Chapter 221: Sector B6
Yerin closed her eyes for only a brief moment before letting out a slow breath.
The last of their preparations had finally come to an end, yet instead of looking at one another, their eyes drifted almost instinctively toward the windows.
Something about the world outside drew them in without a sound.
Beyond the glass, the island lay beneath a sky so dark that it hardly resembled morning. Thick layers of pale grey and black clouds covered everything overhead, swallowing the sunlight.
No one spoke.
Still, the same thought quietly found its way into each of their minds. If this was what morning looked like, then what would the island become after nightfall? Maybe... the academy’s warning had not been an exaggeration after all.
The question settled heavily among them.
Soon, a sharp knock suddenly echoed through the cabin.
Before anyone could respond, the familiar voice of the elderly academy staff member came from the other side of the door.
"Time’s up. Follow me."
The latch clicked open, and the door slowly swung inward. Without another word, the five of them exchanged one last glance before stepping out of the cabin together.
*****
The moment Ruvian stepped onto the deck, a freezing gust of wind crashed into him. It slipped through his dark cloak with little effort, stinging every patch of exposed skin and tugging at his uniform as though trying to drag him back.
The air smelled of salt and rain, the ship beneath his feet swayed more heavily than before, groaning under the combined weight of the restless sea and the storm gathering overhead.
He slowly lifted his gaze.
And it was then...
Vazrun Island stood before them.
It was much closer than he had expected.
’What a comforting sight....’
The dreary island rose from the sea, dominating the churning waters beneath it. Along its coast, towering black cliffs climbed high into the sky, their jagged faces looking like rows of chipped knives.
His eyes drifted higher.
Above the island, layers of dark clouds circled its highest peak in a slow, endless spiral. The storm seemed to gather around that single point as though the peak had become the heart of the storm.
From time to time, pale flashes of lightning flickered deep within the clouds, briefly illuminating their twisted shape before the darkness swallowed them once again.
Ruvian found himself staring a little longer at it.
Even after everything he already knew about the island, seeing it with his own eyes left a completely different impression.
Beside him, Arlok narrowed his eyes at the distant island before letting out a low breath.
"Holy fuck..."
Horren’s hands opened and closed restlessly at his sides, his expression caught between awe and unease, as though every instinct in his body warned him about a certain danger.
Even Yerin had her eyes wide now. She didn’t say a single thing — just the silent recognition of something far greater than expected.
Shima narrowed her gaze, her voice quiet, almost reverent, almost dreading.
"So, this is the place for our practical test."
Meanwhile, Ruvian could feel his heart beating louder.
Was it a thrill that he felt?
Was that it?
But who in their right mind would find excitement in a place that looked ready to swallow anyone who stepped foot on it?
Ruvian quietly smiled as the lightning illuminated his face.
Maybe... he was one of those people.
*****
The wind howled across the upper decks, carrying the cold scent of the sea-brine. Scholars were herded upward in steady waves, guided by commands.
They gathered across the central deck and onto the upper observation platforms, a tide of black-clad scholars standing shoulder to shoulder — four hundred bodies bound by the shared anticipation.
Squads clustered by number, loose formations held by the fragile order of preparation.
Then, a calm and authoritative voice rose.
"From this point on," the Chief Instructor began, standing atop the raised quarterdeck with his coat flaring behind him, "remain vigilant. Your safety is your responsibility and top priority."
He continued, eyes scanning the mass below.
"Faculty and staff are positioned across the island to observe and intervene — but do not mistake that for a shield. We are not omnipresent. There are limits to how quickly help can arrive, and sometimes..."
He paused, just long enough for silence to thicken.
"...Sometimes, it doesn’t arrive at all."
Before anyone could ask the question lingering in their minds, the Chief Instructor answered it himself.
"Because three years ago, there were scholars who never returned from this test. A few of them, in fact. We do not wish for that tragedy to happen again. Although we have now equipped each of you with a protection enchantment that will activate through the bracelet you received, we still expect every one of you to value your own lives."
"There is no shame in retreating when the situation demands it. A scholar who survives today will always have another chance to grow stronger tomorrow."
His words settled over the deck, quieting the last murmurs among the crowd. The weight of those words lingered longer than anyone expected.
Then came the blindfolds.
The fabric was cold against the skin and faintly humming with dormant runes. Members of the academy staff moved through the rows, tying one blindfold after another until darkness swallowed every scholar’s sight.
"You are not to remove these until you land. Do not use mana. Do not attempt to bypass the veil. If you violate this rule, then you will be eliminated before you ever set foot on the island."
Almost immediately, a gentle current of air gathered beneath the scholars’ feet. It was neither violent nor forceful. Instead, it lifted them.
’I guess that they’re about to send us now.’
Ruvian felt the wooden deck disappear beneath his boots.
His body rose steadily into the open sky, carried by wind magic. The sea breeze brushed against his face as the sounds of the ship slowly faded beneath him, replaced by the endless whistle of wind rushing past his ears.
With nothing but darkness before his eyes, he had no way to tell how high he had risen. Though, he didn’t bother too much about it and simply allowed himself to float, trusting that they would be escorted safely.
All around him, others were being carried as well — squad by squad, each drawn towards their own paths to their long predetermined locations.
And just like that, they were scattered across the island.
As for his group, the destination was.....
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[Chapter 221: Sector B6]
