CHAPTER 4

Chapter 4: The Beginning of Training

The grand, majestic hall where the new princes and princesses had first met the King of the Dark Kingdom was now empty. After receiving their initial explanation, all eight students had been assigned to luxurious rooms, but none of them felt comfortable yet.

Ryo sat on his bed, still struggling to believe what had happened. He looked at his hands—they were the same hands he had always had, but now, he was no longer just a high school student. He was a prince… or so they claimed.

The next morning, all the new royals were taken to a vast training ground. There, the Minister of the Kingdom was waiting for them—a man with piercing eyes and an overwhelming presence.

The minister scanned the eight youths.

Minister: "From this moment on, you are no longer just students. You are the princes and princesses of the Dark Kingdom, which means you must be prepared to grow stronger."

Kazuki (always proud and competitive) smirked, speaking with confidence:

"So, we're finally going to awaken our powers, right? I can't wait to see how strong I become."

The minister gave him a cold look.

"Power is not simply given. You must earn it. More importantly, you must learn how to use it."

Ryo felt the minister's gaze linger on him for a moment. Maybe it was just his imagination, but it seemed like the man already knew something about him.

The minister raised his hand. Suddenly, the space around them shifted—the ground beneath them twisted, and before anyone could react, they found themselves in a completely different location.

They were now standing in the middle of a vast desert. Golden sand shimmered under the scorching sun.

Aya (Girl 1) looked around in shock.

"W-What just happened?! We were just in the castle!"

The minister responded calmly.

"This is one of my abilities—spatial control. But that's not important right now. You need to learn how to use your own powers. And the best way to do that… is survival."

Silence fell over the group.

Miko (Girl 2) furrowed her brows.

"Survival? What do you mean?!"

The minister gave a faint smirk.

"For the next three days, you will be left alone in this desert. You will have to find your own food, water, and shelter. And, of course… survive."

Yuma (Boy 3) gasped.

"You're kidding, right?!"

Sachiko (Girl 3) exhaled nervously.

"This… this is a real test?"

The minister narrowed his eyes.

"You wish to be princes and princesses of the Dark Kingdom. But if you cannot even survive three days in this desert, then there is no hope for you. This is your first trial."

Before anyone could protest, the minister disappeared, leaving the eight students alone—in the middle of an endless desert, with no supplies to help them survive.

Ryo swallowed hard.

"Great…"

End of Chapter 4.