Chapter 11 The confrontation

In a secluded corner of the Ancient Forest, a group of figures gathered, their robes a deep array of colors - red, green, and one lone figure in brown. The brown-robed figure seemed to be the leader, addressing the group with an air of authority.

"Has everything been prepared?" he asked, his voice low and measured.

The figure in green robes nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, everything is ready. We can begin anytime."

The group's faces were obscured by masks, each one hiding their identity. They nodded in unison, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"At nightfall today, we will begin," the brown-robed figure declared.

The group murmured in agreement, their voices hushed and conspiratorial.

Meanwhile, Kaito's group was still reeling from the girl's impressive display. She stood tall, her eyes fixed intently on their direction. Vicent whispered, "Is she looking at us?"

Kaito's gaze narrowed, his eyes locked onto the girl. "That's not possible."

The girl's voice cut through the air, her words dripping with confidence. "I know you're there. Come out."

Her arms transformed into blades, the group realizing too late that she had noticed them. Miguel, ever the smooth talker, stepped forward, his voice calm and reassuring.

"We were just passing by. We have no plans. We're fellow students."

The girl's gaze lingered on them, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. But before she could respond, another group emerged from the shadows.

Kaito's group breathed a collective sigh of relief as the girl's attention shifted to the new arrivals. Vicent shot his group a knowing glance, his face screaming "I told you so."

Luke's group, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the tension. They sauntered forward, their confidence radiating like an aura.

Kaito's eyes narrowed, his anger simmering just below the surface. The bandage extremities on his body began to writhe and twist, lashing out in agitation.

Miguel placed a calming hand on Kaito's shoulder, his eyes locked onto Luke's group. "Easy, Kaito. Let's not do anything rash."

Luke sneered at Kaito's group, his eyes lingering on the bandages that crisscrossed Kaito's body. "I thought you would have been eliminated by now," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "But doesn't matter. You're not worth my time."

The girl, sensing the tension between the two groups, slowly backed away. "I don't care what you guys have in common or what you guys have against each other," she said, her voice firm. "It's none of my business. Spying on other people is not good. It's a bad thing to do."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving the two groups facing each other. Luke's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on the girl's retreating back. "She's probably thinking she's a threat," he muttered to himself.

Miguel stepped forward, his eyes locked onto Luke's group. "We could just walk away, you know," he said, his voice calm. "It's not that we must fight or anything. We can just settle things... or, rather, we have nothing to settle. Let's just step back a little bit."

But Luke was having none of it. "Just because An ant suddenly gained wings doesn't mean the ant can fly to touch the sky," he sneered, cutting Miguel off.

Kaito's eyes flashed with anger, and the bandaged extremities on his body began to writhe and twist. With a sudden burst of speed, the bandages lashed out, cutting across the air towards Luke's group.

Luke scoffed at the attack, summoning a water bubble around his group. But by the time the bandages hit the bubble, he realized that the power behind the attack was more than he had anticipated.

"Scatter!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the forest.

His group quickly dispersed, the bandages following them. Miguel turned to Kaito, his eyes wide with concern. "Kaito, what are you doing? We're still in the exams."

Kaito's anger slowly dissipated, and the bandages retreated. Luke's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Kaito. He looked at Miguel, taking him more seriously now.

Kaito's eyes locked onto Luke's, sparks flying between them. "Next time I see you, you'll be dead," he said, his voice low and menacing. "Or at least a few broken limbs will do."

With that, Kaito turned and walked away, his group following closely behind.

Annabelle, the girl who had stumbled upon Kaito's group, watched from a distance as they walked away. She was an orphan, one of the few lucky ones who had managed to awaken their abilities and receive a scholarship from the Federation.

As she observed Kaito's group, she recognized him clearly. Anyone from the school would, after all. He was the only person without an ability that she had ever known, admitted to the school based on his intelligence.

Annabelle's eyes narrowed as she recalled the rumors about Kaito's past. He had awakened his ability somehow, somewhere, and now he was participating in the exams. She wondered where he got his confidence from, but she didn't care enough to find out, but seeing his display she changed her perspective a little but it didn't bother her much as it had nothing to do with her. With a shrug, she turned and left.

Kaito's group, meanwhile, walked in silence for a while, the tension between them palpable. Finally, Vincent and Caleb looked at Kaito and Miguel curiously.

Miguel chose to explain the commotion. "Luke nearly killed Kaito," he said, his voice low. "He's always been arrogant but that day he suddenly had a sense of superiority over those without abilities which Kaito described as somewhat hysterical. But Kaito's near-death experience allowed him to awaken his ability." Of course Miguel simplified it a bit too much but they didn't need to know

Vincent's eyes widened in shock. "That's despicable," he said.

Caleb nodded in agreement. "Very cruel."

.....

The group continued on, hunting creatures and accumulating points. As night began to fall, they found a convenient water source and chose to camp nearby.

The night was uneventful, apart from a few ignorant seventh-class creatures that wandered into their camp.

But as they slept, the group was awoken by the roar of several monsters in the forest. It was like a symphony of beasts, scaring the hell out of the students and sending the inspectors around the forest into confusion.

The roars of the beasts shattered the night air, sending shockwaves through the ancient forest.

"What's happening?" an inspector whispered into her comms device, but her voice was met with static. The communication lines were jammed, and the inspectors were unable to reach each other.

In the conference room, the influential figures with their virtual form stared at the blank screens in front of them, their faces pale with concern. The monitoring systems had gone dark, and they had lost all contact with the ancient forest.

Outside the forest, a shimmering energy barrier had appeared, encasing the entire area in an impenetrable shield. The air seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, and the roars of the beasts grew louder, more intense.

A general-level beast aura suddenly spread out, a creature of unimaginable power, had suddenly in the forest. Its roar thundered through the trees, sending shivers down the spines of even the most seasoned instructors.

Panic set in among the students. Some had already encountered the new warrior-level beasts that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. But these creatures weren't new - they were the same servant-class beasts they had encountered before, now transformed into powerful warrior-level monsters.

A servant-class pheasant, a once servant class harmless bird, now swooped down with razor-sharp talons, its eyes blazing with fury. A servant-class rat, once a timid creature, now charged forward with lightning speed, its jaws open wide.

The students stumbled backward, horror etched on their faces. What was happening? Why were these creatures changing?

There was no explanation, only chaos and terror as the ancient forest descended into madness.

In the conference room, virtual projections of esteemed personalities flickered with confusion. "What is happening?" the Monster Tech owner demanded.

A soldier burst into the room, out of breath. "The barrier just appeared, sir! It's separated the ancient forest from the outside world. No one can get in or out."

Major General Elijah's face turned ashen. He rose from his seat, his eyes fixed on the soldier. The virtual projections dissipated, and the actual people in the room rushed out to investigate.

Outside, they beheld a shimmering energy barrier encasing the ancient forest. Gasps and murmurs spread among the onlookers.

Back in the main city, influential figures scrambled to respond. The Monster Tech owner, the Life Foundation owner, and the Wasser family head gathered troops, each determined to uncover the truth behind the mysterious barrier. Even the military was in the move

Some left personally, while others dispatched elite teams to rescue the students. After all, the entire exam was sponsored by the city's major powers. They couldn't let anything happen to the students.

As panic spread, students clashed with warrior-level creatures that had suddenly materialized. Inspectors struggled to maintain order, trying to keep the students safe.

One inspector with a projection-type ability amplified his voice across the ancient forest. "All students, the exam has been suspended! This is not a drill! Team up and hold out till help arrives!"

The announcement sent shockwaves through the forest. Students panicked, some making critical mistakes as fear took hold. Others remained calm, seeking out fellow students to form alliances and combat the situation.

As the chaos intensified, one thing became clear: the students' survival depended on their ability to work together and hold out until help arrived.