Chapter 28 : Team of 5

The next morning, Daniel left for the Academy around 7 AM. He hailed a taxi and sat in the back seat, his eyes fixed on his phone as he browsed through some documents related to his company. So engrossed was he in the files, he didn't notice the scenery changing outside the window.

But then, something felt off.

Daniel looked up from his screen and noticed that instead of heading toward the bridge—the usual route—they were taking a completely different path.

"Excuse me, mister," Daniel said, his tone sharp. "This isn't the way to the Academy."

The driver responded in a calm voice, "Young Master, we're not going to the Academy."

The moment Daniel heard Young Master, a flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes. "Who are you?"

The taxi driver let out a faint chuckle. "Rather than who I am, you should be more interested in where we're going."

Daniel didn't respond. He simply stared at the man through the rearview mirror, eyes narrowed with cold suspicion.

The driver glanced back, slightly amused. "You'll see soon enough."

Daniel's gaze turned colder. "Turn this car back toward the Academy right now—if you want your arms and legs intact."

That made the man lose his composure. He scoffed, his voice now tinged with irritation, "You brat. Don't overestimate yourself. Don't think we don't know what you really are."

Daniel's eyes gleamed dangerously.

He activated his ability.

[Serpent God's Heart: You possess the heart of the Serpent God.]

→ Combat abilities temporarily boosted for 1 minute.

A surge of power rushed through his veins, awakening something ancient and fierce inside him.

Without wasting a second, Daniel lunged forward, slamming his elbow into the side of the driver's head. The man tried to resist, but Daniel's boosted strength overwhelmed him in seconds. One clean blow later, the driver lay unconscious.

The taxi rolled to a stop.

Luckily, Daniel found rope and some rolls of cello tape in the car—no doubt intended for the kidnapping. He quickly tied the driver's hands and legs, gagged his mouth, and shoved him into the trunk.

He wiped his hands on a napkin, adjusted his shirt, and took the wheel himself.

Driving back toward the Academy, Daniel parked the taxi in a quiet alley nearby. Before stepping out, he glanced back toward the trunk and let out a sigh.

"Unfortunately… I don't have time to deal with trash like you today. Consider yourself lucky."

With that, Daniel stepped out of the car and walked into the Academy, as if nothing had happened.

The next day, Daniel returned late to the Academy. After class, he sat alone in his room, going through the details of all the property and assets registered under his name. Line by line, file by file, he calculated everything meticulously.

As he reviewed the numbers, a realization hit him—he was actually very wealthy. Among the assets, he discovered there was even a personal company of his own, one that his uncle had conveniently claimed ownership of.

Looking at all of it, a dark thought crossed his mind. What if the plan to assassinate me… was orchestrated by him?

He glanced at his smartwatch, strapped it tightly around his wrist, and stretched with a yawn.

"Well, at least I'm not poor," he muttered with a smirk. "I'll think about all this next weekend."

Saying that, Daniel flopped onto his bed and was soon fast asleep, snoring softly, unaware of the shadows quietly tightening around him.

---

"Justin, Daniel, Venessa, Ren, and Rex—you five are a team now."

As soon as Instructor Lisa's crisp voice echoed through the classroom, the chatter died down. Every student turned to look at the names just called.

Daniel blinked. For a moment, he thought he'd misheard. But as the instructor moved on, marking something on her tablet, the words kept ringing in his ears.

What…? That can't be right.

His eyes slowly shifted toward Justin and Venessa, who looked equally confused.

This team… isn't supposed to exist.

Daniel leaned back slightly, processing everything at once. According to the original plot of this world—the one he remembered from the novel—Justin and Venessa were teamed up with three irrelevant extras, cannon fodder side characters who never even made it past chapter 30. They were never given names. The two of them cleared the entire Hunting Exam practically on their own. That was the script. That was how it was supposed to go.

So what the hell was he doing on their team?

Daniel raised his hand.

"Yes?" Lisa asked, eyebrow raised.

"Miss Lisa, I just wanted to ask… are team assignments final? I mean, can team members be swapped under any circumstances?"

Lisa smiled. But it wasn't the kind of smile that offered reassurance. It was the kind that said 'don't even think about it.'

"In clear terms: No. Whether you want to be on this team or not doesn't matter. These are your teammates for the Hunting Exam. From today until the exam ends, you will stick together. If you don't, you'll lose points. Understood?"

And with that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the classroom, her heels clicking on the floor with finality.

So that's it, Daniel thought, clenching his jaw. This isn't just a deviation… it's a whole different arc. The story's shifting.

The Hunting Exam—the first official field test at the Academy.

It was a massive, school-wide event where first-years were teleported into designated monster zones and forced to survive, fight, and earn points. Each kill had value. Each decision was judged. The final rankings of students were based on how many monsters they hunted, their teamwork, and their overall combat efficiency.

In the original novel, this arc introduced a key character—Ron White, a warm-hearted boy with chocolate brown hair and soft eyes, whose support magic could boost a team's power by over 40%. His arrival was a game-changer. He joined the main cast after proving himself in a separate team alongside Petra, Peter, and Alia.

His eyes met Justin's for a moment. The silver-haired boy gave him a faint nod—one that felt more like acknowledgment than camaraderie.

Venessa was already adjusting her gloves, her expression unreadable as ever.

Ren and Rex were unknown variables—students Daniel didn't even recall seeing before. That alone was unnerving.

This isn't just a change in team formation… it's the butterfly effect in motion, Daniel thought grimly. And somehow… I've become the butterfly.