The swamp sprawled ahead of them, sticky air clinging to their skin. Adam led the massive group of 75 students through the swamps, footsteps squelching. It was far too loud. The terrain didn’t allow for stealth, forcing them out of it, whether they wanted to or not.

Adam had already adjusted for that. If they couldn’t hide their approach, they’d make noise deliberately – enough to ward off any brazen attacks from classes waiting in ambush. The strategy was simple. Appear too strong to engage casually without proper plan. And even then, make it looks unpleasant.

"Keep formations tight," Adam called back, his voice carrying over the wet ground. "Don’t split up too much."

Terry moved up beside him, wiping sweat from his brow. "This place reeks worse than the northern ridge."

"Marsh rot," Adam replied, scanning the horizon. "Means we’re getting close to the coordinates."

They trudged forward, navigating through shallow pools and moving around tangled roots that jutted from the short, stump trees.

The humidity pressed down, thick enough to feel thoroughly. Several students muttered complaints, but Adam ignored them. Discomfort was temporary. Failure was not.

He ignored that part of him that said that this exam meant nothing in the grand scheme of the Academy. He would have 3 more years to rise the ranks.

After another half hour, murmurs began spreading through the group.

Adam caught fragments of conversations – doubt – and students questioning whether the statue existed at all.

"Sir," a scout jogged up from the rear. "Some of the others are starting to wonder if we’re walking into nothing."

Adam glanced back at the column. Fatigue was clear on several of their faces, mixed with growing skepticism.

He understood the concern. He really did. They’d marched through hostile terrain for over an hour without seeing anything resembling their objective.

I don’t know for sure if its real either. At this point, even I’m starting to believe this is a nothing murger.

Ronan’s information could have been a bluff, misdirection, or simply wrong. Realistically, how would Ronan have even gotten this information?

The words on the letter he sent were hard to believe as well. Why would he not have allegiance to his own class? Even his actions didn’t seem to align with what he’d heard of the Ashbourne heir.

But if Adam turned back now, he’d lose credibility. Worse, he’d confirm that Class C/D was too afraid to take risks.

"We continue," Adam said firmly, loud enough for those nearby to hear. "At the pace we’re moving, Class C loses if we don’t take chances."

The scout nodded and returned to his position. Terry looked at Adam, concern flickering across his face, but he said nothing. He trusted Adam’s judgment.

The column pressed on, boots sinking deeper into the muck. The swamp seemed endless, stretching into a horizon obscured by mist and drooping branches. Adam felt the weight of command settle heavier on his shoulders with every step.

Then, a voice shouted from the front.

"I see it! There’s a statue ahead!"

Relief surged through the group like a wave. Students straightened, exhaustion momentarily forgotten as excitement replaced doubt. Adam moved forward quickly, pushing through the ranks until he reached the front line.

There, rising from the swamp, stood a stone statue.

It depicted a serpent coiled around a pillar, scales carved with intricate detail. The craftsmanship was unmistakable – Academy work.

The statue was real.

"Hold position," Adam ordered, raising one hand.

The students stopped, though some looked eager to rush forward and claim the prize.

Adam studied the area carefully. The statue sat on a raised patch of solid ground, surrounded by shallow water on all sides. The space felt eerily quiet. No mana beasts prowled nearby. No signs of other classes.

Too quiet. Far too quiet.

"This could be a trap," Adam said, his voice low but firm. "Spread out. Half of you sweep the perimeter. Report anything unusual."

Terry nodded and began organizing the search. Students fanned out in disciplined formations, checking behind trees, testing the ground for hidden runes, and scanning for mana signatures. Adam watched them work, his unease growing with every passing moment.

The statue looked isolated. Abnormal. The Academy placed statues strategically, but this one felt... wrong. He couldn’t explain it.

Minutes passed. The scouts returned one by one, shaking their heads.

"Nothing found, sir."

"No traps detected."

"Not even mana beasts in the area."

Adam frowned. The reports didn’t settle him. They made things worse. An empty territory with no threats and no competition felt less like opportunity and more like bait.

But there was no evidence for his suspicions, only instinct.

Adam stepped forward, holding the minor mana node in his hand. Terry and several others moved with him, weapons ready. The group approached the statue cautiously, boots splashing through shallow water.

Adam reached the base. The serpent’s eyes seemed to follow him, though he knew it was only carved stone. He knelt, locating the insertion point at the pillar’s base.

He hesitated.

This is where it goes wrong, he thought. If it’s a trap, this is when it triggers.

But he couldn’t afford to hesitate longer. The class was watching. Waiting.

Adam inserted the node.

The stone accepted it smoothly, runes flaring to life across the serpent’s scales.

Light pulsed once.

Twice.

Then it stabilized.

The statue glowed faintly, signaling successful activation.

Adam waited in grim anticipation.

But nothing else happened.

No ambush. No trap. No sudden attack.

Adam stood slowly, scanning the area one more time. Still nothing.

He exhaled, tension draining from his shoulders. The class erupted into quiet celebration – relieved murmurs, tired smiles.

They’d claimed the statue.

Adam let the moment settle, then turned to address the group.

But something felt off.

He noticed it immediately.

The Class D students weren’t celebrating.

They stood apart from the Class C students, expressions ranging from neutral to visibly annoyed. One student – a tall girl with short-cropped hair – crossed her arms, staring at the statue with clear dissatisfaction.

Adam’s instincts flared.

Before he could speak, the girl stepped forward, her voice cutting through the celebration.

"Why did Class C get the statue?"

The question hung in the air.

The Class C students stopped mid-celebration, confused.

"What?" someone asked.

"You heard me," the girl said, louder now. "Class C got the statue. Class D got nothing. Where’s the fairness in that?"

Another Class D student joined in. "We marched just as far. Fought just as hard. But you’re the ones who get the points?"

Adam felt the situation unraveling before his eyes. He stepped forward, hands raised. "We’re an alliance. The statue belongs to both classes–"

"Then why is it registered to Class C?" the girl snapped, pointing at the glowing runes. "That node has your class signature. Not ours."

Terry tried to intervene. "We’ll find another statue for Class D. This was just the first—"

"First?" A Class D student laughed bitterly. "How many statues do you think are left? We need to secure one now."

The argument spread like wildfire.

Class D students voiced their frustrations, while Class C students defended the decision. Voices were rising.

Adam stood in the center, watching his alliance fracture in real time.

And in that moment, Adam found a grim realization dawning upon him.

Ronan hadn’t given him a gift. He’d given him a grenade with the pin already pulled.

Ronan sat beside the boar statue, legs crossed.

The forest around Class B’s base was busy with activity – students reinforcing perimeters, maintaining runes, gathering supplies – but the noise was distant. Almost peaceful.

Not that it’ll last.

The thought drifted through without any real weight to it.

He stretched his arms above his head, feeling the stretch in his muscles that were still recovering from yesterday’s operation.

His body was pathetically weak compared to the others, but the node sat secured in the statue’s base, Elara had stabilized leadership enough to keep Class B functional, and Adam now controlled the C/D alliance instead of Locke.

Pieces were moving where he needed them. For now at least.

"Ronan!"

He turned.

Sapphire approached from the direction of the rune workshop, clutching something wrapped in cloth.

Her expression carried the kind of nervous excitement students only showed when they’d finished a project they actually cared about.

She stopped in front of him, hesitating.

"I finished it," Sapphire said, unwrapping the cloth to reveal a small runic array carved into polished wood. The symbols glowed faintly, pulsing in rhythm with her mana. "The detection ward you asked for. It’s not perfect, but it should respond to concentrated mana signatures within thirty meters."

Ronan stood, taking the array carefully. He studied the runework – clean, precise, and insanely efficient. It was genius work.

"This is good work."

Sapphire brightened, then immediately looked down. "It’s nothing special. The activation sequence is still unstable, and the range is limited–"

"It’s exactly what I needed." Ronan looked her in the eyes. "Thank you for going out of your way to make this. I know it doesn’t benefit the class."

"Oh, it’s fine!" Sapphire waved her hands in front of herself, flustered. "I mean, you helped me during the alliance negotiation, and Elara was really kind about giving me time, so–" She paused, biting her lip. "You’ll really follow through, right? On our deal?"

Ronan smiled slightly.

"Yes. I’ll get you a meeting with Victoria." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Sapphire’s face lit up like someone had just handed her the keys to a vault.

"Really? You mean it? Because your sister is–" She clasped her hands together, practically bouncing. "She’s amazing! The future of runic magic! Her work on layered enhancement arrays is revolutionary, and her thesis on mana conduit optimization changed everything. I mean Irene’s great too, but Victoria! A–And you’re great too of course, but– but Victoria is going to change the world someday! She’s the one who made me start–"

Technically correct, Ronan thought dryly, tuning the girl’s rambling out.

Victoria’s research would eventually push humanity into a new age – assuming things followed the original timeline.

Though he could afford for that to happen anymore.

"She’s brilliant," Ronan agreed neutrally. "And she loves to have educated conversations on runic theory, which I’m sure you–"

"Ronan!"

Elara’s voice interrupted him.

She sprinted toward him from the camp’s center, expression grim. Students turned to watch as she closed the distance.

Ronan’s amusement vanished. He pocketed the detection array and moved to meet her halfway.

"What happened?"

Elara stopped, breathing hard. Her eyes darted briefly to Sapphire before returning to Ronan.

"Not here," Elara hissed, grabbing his arm and moving him somewhere more private.

"Moving fast, eh? I’m down for a quick–"

"The second mana node," Elara said, ignoring his teasing. "It’s gone."