braid swinging behind her, handed out plates beside May. Both moved swiftly between the tables, serving food with practiced ease.
As everyone finished eating, Ken stepped away from the group and walked beside Lizzy, his tone low but serious.
"So... what do we do about the test?" he asked. "Which class do we hunt?"
Lizzy didn't even look at him. Her arms were folded, her eyes sharp as steel.
"Obviously, Class C or A. Going after Class D now is pointless."
"And why's that?" Ken raised an eyebrow.
"They're too unpredictable. They've already survived worse. If we hit them too early, we'll only waste strength. We need to strike smart, not fast."
Ken nodded slowly. "So... what's our plan for marking Class A's prey?"
Lizzy gave a faint smile.
"I've already sent spies ahead. They'll scout Class A's movements, gather prey info, and report back. Until then..." She looked up at the sky, the orange sun casting a glow on her serious face.
"We wait. But mark my words, Ken... We will win. No matter what it takes."
---
Class D's Hideout — Morning
Tents rustled softly in the wind as the students of Class D began their day. Ivy was sweeping out the inside of the main tent, Aria was folding blankets, and Riven stood near a fire pit, watching over a boiling pot of herbs.
Miya sat alone under a tree, legs stretched, arms behind her head, staring at the blue sky like she didn't have a care in the world.
Sena walked up, hands on her hips.
"Hey, rather than just lying there, maybe you could help us clean?"
Miya scoffed. "Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"
She sat up, brushing leaves off her lap.
"You all took me in—I never asked to help with anything."
Sena's voice sharpened. "You—!"
Riven stepped between them, smiling faintly.
"No fighting. It's a beautiful morning."
He turned to Sena, his tone gentle.
"She's right in a way. Let's just handle it ourselves."
But Meira wasn't having it. "She's freeloading from our class. The least she could do is help. Isn't that fair?"
Miya stood up abruptly. Her eyes glinted with emotion.
"I never asked to be helped! I didn't beg anyone to save me!"
She turned on her heels and stormed off into the forest.
Torin sighed and adjusted his wrist guards.
"I'll go after her," he said, flashing a confident grin.
Riven gave a nod. "Bring her back."
---
In the Forest
Sunlight filtered through the trees, painting golden lines across the forest floor. Miya climbed a tall tree like a shadow, sitting at the top branch, hugging her knees.
Torin walked up to the tree trunk, his boots crunching softly against dry leaves.
"Hey... what's with the attitude?"
Miya looked down.
"Go away."
"Yesterday we were laughing. I thought we were finally getting along."
Tears slipped down Miya's cheeks as her voice trembled.
"I'm sorry... I was just jealous."
Torin blinked.
"Jealous?"
"I see how your class works together. Like a real team... a family. I wanted that too."
She took a deep breath.
"When I first joined the academy, I was so proud to be placed in Class C. I thought I'd escaped the 'losers' in Class D. But... Ren, our leader—he's nothing but a drunk with power. Everyone follows him like he's a god. No one dares to speak out, not even me..."
Torin looked up at her with soft eyes.
"So that's why you were alone out here."
Miya nodded, wiping her face.
"Seeing you all yesterday... laughing, working, protecting each other—it made me realize what I was missing. It made me feel... small."
Torin smiled.
"Then maybe this test was never about points. Maybe it's about realizing who you really want to be."
Miya's lips curled into a sad smile. She jumped down from the tree in one smooth motion, landing softly in front of him.
"Thanks, Torin."
She kissed him on the cheek and walked away.
Torin stood frozen, face red like fire.
"H-Hey! Wait up!"
He scrambled after her, tripping on a root and yelling, "That's not fair!"
---
Class D's Campsite — Later
Everyone turned as Miya walked back into the camp. Her head was lowered slightly, but her steps were confident.
She stopped in the center and bowed.
"I'm sorry... for earlier."
Ivy walked up to her and smiled gently.
"It's fine. You're our guest. We should treat you kindly."
"Still," Miya said, "I was rude. I want to change that."
Ivy placed a hand on her shoulder and walked with her into the tent.
On the other side, under a tree, Torin stood with Caden, Kei, Juro, and Kairon.
"So that's what's going on in Class C..." Torin finished.
"Who knew the higher-ups were worse off?" Juro muttered.
Kei elbowed him. "Forget that—you got a kiss!"
Caden stomped the ground dramatically. "Not fair! I need to up my game!"
Torin smiled awkwardly.
"Miya's... pretty amazing."
"Yeah," Kairon added. "When I followed her, she was so high up in the tree... I was too scared to climb."
"And you still got a kiss?" Caden groaned. "Come on!"
Suddenly, Aria called from behind.
"Kairon."
He walked over, his voice calm.
"Seems like you've cooled down."
Aria rubbed her hands together, avoiding his gaze.
"Wasn't angry. Just tired."
Kairon narrowed his eyes. "When are you going to tell me the truth?"
"What truth?"
He gently grabbed her wrist. She tried to pull away, but he held firm—without force, just quiet concern.
"You're burning up. You've got a fever."
Aria looked away. "It's nothing."
He let go. She turned and walked away quickly, but his eyes followed her.
"Is it... because of the test?" he whispered.
---
Somewhere in the Forest
Kairon knelt by a tree. The wind was still. His eyes studied the sand, his hands slowly brushing it aside.
"This... is where Miya collapsed."
He began to dig. Deeper. Slower. His face unreadable.
---
Day 6 — The Final Countdown Begins
Morning dew shimmered as Class D sat in a wide circle. Miya remained inside the tent, resting.
Riven stood in the center, arms crossed.
"This is the sixth day. The final phase is close. What's our next move?"
Juro scratched his head.
"Let's count points first."
Riven nodded.
"We started with 1000. Minus 100 from Lucien's dropout. Minus 500 for the toilet. Minus 200 for the fire extinguisher. That leaves us with... 200."
Juro sighed.
"Why did we even need that extinguisher?"
Riven shrugged. "Precaution. Better safe than cooked."
Ivy nodded.
"Makes sense. So no more spending."
Kei leaned forward. "How do we mark targets?"
Juro shook his head.
"We still don't know who's what. Attacking blindly could ruin everything. Class A covered their cave hideout. Class B's movements are erratic. Class C... well, they don't even care about the test."
Aria muttered, "We're stuck in a loop."
Kairon's eyes scanned the horizon.
"No," he thought. "We're reaching the finale."