Everglade's Trial.

"Welcome Participants!!" a voice echoed loud enough in the hall, enough to attract everyone's attention.

"Welcome to the Everglade Academy!!"

Before everyone's sight is a raven which obviously got everyone confused. Observing everyone's face, one can easily notice that each person have two or more questions in their minds.

"Don't get confused, just like parrots, raven do have the ability to mimic our tongues but they chose not to, fascinating right?"

The whole hall was silent enough for a single person's cough to ring out throughout the whole hall.

This is evident enough that not even a single soul was concerned about a talking animal, after all, the existence of magic is enough to blow one's mind beyond repair.

"Can you get on with the test already!?" one amongst the participants screamed at the bird.

"Wow, you guys are no fun…" a young male who sees to be in his late teens made his way to the podium.

Having a short stature and a clear blonde hair to accompany his cheerful and young look.

"…once again, I welcome you to this great academy. I do understand that you are surprised that someone you're older than claims to be the one in charge of welcoming you all but no, I'm not a student like you guys but a real staff."

"Oi, little man, why don't you stop with your jokes already! The first one wasn't funny, what makes you think that your second one will!!?" same bystander amongst the crowd commented again.

As soon as the young teen got to the podium, he let's out a smile, looked and probably admired his index finger, points towards the direction the bystander who just commented was at and spoke the words,

"I hope this joke gets you good this time around!"

From the tip of his index finger, a beam shot out from it and easily dodged everyone on its way except for the bystander himself.

The beam quickly burnt the bystander till what was left is ashes in a matter of seconds.

Screams were heard, many got terrified but certainly, a human lost his life in school grounds on his first day of school.

"Now lads!! I will introduce myself this once!! My name is Palca, Anthony Palca. Many know me as god's terror eyes and yes, I'm a parader.

Class? Hunter. Ego? the bow! As innocent as I look, I'm the cupid's bow, never was an angel but one who shoots his shots at his desire, therefore, I also bring death… literally!!

I have also observed amongst you all, there are four paraders; of the reaper class, of the berserk combat magic class, of the knight's class and lastly of the berserk tank class!

I'm quite excited and do expect a lot from you lads but I'll give you a hint, if your egos get greedy enough to covet my life, be wise, there is a reason I'm a staff at this young age.

Now, if you're not ready to lay your life to waste, this is your chance… leave."

With a serious face, Palco increased the intensity within the hall. Many didn't hesitate to take in his grace and headed home in a rush without looking back for a second.

Palco snaps his fingers and stared at the rest of the participants that have decided to put their fates to test.

"A hundred and twenty two. That's alright, we will still find a way to half it up but anyways let's get to the main ordeal but first, I'll be announcing the rules.

You all will be separated and will be a single competitor… just like how you all see yourselves.

A quick experience, I promise you. From the start zone, your test will be mainly on your hunting and survival, so, the more you hunt, the more you get your points but I will tell you this… the monsters you encounter are going to be difficult as it will gradually increase on its danger level.

They might come in packs, in duos or in solos. The smaller the number, the more dangerous they are and a personal advice from me, don't underestimate anything.

Again, of course you will be able to cross each other during the tests.

Go on as long as you can, there is no time limit, when you feel you've done enough, you can just find the end point, which are about twenty seven in number in the realm and teleport yourself direct to the official who will be in charge of accounting and putting down records of your arrival, state and verbal claims.

Now, I get that no questions will be asked, so... be gone lads." With another snap of his fingers, every single participant disappeared.

"Did a student's life need to be wasted?" a voice sounded behind Palco and his reaction suddenly changed to an unpleased one.

"I will personally send his family my condolences and compensation. If these lads were to experience the real world, wouldn't it be way worse than just turning him to ashes?"

"Although you might be right but there are other ways to approach things like this?"

"Alyssa…" Palco turns and before him was a ridiculously tall lady with a dark skin and emerald hair which goes with her eyes as well.

"… the world is way worse and this academy is actually here for that. The Falls failed but if there is another uprising, I'll make sure to join hands and end this curse even if it leads to my death.

I'll be taking my leave, Alyssa." Palco stated before heading out through the door behind the podium, leaving Alyssa behind.

"Fate has it that the crowns will overturn and I felt the angel of death's presence, surely, the uprising shall occur once more." She said to herself before following suite just like Palco.

.....................…

At first it was dark but as his eyes opened up, before his very sight is a wasteland filled with magma.

Under his breath, he murmured the word, "impressive."

Liam quickly locks himself on with his chained sickles in other to be well prepared for any surprise attacks.

The area he was on was mind-blowing to the point that one wouldn't believe that the realm is man-made.

He moves a step forward and the ground under his feet creates a crack while simultaneously leaking out some magma.

The area felt so realistic that he was lost in a moment while observing his surroundings without realizing something strange happening behind him.

Behind him, the ground breaks open and a millipede like monster rose. The only difference is that every section of its body rotates contrary to the next.

Unlike the millipede, it has no legs but thorns all over its body to aid with the burrowing like a living drill.

As Liam escapes from his trance, his senses still can't detect the monster's presence and as he turned back to have a view of it as well, he failed to react on time against the incoming attack.

The monster strikes straight onto Liam's chest, and hits the ground with him. With its rotating effect, it used Liam's body to drill a tunnel for itself, pouncing him upwards in mid-air and down, back into the ground.

Being hit with debris and burnt by the magma, Liam still manages to stay alive, except for the fact that he hasn't regained his balance.

This went on for a moment and Liam manages to get used to the commotion.

He quickly summons his chained sickles and with the blades, stabs into the monster's skull multiple times.

The beast's exoskeleton was tough enough that despite Liam's strength, he had to take his time and apply great effort, all to manage getting its exoskeleton cracked.

The beast got enraged by Liam's actions and pounces him up into the air one more time and nods him into a lake of magma.

Indeed, Liam was actually burning to the point his clothes completely got burnt up but his life was no way near being in danger.

Liam slowly swims his way out of the lake only for him to appear naked but he paid no mind to it.

"There are two mistakes you made…" Liam said underneath his breath and rushed out against the beast which was in a stance waiting on Liam's attack.

"…one, a surprise attack on me…" he jumps high up into the air while setting his blades to stab into the skull, precisely, the cracked area.

"…then two, your whole existence is a downgrade and an advantage for me!" at that moment, his sickles got set ablaze.

The monster attempts to dodge the incoming attack but Liam was able to detect its intention through the monster's body language and sends out his left chained sickle to wrap around his body.

He effortlessly drags it back to its original position while simultaneously setting his chain ablaze as well.

Despite the monster's struggles, it was to no avail as Liam goes on with his initial intention and successfully stabs his blade into the monster's crack, setting its inside ablaze.

At the end, the monster blew into pieces as its debris flew all over the area.

Liam pulls back his chains and slams face front onto the ground. There was silence all over the area except for the sounds of erupting volcanoes.

Liam breathes out one last time due to exhaustion and then thought to himself out loud saying,

"Now, what do I do about clothing?"