While Anay and Naman had clashed with dark forces deeper in the island, across the varied terrains of the island, other students carved their own legends.
Saki – The Crystal Basin
The moonlight shimmered over a lake so still it reflected the stars perfectly. But within it stirred a pack of aquatic monsters — Moonscale Eels, long serpentine creatures with lightning-fast strikes and venomous bites.
Saki stood barefoot on the surface, held aloft by a disk of rotating water. Her eyes narrowed as ripples broke the mirrored surface.
"Abyss Surge," she whispered.
A vortex spiraled downward, tearing through the lake like a divine drill. Eels were flung out of the water, shrieking. One tried to strike her from the side—
But she turned gracefully, unleashing her Tidebind Serpent, wrapping the eel midair, freezing it in a suspended bubble.
"Too slow."
Dozens more came.
She inhaled.
"Aqua Veil… Mirror Lake Illusion…"
Her image shattered into a dozen water clones, each weaving among the monsters with fluid elegance. Together, they danced across the lake, slicing and sealing every threat.
When it was over, the lake was silent once more — now littered with glowing orbs floating above the defeated monsters.
Veer – The Wind-Steeped Canyon
Elsewhere, in a storm-torn canyon, Veer stood tall atop a jagged cliff. Dozens of Razor Beasts climbed the rocky walls below, their claws tearing through stone.
"Gale Shredder."
Invisible wind blades sliced in sweeping arcs, cutting down monsters before they could reach him.
But more kept coming—smarter ones leaping, aiming to trap him from both sides.
"Windstep."
He blinked through the air, reappearing above them.
"Storm Cage!"
A dome of compressed wind dropped from the sky, slamming into the enemies, trapping them in a spiraling vacuum. One particularly large beast resisted—clawed through the pressure.
"Good. Let's end this clean."
With a calm breath, Veer unsheathed his hidden technique—Tempest Fang.
The wind around him compressed into a massive crescent.
Shink.
He swung.
The canyon shook. The giant beast fell in two
Beneath the shadows of an ancient ruined temple, a girl stood still, her silver-white hair swaying gently with the wind. Her presence was serene—but the air around her crackled with chilling energy. From the shattered walls and broken columns, monstrous Stoneback Wolves circled her, snarling.
She didn't flinch.
The girl name Aarya (calmly): "You'll freeze before you even touch me."
As the wolves lunged—
"Frost Lotus."
She swept her hand in a circular motion. The ground beneath her bloomed into a radiant lotus made of solid ice, petals expanding outward in jagged shards. Every wolf that crossed the edge was instantly impaled or frozen mid-leap.
"Ice Mirror Waltz."
Aarya stepped back, summoning three hovering mirrors of pure ice. They reflected not light, but motion—distorting the enemy's view and replicating her image. As one wolf dashed forward, it struck a clone and shattered against it, stunned.
Aarya moved like a graceful snowstorm—calm, precise, and lethal.
One final beast—a larger Alpha—roared.
"Frostbind Lance."
A sharp spike of ice burst upward from the earth, skewering it mid-charge.
She sighed softly, brushing dust from her robes.
"Too noisy."
Central Plateau – Final Return
As the final orb counters floated above students' hands, a horn blew from the heavens. A golden ripple spread across the island.
"All surviving applicants—stand by for return."
Portals shimmered into existence, swirling with the same light that had brought them in.
One by one, the students gathered.
dozens of exhausted students reappear, some dragging their feet, some injured, all changed.
When the light embraced them—
They vanished.
Astral Academy – Training Dome 0
A few seconds later, the teleportation was complete. All 92 students stood again inside the vast crystalline training dome where it had begun.
At the center stood Instructor Rivan, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
"Congratulations. You've survived Trial Island."
The students clapped weakly. Some collapsed. Others just sighed in relief.
"As you know, this was not just a survival trial… it was an evaluation."
His eyes swept over the group.
"The list of the top eight performers, based on monster count, unique skills, leadership, and survival merit… will be released tomorrow."
Murmurs spread.
"Until then—rest, recover, and prepare."
He gave one final look—
"Because from tomorrow… your real journey begins."