[ Party Number 11 ]

We gathered in front of my house, with most of us seated cross-legged on the grass. However, Leno stood out as he fashioned his own seat by shaping a small boulder from the ground with earth magic.

At first, Viora was angry with him, but Leno assured her that the ground would return to its normal state once he had finished briefing us.

Gina and Vanessa, seeing Leno's creative seat, couldn't resist and persuaded him to create boulder seats for them too. Reluctantly, Leno agreed.

The three of them settled in front of us, forming a trio. Our seating arrangement was in a neat straight line, starting from the right with Cliff Bervic, followed by Deni Avir, with me at the center. To my left sat Naera, and next to her was Sarla River.

Cliff arrived with his older sister, Tasha, while Sarla was accompanied by her aunt. In contrast, Deni had come alone. Both their guardians were engaged in a conversation with my mother a few feet away from us, seated at a table nearby.

"First of all, I'd like us to get acquainted and introduce ourselves," Leno began. "Let's begin with you, Cliff," he said, prompting Cliff to start.

Cliff initially hesitated, but he summoned his courage and faced both us and our mentors.

"I am Cliff, hailing from the esteemed Bervic House," he began, his voice carrying a hint of nervousness that he bravely tried to conceal.

"My father is Claude Bervic, and our lineage has long specialized in Earth Magic. I will be celebrating my eighth birthday in approximately four months."

Cliff, despite being a year older than me, stood at a similar height. His dark hair framed a pair of warm brown eyes. As I stole a glance at his sister, it was evident that they shared the same facial features, unmistakably siblings.

Following Cliff was Deni Avir's turn. In a concise manner, he introduced himself, saying, "I'm Deni, representing the Avir House. 7 years old, I'll be under your guidance."

Deni's introduction lacked emotion, as if this were a mere formality, and he seemed indifferent to the proceedings.

His striking appearance featured medium-length white hair, with two bangs nearly concealing his intense scarlet eyes. Despite his young age, Deni possessed a remarkably sturdy physique, standing a tad taller than myself.

"Now, it's your turn, Little Raul,"

Vanessa, with a playful grin, nudged me forward, her gaze fixed upon me, clearly expecting something special.

I chose to respond with a confident smile, rising gracefully from my spot on the grass.

"I'm Raul, proudly representing the esteemed Vuren House, 6 years old," I declared.

"I'd like to express my gratitude for agreeing with my home as our gathering place. I like to take this opportunity to get to know each other better." My introduction concluded with a respectful bow, and I returned to my seated position.

The other young ascendants watched me with awe, especially Naera and Cliff, who clearly admired my confident demeanor.

Vanessa maintained her smug expression as if she was expecting this, while Gina appeared genuinely surprised by the way I had presented myself. Leno was the only one who seemed disgusted.

I understood that I should have acted my age, but with Viora's presence, I couldn't resist the desire to make her proud. A touch of sophistication introduction seemed appropriate, given the circumstances.

"You've raised a remarkably well-mannered young man," both of them complimented Viora.

Viora, slightly taken aback by the praise, chuckled softly. "Eh…Erm—It's all thanks to Aeren, I guess." She admitted. She hadn't anticipated that I would demonstrate such manners, and it left her pleasantly surprised.

Naera brimmed with a fervent excitement as she earnestly tried to follow in my footsteps. She graciously extended her thanks to our mentors, exhibiting the same characteristic enthusiasm that defined her.

Lastly, was Sarla, who introduced herself with a cheerful demeanor, much like Naera. Her words were delivered with grace.

"I am Sarla of River House, eight in age, just as Naera. Our lineage, too, bears the noble mark of water magic," she declared.

Sarla's appearance was striking, with her flowing, pale blue tresses that could be mistaken for glistening strands of silver, and her eyes, a deep azure, seemed to hold the mysteries of ancient seas. She stood not only taller than Naera but also surpassed my own stature.

Following the mentors' introductions, it was Leno's turn to address the assembly. With a solemn air, he began to provide a comprehensive briefing regarding what they were told.

"As previously mentioned by our host," Leno began, "over the next two days, we shall partake in a series of three distinct stages of events."

"Our first challenge, Treasure-N-Quest, involves embarking on a puzzle quest within the confines of Ruonar City. Hidden throughout the city are a total of 100 quests awaiting discovery."

"Initially, we'll receive starter quests, but thereafter, it's up to our resourcefulness to locate them. Each quest presents a varying level of difficulty, with higher difficulties yielding greater rewards in points."

"Our approach to this challenge is flexible; we can decide whether to divide our group to cover more ground in search of these quests. In case of a dispute between two parties over who found a quest first, the solution will be shared, and the point will be awarded to the group that successfully solves it first."

"We will decide the strategy on the night before the challenge."

Leno acknowledged Sarla's raised hand and inquired, "Yes, Sarla?"

Sarla asked her question, "Does The Treasure-N-Quest have a specific time limit?"

"Good question," Leno who seemed to forget to tell that information, paused a bit to sort out his words before continuing.

"The challenge commenced promptly at 7 AM in the morning and is slated to conclude at 3 PM later in the day." Leno concluded.

"The next challenge is called Hunting Prowess. It's a straightforward task centered around the Ruonar Beast Forest's Green Zone. Mentors have the responsibility of ensuring that ascendants stay within this designated area." This time Gina took Leno's role in explaining the second challenge.

"Capturing a wild animal grants you a single point. However, when it comes to beasts and monsters, points vary according to their rank."

"Safety is of paramount importance, and any harm to an ascendant during the hunt will result in demerit points for both the party and the mentor."

Leno reiterated with urgency, "I must emphasize again, never underestimate the challenges ahead. Your willingness to heed our guidance is paramount for our success."

Gina, meanwhile, shook her head in disbelief at Leno's seemingly self-centered perspective.

Gina continued. "Moreover, if we, the mentors, take the lead in dealing with a monster, the points earned will be halved. Conversely, if the ascendant is the one who hunts with no involvement of the mentor, the points will be doubled. This challenge spans from 7 AM to 5 PM, allowing ample time for the task at hand."

"Lastly, there's the Squad Battle, exclusively for the ascendants. Each party will be randomly placed within Ruonar Beast Forest, and every ascendant will receive a crucial bracelet." This time was Vanessa turns.

"Now, that bracelet isn't just an accessory; it's your lifeline. Once all the bracelets of your party members are taken, your party gets disqualified. The ranking is determined by survival skills, with points awarded based on the number of bracelets collected, the duration of survival, and your party's standing in terms of survivalism."

"But here's the twist – there are hidden crystals scattered around the forest, each worth a certain number of points. Keep your eyes peeled for those too. This challenge kicks off at 8 AM and runs until 3 PM. It's a test of teamwork and survival instincts for all of you, ascendants."

I absorbed all the details about the three staged challenges, and they truly piqued my interest. The excitement in my party members was palpable, especially in Naera, Cliff and Sarla.

Vanessa, though she attempted to conceal it. As for Deni, his expression remained an enigma, and I still couldn't decipher it.

Leno made the announcement, "Here's the main agenda. Starting immediately, I want each of you to return and prepare all the essential items you'll need. Over the next two days leading up to the event, our focus will be on honing your teamwork and strengthening your group dynamics for both the Hunting Prowess and Squad Battle challenges. To facilitate this, we'll be setting up camp in the vicinity of the Ruonar Beast Forest."

"Ascendants, our training begins now!" Leno exclaimed, setting the tone for the challenges ahead.