The sunlight slowly began to rise higher, the silence that should have been part of the forest now disturbed.
Alex nudged Ken's back.
"Hey, buddy. Switch positions."
Ken clicked his tongue.
"Just say you don't want to fight that guy."
Alex chuckled.
"What do you mean? Right now I'm giving you a chance to gain Katarina's affection faster."
One of Ken's eyebrows rose.
"Doesn't seem like it."
Alex nodded.
"Yeah… it's not."
Alex and Ken switched positions. This time Alex faced Class 1B led by Arthur, while Ken faced Class 1A led by Julian.
Alex delivered his final message.
"Just hold him off, I'll try to finish Arthur as quickly as possible."
Ken sighed, gripping his katana tighter, not replying anymore.
Alex smiled and shouted.
"Alright! Come at me, you cleanliness freak and that yellow monkey over there! This handsome duo will kick your asses!"
Arthur's eyebrow twitched, a growl escaping his lips.
"That bastard…."
Arthur raised his hand.
"Move out! Kill that bastard first!"
Shouts echoed from Arthur's side.
On the other side at the same time, Julian burst into laughter while Eve's face turned red with anger.
"That ugly bastard, how dare he!"
Julian cleared his throat and raised his hand, a sinister smile forming on his face.
"Come on… let's finish them."
Shouts rose from Julian's side.
Ken swallowed, while Alex smiled widely.
They were attacked from both sides. The only thing near them was the pile of logistics.
Arthur and Pyo led from the front, just like Julian and Eve.
The footsteps of hundreds charging could make anyone tremble. But not Alex and Ken.
As the two sides were about to collide with Alex and Ken in the middle—
Alex raised his hand, a whisper escaping his lips.
"Watch your footing, bastards."
Julian and Arthur's eyes widened. But there was nothing they could do— a series of massive explosions erupted, drowning out the footsteps of the other classes.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The ground beneath Class 1A and 1B began to crack. Those standing on it fell through.
A massive pit large enough to bury them all formed, even Julian and Arthur fell into it.
Cries of pain and shock echoed everywhere. Smoke and dust filled the air.
Meanwhile, Alex and Ken only smiled from above, their footing like a tall lighthouse in the middle of the sea.
Julian and Arthur could only look up at them from below.
Alex shouted again.
"Now!"
Julian and Arthur warned their classes.
"Prepare, there's an attack!"
"Hold your ground!"
With Alex's command, the forest grew noisy again. From all directions, students of Class 1C and 1F appeared. They jumped into the massive pit to attack, taking advantage of the opening.
Katarina led their assault.
She channeled mana into both legs, bent them, and leaped into the sky.
Thud
Her jump left cracks on the ground.
All eyes turned to her in the sky.
Katarina channeled mana into her right hand, a massive blue fireball forming and illuminating the sky.
Arthur clicked his tongue and released his red aura across his body.
"Strengthen your mana!"
Meanwhile, Julian coated himself and Eve with his flames.
In the sky, Katarina remained expressionless as she opened her mouth.
"Blue Flame Rain."
As soon as she spoke, the blue fireball reacted, splitting into hundreds of smaller attacks targeting the other class members.
BOOM!
Explosions echoed continuously like heavy rain, accompanied by the screams of those unprepared.
"Arghh…."
"Strengthen your mana, idiot!"
"This is the princess's blue flame!"
Alex swallowed and nudged Ken as they watched from above.
"Are you sure you still like her?"
Ken didn't answer, making Alex turn.
Ken's eyes sparkled as if he were looking at an angel.
Alex sighed and smacked the back of Ken's head.
"Don't get mesmerized yet, idiot. This is our chance."
Ken rubbed the back of his head with a slight grin.
"Alright… alright… see you later, you crazy influence.
Alex nodded.
"Hold him off as best as you can."
Alex and Ken split up.
Ken moved toward Julian, and Katarina followed.
Meanwhile, Alex headed toward Arthur.
The attacks from Class 1C and 1F didn't stop there. On another side, Aril and Mira swept through to slowly dismantle the enemy.
Meanwhile, Malik, with his strategy, managed to break through enemies struggling after enduring Katarina's attack.
Katarina descended from the sky, landing right in front of Julian and Eve.
Julian looked at Katarina.
"I didn't expect this from you, Rina."
Katarina shrugged and flipped her dark red hair.
"Why? Did you think I was just an arrogant princess?"
Julian burst into laughter, wiping a tear.
"So, you're going to fight both of us?"
Katarina smiled as the wind brushed her skin.
Ken had arrived and stood beside her.
Eve spoke, making a gesture like framing a camera.
"Well… you two look good together. Have you gotten closer or what?"
Ken became awkward hearing that.
Katarina smiled and mimicked Eve's pose.
"And you look fitting standing beside Julian…"
Katarina lowered her hand, her expression turning cold.
"…like a stalker."
Eve's face turned red, veins bulging on her forehead.
Julian calmed her.
"Relax, Eve. Rina is just provoking you."
Katarina took a breath, the sounds of battle echoing around them.
She whispered to Ken.
"I'll take Eve. Can you hold off Julian?"
Ken swallowed and whispered back.
"I should be able to? That depends on that crazy guy, right?"
Katarina nodded slightly.
"Just trust him, and focus on holding Julian. I'll try to defeat Eve as quickly as possible."
Ken nodded.
Katarina looked at Ken and patted his shoulder.
"Be confident. You're strong."
Her words and gentle touch made Ken's heart beat faster.
Ken swallowed.
Meanwhile, Katarina gathered mana in her right palm.
A pillar of blue fire surged toward Eve.
Eve, startled, transformed her mana into a petal-shaped shield.
BOOM!
As Katarina's blue flame collided with Eve's petal shield, Katarina added another attack, sending Eve flying into the forest.
Thud
The loud sound drew attention.
Julian could only grimace, unable to protect Eve in time.
Katarina walked past Julian slowly.
Julian looked at her.
"Don't be too harsh, Rina."
Katarina gave a faint smile.
"How could I not be?"
Julian looked at her back.
"How about dinner after this is over?"
Katarina stopped.
"Just the two of us?"
Julian chuckled.
"Of course not. We'll invite Eve, Arthur, and Ken too."
Katarina sighed.
"I'm not interested."
She channeled mana into her legs and dashed into the forest where Eve had landed.
Her footsteps were confident as the sounds of battle faded behind her.
The wind brushed her skin. Only the silence of the forest remained.
Red petals fell around her.
Katarina flipped her dark red hair and channeled mana throughout her body.
Steam rose from her form as blue flames burned the petals around her.
Her eyes scanned every direction, searching for Eve.
Silence.
Katarina channeled mana into her right leg and etched a circle into the ground.
Blue flames formed a barrier around her.
Dozens of petal arrows struck the barrier from all directions.
Slash.
Slash.
The wind cut through the air stronger this time—not petal arrows, but a spear.
Katarina's eyes widened as she shifted slightly.
Slash!
The spear pierced her flame defense and grazed her neck.
Katarina touched the wound and clicked her tongue.
"Come out, Eve the stalker."
From behind a tree, footsteps emerged.
Her long pink hair flowed, her expression irritated.
"Shouldn't you not attack suddenly like that, Rina? That makes you a coward."
Katarina looked at her.
"That's real combat, isn't it?"
Eve smiled, channeling mana into her right hand, forming a sword made of red petals.
She took a breath.
Her stance shifted as she charged at full speed.
Katarina watched her approach, raising her left hand.
Eve's eyes widened. She stopped, preparing for Katarina's blue flames.
But the flames didn't come.
Katarina smiled faintly.
This time, she stepped forward to attack.
Eve swallowed.
Katarina raised her right hand, blue flames forming a blade on the back of her hand.
Eve was shocked.
"You can fight in close combat?"
Katarina didn't reply.
She thrust toward Eve's head.
Eve couldn't block in time but avoided losing her neck.
Slash!
A cut appeared on Eve's neck, burning her skin black.
Eve staggered back, holding her neck.
"I can't believe you can move like that, Rina."
Katarina moved her right hand slightly, warming up. The blue blade still active.
'Yes… this is a technique I learned in the future.'
Katarina smiled faintly.
"You need to keep evolving, Eve."
Eve gritted her teeth.
She formed a petal shield in her left hand.
Katarina responded by forming another blue blade in her left hand.
Eve attacked first.
She charged and swung downward.
Slash!
Her strike cut only air.
Katarina, with experience, pivoted and slashed Eve's right knee.
Slash!
A groan escaped Eve.
"Argh.."
Her knee hit the ground.
The smell of burning filled the air.
Katarina bent her left arm, aiming for Eve's head.
Eve's eyes widened as she used her shield to block.
Clang!
Eve staggered.
Katarina took advantage again.
She channeled mana into her left leg and struck Eve's shield.
Thud
BOOM!
Blue flames exploded upon impact.
Eve was thrown back into a tree.
Thud
Another groan escaped her.
"Argh…"
Her gaze refocused on Katarina.
Katarina approached, dismissing the blade on her left arm.
Her steps didn't stop.
Her right hand extended toward Eve.
A wave of blue flames surged forward.
Eve swallowed.
'How did Rina become this strong?'
She gathered more mana than before.
Her petal sword and shield disappeared.
Both hands raised, a wave of petals surged forward to clash.
BOOM!
A massive explosion and shockwave erupted.
Meanwhile, elsewhere—
Reva, with her short brown hair, stared at a screen showing Katarina and Eve's fight.
She was alone in a large room where Class 1C had waited earlier, the first eliminated.
Reva bit her nails.
"I didn't know the princess could fight in close combat like that."
She swallowed, goosebumps rising.
"Damn, if I knew that liar's plan would be this good, I wouldn't have been eliminated so easily."
Reva held her head.
"This is all Ken's fault! That stalker!"
She crouched.
"Damn, that liar will definitely mock me for a whole month after being the first eliminated."
Her imagination ran wild until she collapsed on the floor.
Meanwhile, the screen she watched changed.
There appeared a white-haired boy with a red aura covering his body, facing a black-haired boy holding a white sword.