Rainforest

Confusion greeted Romeo the moment he went out at the other end of the spatial portal. Looking around him, he tried to decipher the strange new environment he has been teleported into.

"Is this also part of the test?" Romeo questions with utter bewilderment. He was asking no one in particular, especially since he is the only one standing in the midst of the swamping forest.

It seems like as they were transported through the portal, other students were scattered and posted to various locations, perhaps as part of the test. But Romeo is yet to understand the need to take the Academy's test in such natural environment that is nothing short of a wilderness.

*Ding: Romeo, everything the Academy does is for a particular purpose. So yes, this should also be part of the testing phase.*

His Carnal Consciousness took it upon itself to answer Romeo's question which only stirred further doubts in Romeo's mind. Judging by the way his consciousness speak, Romeo reckons that it is not also sure about why they would be transported to such vegetative wilderness.

For a moment, Romeo's mind buzzed with a barrage of questions. "Since this is a test of some sort, why isn't any instructions given?" Romeo asks with his tone taking an edge.

He feels like he is about to lose his mind. "Besides, why would they take a test in such vegetative wilderness?" Romeo, with a quizzical tone, asks as he surveys the forest around him.

This is truly the first time Romeo is feeling at a loss for what to do. Looking around him, he doesn't know what to do in order to take the supposed test or how he is supposed to take it.

Also, the sound of nature and the sight of it's mystery completely engulfed Romeo from all sides, making him muddled up.

Take it from a boy who spent eighteen years of his life living in a less civilized area, without a touch of nature, before moving to the edge of civilization itself, this could be deemed his first time that he is having such close proximity with the natural world.

From the sight of the bizarrely tall trees which are arranged in such a way that they form a canopy which cast an eerie presence, especially in the darkness of the night, to the feeling of the wet swampy forest ground they makes his skin crawls and the constant sound of chirps which bothers his hearing continuously, Romeo stood completely stunned and disturbed on the spot.

*Ding: Romeo, the main theme of Aurora Academy is to ensure survival and promote evolution through mental fortitude and physical conditioning. They believe that for this things to be possible, the students they train should rely on themselves with a constant expectation for the worst.*

"So, you mean that dumping a new student in the midst of a rainforest with no clue of what to do is the best way to expect the worst?" A hint of anger is clearly evidently in the manner with which Romeo use to ask the question.

*Ding: The Academy was founded with a belief. Life tends to give a test before teaching lessons which is why the Academy sent you here with no instructions. In order words, they want you to strive for yourself survival while relying on the will to live before you thrive.*

Why does it seem like his consciousness is deliberately supporting the Academy? Romeo tries to ponders but soon breathes out an heavy sigh. If that is truly the way of the Academy, then it would be a tough thing if he is to learn maximize his carnal ability. Turns out that being a Carnal Shifter is a lot more harder than he thought.

Well like a wise man was said, there is no pain without gain and there is no pleasure without pressure.

However, Romeo still has no clue about what is next step should be. He can be qualified as a survivor, but his expertise is limited to the slums where he can easily survive and not in a rainforest that easily freaks him out.

*Ding: Perhaps, I could be of help by offering some pointers on what you need to do. The first thing you should do is to look for water, food and shelter. This are the basic necessities, alongside enough rest. Then tomorrow, I would suggest you look for other students, after all, there is strength in numbers.*

Hearing the words of his consciousness, Romeo visibly heeve a sigh of relief. "Oh Carnal Consciousness, what am I going to do without you?"

*Ding: Nothing. Also, I think it is about time you gave me a name as being called Carnal Consciousness sucks.*

Romeo chuckles slightly as he heard the complaint of his consciousness. "Okay, I shall think about it." He replies before venturing into the forest, away from the swampy spot he was standing in.

Finding water and food would be relatively easy, at least that is what his consciousness told him as the whole forest is densely packed with various trees with ripened fruits.

Also, owing to the swampy nature of the forest grounds, Romeo deduced that there would be a water source nearby. His only problem now is shelter for protection.

For some reason, the whole forest is dark and eeriely silent except for the occasional sound of some birds and insects which added a touch of life to the forest.

If he could recall correctly, Alfred had brought him to the Academy when it was as morning but having arrived at the other end of the portal, the morning suddenly became night. Though Romeo is no scientist, he reckons that time works differently in the forest than the way it did back at Land Climax.

As Romeo surveys the forest grounds, he suddenly heard the violent rustling of leaves coming a few distance from where he stood.

Thanks to the enhanced senses that he possess as a result of his Carnal Gene awakening, Romeo was able to pinpoint where the sound was coming from but he chose to shrug it off.

He thought that it was as a result of the wind blowing, lifting stray leaves into the air. However, the intense sound of groans and grunts coming from that same direction made him dispel that thought.

Romeo cautiously approaches the source of the strained sounds. He made sure that his steps are guided by precision and caution and he also made sure to keep his guard up.

Since this is his first time being in a place that screams of unfamiliarity, he is not ready to take any chances as he has no idea what kind of danger could be lurking within the shadows of the rainforest. Though he barely watch movies neither read novels, he has enough experience to know that such dark environment with an ominous vibe would definitely harbour creatures that tends to reign in his nightmares.

Romeo concealed his figure in some bushes as he approached a clearing where the sounds were coming from. Peeking through the gap in between the leaves of the bushes, Romeo was able to witness the scene unfolding in the clearing clearly, thanks to his enhanced vision.

In the clearing, a figure which had the physique of a girl could be seen battling a group of reptilian like beasts which bears a striking resemblance to dinosaurs, in terms of appearance.

Romeo is very much familiar with these beasts, and though this is his first time seeing them in person, Romeo is still particularly puzzled. He thought that following the events from the war, this monstrosities would have been rased from existence but it seems that they are too stubborn to remain extinct.

This beasts, unlike the chimaeras that Romeo faced, are known to be extremely fierce and ruthless. They are known to be far stronger and faster than an average chimaera and a group of them spells two words-- destruction and death.

Even with the insurmountable odds stacked against her, the girl still maintained her stance. The strong smell of blood and sweat mixed and filled the atmosphere, an indication of the intense confrontation that has been going on for a while now.

The girl was unarmed, much to Romeo's surprise, but she still stood against the group of reptilian like beasts which now stalks towards her knowingly, surrounding her like a pack of wolves would do to it prey.

Romeo narrows his eyes as he observe the situation clearly. Aurora Academy is a school that trains Carnal Shifters and Armoured Elites, categories which the girl doesn't fall into and Romeo was able to figure out that she is not among the batch of new students that was transported to the rainforest.

This is a fact he was able to figure out because for starters, if the girl is a Carnal Shifter, she would have shifted and would not be standing defenceless against the Primals which surrounds her.

Also, the wounds on her body would have healed as every Carnal Shifter is blessed with the ability to recover from all wounds, whether fatal or minor, through regeneration, making killing a Carnal Shifter extremely difficult.

Moreover, if she was an Armoured Elite, she would be claded in an armour by now as every Armoured Elites are known to keep their armours on them at all times. This necessity is as a result of the merge that occurs between an Armoured Elite and his armour, making them one.

However, the girl is not claded in an armour but a leather jacket with a pair of jeans or something. This is clearly an indication that she is not an Armoured Elite.

Even when she is neither of these powerful figures, she managed to survive against the vicious Primals which greatly surprise Romeo. For someone who is neither a Shifter nor an Elite, she is good to the extent that she was able to take on a group of Primals all at once.

However, being good is not enough as she is outnumbered and outmaneuvered by these ferocious existence. At this point, Romeo could tell that she is not going to last any longer, especially after looking at her severe injuries that left her weakened. Therefore, Romeo contemplated on whether he should intervene or not.