CHAPTER 61
Stepping through the portal was a bizarre, disjointed sensation for the Aspirants.
It felt as though every individual hair on their bodies stood abruptly on end, a primal reaction to the spatial shift.
However, the feeling gradually settled back down as they began emerging onto the other side, stepping out one by one into the unknown.
Within a few minutes, every single person had been accounted for.
Staring at the spot where they had spawned, the teens found themselves unsure of how to react to their surroundings.
Behind them stood an archway that framed the portal like a physical gate, though its composition was baffling.
It appeared to be constructed entirely of… earth?
The reinforced soil swirled in patterns that looked almost organic.
In front of them and flanking their sides, the skeletal remains of half-destroyed buildings littered the landscape.
Toppled structures rose from the ground in jagged heaps from left to right.
Though these ruins were sparse, the atmosphere remained profoundly eerie; only a few dozen metres away, a dark forest area populated by gigantic, ancient trees stood firmly against the horizon.
The woodland was so dense and claustrophobic that the sunlight seemed to die at the edge, leaving them unable to peer between the massive trunks.
Gazing down at their feet, the terrain was not rocky in the slightest.
Instead, the ground was smooth like fine gravel, stretching outward in a uniform grey sheet until the texture finally broke at the ominous entrance of the forest.
For some inexplicable reason, this entire dimension was far too quiet.
The group had been half-expecting a swarm of beasts to lunge at them the very moment they crossed the threshold, but there was absolutely nothing.
There was only the silent, rhythmic rustling of the distant trees and their swaying leaves.
"If it wasn't for the gate behind us, I would have sworn we were in the wrong place."
"You aren't wrong. I felt the exact same thing."
"Where are the beasts we are actually here to destroy?"
The Aspirants began murmuring amongst themselves in growing worry, their eyes darting around as they remained unable to spot a single monster in front of them or even in the periphery.
Kai tucked his hands deep into his pockets, his expression neutral as he calmly surveyed the wide expanse around them for a few silent moments.
Then, he shifted his weight to face Berg, who stood a mere metre away from him.
"I have a feeling they are lurking in the forest. Let's go check it out."
"Huh?" Berg raised an eyebrow, his head snapping toward Kai with a sharp glare.
"... And who exactly put you in charge?"
"I was officially put in charge…"
"By your homeroom instructor! Your authority ends with your class!" Berg clapped back, a twisted frown marring his features.
Kai sighed in sheer exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose as he felt a headache forming.
"Look… there's no need for us to be fighting and bickering like little kids. This is a joint mission and honestly, I just want to get it over and done with so I don't have to look at your annoying face again."
"So why don't we start now?" Berg's lips curled into a grin before he spun around to face the murmuring crowd of Aspirants.
"... Listen up! We have just reached an agreement amongst ourselves. Our classes will be split. Let's transform this into a friendly competition to decide once and for all which class is the superior one.
The first group to defeat majority of beasts and reach the boss class first, wins! And the losers? They will be forced to surrender every single one of their resources gathered. Either beast skin or important relics found."
"...."
Kai stood there, momentarily stunned. He was unable to utter a single word as he processed the sheer arrogance of Berg's proclamation.
"Wait, who decided that?"
Berg's frown deepened as he turned to cast a venomous look at him.
"I decided that. Or what? Do you want to chicken out now? Do you want to prove us right—that you truly are the weakest link amongst us both…?"
"Deal. We accept." A cold, sharp feminine voice suddenly cut through the mounting tension.
All heads turned instantly toward the source.
Every pair of eyes locked onto Trisha, who still exuded her trademark frostiness, looking entirely bored by the posturing.
"You aren't even the leader of yo—"
"... I'm the second strongest. So shut up and let's get on with this mission already," Trisha coldly clapped back, cutting him off without a second thought.
"...."
A heavy silence swept through the ranks of the Aspirants.
Berg's brows could be seen visibly twitching at the disrespectful tone the girl had used to address him.
He was about to take an aggressive step forward when Kai intercepted him with a hardening frown, his patience finally reaching its limit.
"Fine then. I accept your offer."
Berg paused, his momentum momentarily halted by Kai's sudden compliance.
Then, with a sharp, dismissive click of his tongue, he lifted his hand high into the air, signaling his followers.
"Great then. Follow me, guys!"
His class members all let out a collective roar that echoed against the ruined buildings, and without a shred of hesitation, they trailed after the Aspirant leading them.
The large group could be seen marching with newfound purpose in the direction of the dark forest.
Watching the rival class depart, Ray's brow furrowed in a deep frown.
'Hell no am I going to surrender to that loudmouth.'
Tap. Tap.
He focused his intent, and his vision shifted instantly.
The physical world blurred as the dense greenery of the trees seemingly vanished from his sight.
He was now able to peer through the thick, wooden barriers of the forest, and there, his enhanced perception revealed hundreds of glowing auras gathered in a single massive cluster.
Shifting his gaze, he spotted another, significantly smaller horde congregated around the north-west area of the woods.
Compared to the massive gathering in the east, this secondary group was much more manageable.
Tap. Tap.
Ray quickly deactivated his Thermal Vision before the inevitable wave of exhaustion could hit his system.
Taking a deep breath to steady his racing heart, he tapped the earpiece on his side, opening a direct line to Kai.
"It's me… trust me and select the east side of the forest. We can definitely win this competition if we head there."
Van, who was standing right beside Ray, could hear the communication clearly.
He looked up at his friend with a mixture of confusion and awe, wondering exactly why Ray sounded so incredibly certain about their chances.
But Kai didn't share in this lingering hesitation.
He simply nodded, choosing to place his absolute trust in Ray's judgment without demanding an explanation.
Glancing up, Ray saw that Berg was almost reaching the East entrance of the treeline.
"Follow me, guys!" Kai shouted to his own class, his voice booming with authority as he pushed forward, aiming to reach the destination first.
It didn't take long for Kai to utilize his superior speed, blitzing past Berg with a confident, taunting grin plastered on his face.
"... We will take the east side. Bye."
Before Berg could even formulate a retort, Kai's group arrived at the threshold, and the stream of teens began filtering rapidly into the shadows of the forest.
"Tch! Fine then, have it your way!" Berg barked, his face flushing with annoyance.
"Let's head to the other side!" he shouted to his own group, pivoting on his heel and leading them toward the North-west entrance instead.
Ray was the final person to cross the threshold into the woods.
The moment his feet stepped onto the forest floor, a loud, crystalline ding resonated inside his mind.
[Quest Alert]
[Description: Two groups of Aspirants have decided to clear the Tier 1 gate of all beasts to prevent a gate break. But in the course of this mission, the two groups have split apart.
A friendly competition has ensued. Help your own group emerge victorious in this competition to claim your rewards.]
[Rewards: +200 EXP, +5 INT, +1 stat point.]
Ray's grin intensified, his eyes shining with a competitive fire as he immediately activated his VMS gear.
He pushed off the ground with a powerful mechanical hiss, soaring upward and sticking firmly to the side of a massive tree.
"Wonderful."