"Older Sister, I Think It's Rohan’s Final Written Exam Time."
Like Clara, Shion was also looking at the group messages.
Lying together, nestled comfortably on Rohan’s dorm bed, their expressions were, however, serious and filled with concern.
“Hmm...”
Neither Shion nor Clara was fully prepared to accept Rohan’s temporary absence.
They had even seriously contemplated hiding and following him in secret.
Shion, while not as skilled as Clara, was still confident in her ability to suppress her presence.
She even had specialized observational equipment.
And if anyone asked, they had a valid excuse.
‘Rohan has a tendency to get himself caught up in incidents, after all.’
With that mindset, Shion had casually floated the idea, but Clara, who had firsthand experience with Juyun, already knew the reality—
It wouldn’t be so easy to act as they pleased.
While Rohan was fully engrossed in his written exam,
The two girls had taken a walk, heading near Orion Academy.
And in that moment, Shion understood why Clara had warned that observation would be difficult.
‘As expected of Orion Academy.’
The people inside were simply too formidable. Undoubtedly, these were the instructors responsible for training the students.
But among them, there was one individual whose sheer presence stood out above the rest.
Even before stepping foot onto the Academy grounds, this person had already completely recognized both Shion and Clara.
“...”
The presence that Clara had warned her about—Juyun.
Shion felt as if she had hit an insurmountable wall.
Knowing that someone like that was by Rohan’s side gave her both reassurance and a burning sense of motivation.
It was a mixture of admiration, jealousy, and frustration over her own lack of ability.
‘I need to intensify my training.’
And with that, Shion understood—
The reason Clara was so obsessed with improving wasn’t just her own personal ambition.
It was because she had come face to face with Juyun and realized the stark difference in power.
***
[Quest Activated]
[Uneasy Peace]
◇ Quest Objective: You have detected shadows lurking within the world. You are aware of the impure forces attempting to merge with the flow of events, yet as a student, you must diligently complete your midterms.
◇ Category: Main Story
◇ Success Rewards: Differentiated compensation based on rank and contribution
◇ Failure Penalty: None
Rohan’s eyes snapped open as the notification flashed before him.
Seated in the break room of the transport ship, crowded with male students, he pushed himself upright.
His gaze naturally drifted outside.
‘I can see it.’
Despite the dim sky, his magically enhanced vision allowed him to make out the clear boundary between land and sea.
The island was far larger than he had anticipated.
This would be their home for the next five days.
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‘If you don’t move smartly, you won’t even run into monsters, let alone anything else.’
Fixing his gaze on the terrain, he memorized as much as he could—
When suddenly, Juyun’s voice echoed through the ship’s PA system.
─ "Attention all Class 1 students. Gather in front of the cafeteria on the second floor in ten minutes. This is your final notice. Class 1 students must assemble in front of the second-floor cafeteria within ten minutes."
─ "If you see anyone still sleeping, wake them up. Transmission over."
With a sharp click, the announcement ended.
Rohan turned his attention to Gilbert, who was snoring away beside him.
Without hesitation, he gave him a firm kick to wake him up before preparing himself.
“...”
The students stirred from their seats, methodically getting ready.
All of them arrived at the second-floor meeting point with time to spare.
“First, find your assigned partner. Once you’ve located them, gather in front of the instructor.”
Rohan immediately moved toward Ichinose, who was waiting near the front.
Naturally, a conversation began.
"How are you holding up?"
"No problems. I managed to get some sleep with Noa."
Following Ichinose’s line of sight, he spotted Noa.
She was stumbling drowsily, rubbing her eyes as she made her way toward her assigned partner.
Noa’s partner was a fellow front-line fighter from Class 1.
A girl named Corinne.
She wasn’t a playable character in Abyss City nor someone particularly exceptional.
In short, Rohan had no prior information on her.
“Has anyone not found their assigned partner?”
“...”
Silence.
With no issues to report, Juyun moved on to the next point of discussion.
“Before landing, I mentioned that measures would be taken to prevent you from relying solely on magic for five days.”
At that, Juyun raised an object for all to see.
A semi-transparent sticker, inscribed with intricate geometric runes similar to those used in protective talismans.
‘Ah, so that’s what it looks like.’
While the other students were confused, Rohan had already anticipated this item.
"Attaching this to your skin will trigger three effects."
"..."
"You will feel hunger. You will feel thirst. And you will feel tired. That’s all."
At those words, several students visibly flinched.
The reality of these five days was already setting in.
"It doesn’t take effect immediately, but you’ll start feeling hunger and drowsiness more frequently than usual. The intensity will also be noticeably stronger."
Rohan stared at the sticker with an odd expression.
It was the real-life manifestation of the debuff that reduced recovery and slowed movement in Abyss City.
"But there’s no need to worry," Juyun continued. "This sticker can be easily removed using mana."
She pressed the sticker against the back of her hand without hesitation.
Scratching at it or wetting it wouldn’t budge it, but when Juyun channeled a small amount of mana through her fingers, the sticker peeled off effortlessly.
"As you can see, once it’s removed, it loses all effectiveness. After it’s been used once, it won’t adhere again, and even if you try to force it back on, it’ll be obvious."
The sticker crumpled into a flimsy mess, which she casually tossed into the nearby trash bin.
"At the end of the test, the instructors will personally check and retrieve the stickers. Until then, you’ll need to keep them on."
A large bundle of stickers appeared from Juyun’s coat.
"The instructors will apply them individually. Show the nape of your neck."
Snap! Snap!
The process was over in mere seconds.
In no time, every student in Class 1 had a sticker on their necks.
"If you really can’t endure it, you’re allowed to remove it. It will only affect your score."
With that, Juyun signaled that preparations for landing should begin.
Rohan exchanged glances with Ichinose before double-checking his equipment.
He also opened his status screen for a quick review.
『Name: Rohan』
The name sounded oddly suggestive.
But knowing Orion Academy’s strict standards, the sticker really did only affect hunger and sleep.
"You’ll be dropped off at different locations with no overlap. The transport ship will hover close to shore, so disembark in the order I call. Understood?"
"Yes!"
Juyun activated her communicator to coordinate with the other instructors.
A moment later, she made an additional announcement.
"And one last thing—if you see someone hovering in the sky, don’t be alarmed. They’re here for your safety."
They were reinforcement personnel from the Sepia Archipelago military, specialists equipped with floating stone-powered flight gear.
Their job was to retrieve students who signaled for help and prevent unexpected incidents.
By morning, the students would undoubtedly recognize which unit these soldiers belonged to just from their armor.
"The altitude is low enough now. Everyone, move to the deck."
***
Rohan and Ichinose were the third pair to disembark.
The air carried a faint scent of salt.
The shoreline where sea and land met was a blend of soft sand and damp soil.
"Ichinose, how do you feel?"
"I don’t feel anything yet."
The girl closed her eyes, lightly touching the sticker on her neck.
"Same here... First, we should find a place to settle."
"Are we heading into the forest?"
"Considering that supplies and rations might be hidden further inside rather than out in the open, wouldn’t it be worth checking?"
"..."
Ichinose tapped the ground lightly with her academy-issued sword—not her usual Nightblade Yoru—as she considered the plan.
"I can move easily even in the dark."
"I’m not as good as you, but I can see decently well."
"In that case... before going too deep, let’s keep the ocean within sight and start by skimming the perimeter."
"Smart decision."
As they neared the forest, the sound of waves faded.
It might seem reckless to enter a darkened forest so soon, but for Ichinose—who was accustomed to darkness—there was little difference between day and night.
It also gave them a competitive edge over other students in securing early resources.
‘Should I conserve my store skills for now?’
As Rohan used his sword to slice through vines and clear a path, Ichinose suddenly halted.
Rohan didn’t need to ask why.
He had sensed it too.
"There’s something there."
Ichinose wasted no time drawing her sword.
──Whoosh!
A single swing.
─Screech!
A bizarre cry rang out as a bird-like creature plummeted from the trees.
Its severed head rolled across the ground, a sharp horn protruding from its forehead.
[+1P]
Ichinose smoothly sheathed her sword just as her status screen updated.
"It’s a Horned Bird."
Officially classified as a Hornbird, it was more commonly known as Kakujou in the Tri-Nation Alliance.
Rohan picked up the decapitated creature, inspecting it.
"This thing...," he muttered.
"Is something wrong?"
"Can’t we eat it?"
His tone was brimming with excitement, as if he had just struck gold.
Ichinose visibly stiffened in shock.
As the heir to Tianwaitian, the largest corporation in the Tri-Nation Alliance,
Ichinose Yui had lived a life completely removed from wilderness survival.
"...Eh?"
The normally composed girl’s voice and expression wavered.