Our class base wasn't that far. About three kilometers south. I could reach it in under half an hour if I kept a good pace.
After quickly scanning my surroundings to make sure there were no monsters or students nearby, I began walking.
Most students were probably still disoriented after what had just happened, but it was only a matter of minutes before they regained their senses. I had to take advantage of this head start to reach the base and get to safety.
Each student had a red dot on their map indicating the location of their base. These bases acted as safe zones, kind of like in RPGs: monsters and students from other classes couldn't enter them.
As I moved quickly toward the south, I decided to check out the bracelet's features while walking.
The "Objectives" tab had been updated.
Two categories appeared: Class Objectives and Side Objectives.
[Class Objectives]
1. Eliminate 150 students: [0/150]
2. Eliminate 5 advanced-rank monsters: [0/5]
3. Reach 5000 class points: [0/5000]
"Huh…?"
I slowly came to a stop, eyes frozen on the floating screen.
"What the hell is this…"
These objectives… They weren't in the original story. None of this was supposed to happen.
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed.
"The story's diverged."
It's not like I wasn't expecting it — since Kaera's appearance, I knew things were going to change. But this…
'…Still.'
The first objective asked us to eliminate 150 students before the end of the trial. Not impossible, but definitely above average. 150 was roughly the size of an entire class, maybe even more.
'This won't be easy.'
The second objective was more in line with the expected difficulty: eliminate five advanced-rank monsters. Tough, but manageable.
But the third one…
5000 points? That was huge. Maybe even too much.
I stood there for a moment, trying to process what I'd just read.
Then I sighed, closed the class objectives tab, and opened the side objectives.
A new list appeared immediately.
[Side Objectives]
• Find a rare resource
• Kill 3 reptilian-type monsters
• Survive 30 minutes in a high magic density zone
• Explore a level 2 cave
•...
There were about thirty of them. Varied, not necessarily easy, but doable. And most importantly, they were optional.
I swiped the screen to the right and opened the "Rewards" tab.
Each side objective awarded class points: sometimes 5, 20, or even 50 for the more annoying ones.
That's where it got interesting.
Class points were simply the sum of the points earned by each student in our class. So the more we did, the more we contributed.
Side objectives were a great way to help your class without necessarily fighting others or risking your life against high-level monsters.
Class objectives, on the other hand, offered nothing. No reward. Just implicit pressure: if we didn't complete them, we were all eliminated.
"Great…"
As I was about to start walking again, a new window caught my eye.
[Hidden Objective]
My heart skipped a beat.
I blinked.
Another thing that was never supposed to be there.
Each class received one hidden objective, assigned to a single student. That student could choose to reveal it to the class or keep it secret. They could also choose to ignore it entirely — but that would be a huge mistake.
These objectives gave a lot of points. A lot. And in a trial where a class's survival depended on point totals, this kind of bonus could make all the difference.
But that wasn't what unsettled me.
Noah wasn't supposed to get this objective.
It was meant for Maelys.
She was the one who should've had it, not me.
A strange mix of emotions ran through me: a hint of frustration — the deviations from the story were piling up — but also a strange thrill.
I read the objective.
[Hidden Objective]
Sacrifice a willing classmate at the Altar of Ascension: [0/1]
Reward: 1500 points
I froze for a few seconds.
1500 points.
That alone was nearly a third of the class's total objective. Just like that. But of course, there was a catch.
Willing.
I had to convince someone to sacrifice themselves voluntarily. They had to agree, in full awareness.
'Seriously… Why does it always have to be harder for me? Maelys didn't have to deal with this, as far as I remember… Honestly.'
I closed the tab and resumed walking as if nothing had happened.
After a few steps, I casually extended my hand to the side. A thin, sharp ice spike formed.
Without even turning my head, I flicked it toward the bushes ten meters away.
Schlick!
A brilliant white light burst from the bush.
[You have eliminated a student.]
[+2 pts]
'Got lucky. That one was especially weak. Even without my perception stat, anyone paying attention would've noticed.'
'At least I got two points. Honestly didn't expect that.'
***
North of the forest, a young man was running toward his class base.
'I didn't expect them to teleport us all at once — and randomly too…' thought Liam, slightly annoyed.
He was still frustrated. Before the teleportation, he had spotted a potential clue on the ship, but when he got there, someone else had already taken it.
'And I rushed there as fast as I could. Who could've gotten it that quickly?'
As he emerged into a small clearing, a massive pillar of flame burst from his left, ready to incinerate him on the spot.
Caught off guard, he didn't even have time to react. In the distance, three students watched the scene from hiding. The attack had been launched at the perfect moment.
FWOOOSH!
The pillar of flame engulfed Liam instantly.
The three students let out a breath of relief.
Seth collapsed to the ground, panting. The spell he had just cast was as spectacular as it was exhausting — and more importantly, he had sensed something strange about the boy. A powerful aura. Instinctively, he had chosen not to take any risks.
The other two students came to help him up.
"Dude, that was insane. Your fire's crazy, Seth."
"That's our third one, right? Honestly, asking us to eliminate 150 students is messed up…"
Seth slowly nodded, a grim expression on his face.
"And we got unlucky. Teleported all the way north, while the base is in the south…"
"Yeah, just our luck."
"You said i— Huh? Who said that?"
They froze.
Right behind them stood Liam. Completely unharmed. Arms crossed. Casual expression.
"Impossible! I saw you burn alive right in front of me!" Seth yelled, stumbling back, the other two doing the same.
"Oh yeah? Did your bracelet tell you you'd eliminated someone?" Liam asked calmly.
Seth frowned.
'Now that he mentions it… I didn't get anything. No message.'
Before he could think further, his two companions burst into a cloud of glowing white particles.
Eliminated.
Seth staggered backward, heart pounding.
'I didn't even see how they were hit…'
'No way I'm getting taken out now. Not this early. Not like this!'
"Tell me," he panted, voice tense.
"How did you survive that attack? And how did you get behind us so fast…?"
Liam, who had just been about to finish him off, paused.
"Actually, I've been behind you this whole time."
"What…?"
"What you hit was a clone. An illusion."
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
[Light Mirage] was a light-based spell capable of creating a perfect illusion, realistic enough to fool even the sharpest senses.
Seth clenched his teeth.
Too many questions. Too much confusion. He wasn't here to understand.
He raised his hand, eyes igniting.
A wave of mana exploded around him, distorting the air. Flames roared in a spiral, swirling like a cyclone around his body. He lunged forward, propelled at blazing speed, carried by his own fire.
His silhouette became a streak of red light.
Liam stood still, calmly watching his opponent approach, palm outstretched, ready to reduce him to ash.
Just before impact, a translucent barrier rose.
SHHHHHK!
Seth's palm struck a wall of water that had appeared from nowhere. Steam hissed violently on impact. The air roared.
"Wh—?!"
Before he could react, a column of flame burst from beneath his feet — but not his own.
FOOOOM!
He instinctively jumped back, narrowly dodging the attack that should've incinerated him. But the moment he hit the ground, earthen vines wrapped around his legs like chains, clamping down with force.
"Shi—!"
He focused his mana, flames bursting from his feet, violently burning through the restraints. Shards of rock exploded under the pressure.
He looked up just in time to see a glowing palm heading straight for his face.
Way too close.
Too late.
"Wha—"
FWOOOSH!
A blinding light erupted from Liam's hand, engulfing him completely.
A wave of heat and pure light swept across the plain.
Seth didn't even have time to scream. His body disintegrated into a rain of white particles.
[You have eliminated a student.]
[+12 pts]
Silence fell once more, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the crackle of dying flames.
Liam slowly lowered his hand, letting out a quiet sigh.
"Well, I've got better things to do."