Monday morning arrived quietly, yet Connor McCloud's dorm was anything but peaceful. The room was filled with the rustling of equipment and the metallic clink of gear being checked over and over. Kyle's voice echoed in his mind, calmly listing every item.
Knife. Armor. Combat rations.
Connor confirmed each one with a groan. The backpack beside him was stuffed with sleeping bags, shovels, and first-aid kits—more fit for a long expedition than a study program.
He had only planned to bring simple combat gear, but when Kyle mentioned that he had suddenly "remembered something important," Connor found himself packing half a survival camp. The bag was so heavy that when he tried to lift it, his center of gravity nearly betrayed him.
He muttered under his breath, half complaining, half reminiscing about a past mercenary job that forced him to march for days through rough terrain. That kind of suffering wasn't something he wanted to relive, yet here he was, preparing for a week-long training trip in a remote village with no proper infrastructure.
Even with his frustration, he listened to Kyle's warning. The system spirit's voice was clear—the dispatched study will succeed, but problems will arise afterward. Connor could only sigh, hoping that whatever "problem" Kyle meant wouldn't be anything serious.
The warp room beneath the academy buzzed with arcane energy. On the third basement floor, Connor stood with his team before the towering figure of Professor Master Muscle. Behind the professor loomed a massive cylindrical machine glowing with a pulsating blue light—the warp device that would send them to their training grounds.
While the professor shouted final instructions, Connor glanced around at his teammates. Lug carried an old bundle of gear, Lanius stood with an iron case full of weapons, and Anastasia had brought her coffin, floating serenely beside her. Whipney was already half-asleep on her bag, while Myael stood casually with her magical sword strapped to her belt.
Connor couldn't help but feel a little out of place with his oversized pack. When Myael teased him for overpacking, he replied flatly that it wasn't a picnic. She only smiled knowingly.
After the professor's last warning—don't cause trouble at your destination—they stepped into the warp machine.
The sound rose to a deafening hum, the light flared, and Connor felt the world twist. His vision went white.
When his senses returned, the sound of birds greeted him first. Then the heavy weight of his backpack reminded him he was still alive. As his sight adjusted, he realized they were standing in the middle of a dense forest.
Sunlight filtered through thick leaves. The air was fresh and earthy, and though dizzy, everyone seemed intact. Whipney swayed as if seasick, Lug groaned, and Myael stretched casually.
Above them, Professor Master Muscle stood proudly on a large rock, arms crossed, shouting their first task.
They had been warped far from their intended location—somewhere deep in unfamiliar woods. The mission was simple: find the nearby village before sunset, or spend the night camping.
The professor gave no assistance, watching from a distance with a stern grin.
Connor took charge reluctantly. As team leader, everyone's eyes turned to him for direction. He sighed and pulled out a compass. Without a map, they needed to rely on instinct and teamwork.
He quickly delegated roles. Lanius, with his mechanical wings, soared into the sky to scout ahead, but when he returned, his report was grim—the village was nowhere in sight.
Next, Connor turned to Lug, who sniffed the air hesitantly before transforming into his werewolf form, startling Anastasia. The wolf's nose twitched as he searched for traces of humans. After a few moments, he caught a faint scent near a tree. Someone had recently dug up mushrooms there. It wasn't much, but it was a lead.
Encouraged, Connor nodded. "That's our direction." Lug offered to take point, and the others followed, packing their gear. The professor watched them from afar, his strict expression softening slightly with approval.
Meanwhile, back at the academy, the real reason behind the warped location was being discussed.
Professor Master Muscle had questioned Principal Parcaso the day before, demanding to know why the warp coordinates were deliberately altered. Parcaso's answer was simple—it was a test.
A test for Connor McCloud.
The professor argued that the plan was reckless, dangerous even, but Parcaso only smiled faintly. Connor, he said, was strong—perhaps even stronger than his own instructor. He needed trials, real ones, to reveal his true potential.
Though angered, the professor couldn't deny the truth. He left the principal's office reluctantly, the door shaking from the force of his exit.
Behind him, Parcaso muttered with a weary smile, "Don't expect easy results."
The real test had only just begun.