Katie didn't hesitate. The moment she finished speaking, she slashed at Dave with her blade.
But to Dave… it was slow.
Too slow, he thought. I can see it clearly.
Just as he prepared to counter, a sudden notification flashed before his eyes.
System Notification:
[New Quest Received: Survive the Assassination Attempt – Reward: +2000 EXP]
[Penalty for failure: Death]
Dave's expression shifted instantly. The moment he saw the quest details, he understood the full weight of what was happening.
They're not testing me… they're trying to kill me.
The realization hit him hard. This wasn't a spar. This wasn't training.
This was a setup. A hunt.
And he was the prey.
He looked around at the five instructors, now surrounding him with calm expressions—cold, practiced killers who had done this before.
This was real.
And if he didn't do something fast…
It would be over.
Dave took a deep breath and slowly reached for his weapon. In one swift motion, he drew his twin blades and assumed a defensive stance.
The instructors began to chuckle.
"Look at him," one of them sneered.
"The weakest in the school, even among the other Level Ones, he's still the bottom."
"A failed student. This should be easy."
Their words echoed around him, each one a sharp stab to his pride. But Dave didn't respond. He focused. His heart pounded, and the system message still hovered in his mind.
Katie charged again, faster this time, but Dave was ready.
He blocked her strike cleanly with one blade, and with the other—he stabbed forward.
A gasp escaped her lips as the blade pierced her side. She stumbled back, blood pouring from the wound, collapsing to the ground—injured, but still breathing.
"KA—TIE!" one of the instructors yelled, rushing to her side.
The others followed in a panic.
Dave didn't wait. He activated his Dash skill, and in the blink of an eye, he was gone—sprinting through the forest at a speed none of them had expected.
Leaves scattered as he ran deeper and deeper into the wilderness, putting distance between himself and death.
As Dave disappeared into the trees, silence settled briefly among the instructors—only broken by Katie's groan of pain.
"She's bleeding badly," one of them muttered, kneeling beside her. "She needs a healer. Fast."
"If we don't get her back to the academy, she won't make it," another said, pressing on the wound to slow the bleeding.
"She was careless," one of the instructors growled. "We should finish the mission. He can't get far."
"You want to let her die?" someone snapped back.
There was tension in the air, but then the one standing at the center, their leader—Sunny—spoke.
"That's enough."
Everyone turned to him.
"We're going back. Katie needs treatment, and fast. As for the boy…" Sunny paused, staring into the forest where Dave had vanished. "Let the beasts deal with him. He won't survive out there."
The others nodded, lifting Katie carefully.
And just like that, they activated their return device and vanished—leaving the forest behind.
When the group of instructors arrived back at the academy, they wasted no time. Two of them rushed Katie to the medical wing, shouting for the healers. Her condition was critical, but she was still alive.
Meanwhile, Sunny walked calmly through the halls, heading toward the top floor of the academy's main building—toward the Head-General's office. He knocked once before entering.
The Head-General, a tall man with sharp eyes named Vet, looked up from his desk. "It's done?" he asked.
Sunny nodded. "Yes. We killed him. We'll make the report public tomorrow and say it was a beast attack."
The Head-General leaned back in his chair and smiled coldly. "Perfect. That'll keep the others alert… and desperate to grow stronger."
Sunny didn't respond.
The Head-General continued, "Tell the instructors to keep pushing the students. The Dampiars are making a move. We need warriors—not weaklings."
Sunny gave a small nod. "Understood," he said, then turned and left the office without another word.
Behind him, the Head-General stared out the window with a grim expression.
"This world doesn't reward the kind," he muttered. "Only the ruthless survive.
The next morning, the academy grounds buzzed with whispers and movement as the students were told to gather at the main assembly field after breakfast. The sun had barely risen, casting a golden hue over the courtyard, but something felt… off.
Emily hurried over to the usual meeting spot where Stive, Mike, and Tobin were already standing, looking around with anxious expressions.
"Where's Dave?" she asked, scanning the crowd for his face.
Stive's jaw clenched. "He hasn't come back," he said quietly. "We waited last night… but he never showed up."
Mike frowned, arms crossed. "I thought maybe he returned earlier or went to rest. But he's not in the dorms either."
Emily's voice trembled. "Something's wrong. Dave wouldn't just disappear."
Tobin nodded in agreement, but before any of them could say more, the murmurs of the crowd faded as footsteps echoed across the marble platform.
Head-General Vet stepped forward, flanked by the instructors who had returned the previous day.
"Silence," Vet commanded, his voice sharp and unwavering. The entire field went quiet.
"I stand before you today to deliver unfortunate news," he said grimly. "During the recent beast zone expedition, a tragedy occurred."
He paused for a moment, letting the tension build.
"The weak Level One student, Dave Snyder… is dead."
Gasps erupted throughout the crowd.
Vet continued, his tone harsh. "He died during a beast attack while under instructor supervision. It was swift. Brutal. And unavoidable."
He stepped forward, sweeping his gaze over the stunned faces of the students.
"This is a harsh world. Weakness has no place here. If you don't want to end up like him—get stronger. That is your only option."
He turned and walked off the stage, the instructors silently following him.
Murmurs exploded among the students.
"Damn… I didn't think he'd actually die." "He was too weak. I mean, even among Level Ones, he was always last." "Still… that's brutal." "Did they really do everything they could?"
Stive stood still, his fists clenched. His breathing was uneven, and his eyes stared at the empty space where Dave should have stood. Slowly, his shoulders began to tremble.
"He was getting stronger," Stive whispered, as if trying to convince himself. "He... he couldn't have just died."
Emily put a hand on his shoulder, eyes glistening. "Stive…"
Tobin looked down, his voice soft. "Maybe he's still out there…"
"No," Mike said, though his voice cracked. "Not Dave. He… he wouldn't go down that easy."
A tear slid down Stive's cheek.
He didn't sob. He didn't scream.
But the pain was clear. His eyes shimmered with quiet grief, and for a moment, it felt like the crowd, the academy, the world itself… had forgotten who Dave really was.
Emily tried to smile through her sadness. "We'll keep going, right? For him."
The others nodded slowly, not speaking, but each silently vowing.