The cafeteria was way louder than usual.
Not just lively.
Charged.
Every table was buzzing with a mix of low and high voices, tense laughter, and half-eaten meals.
No one was really eating.
Everyone was planning.
Daiki, Ren, and Yui sat together near the corner, trays untouched.
"So," Ren said, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed. "We're a team. Obviously."
"Yea," Daiki nodded. "There was never a universe where we weren't."
Yui gave a small nod.
"Agreed. We don't really know anyone else to split up anyway..."
Ren grinned.
"That's great. Means this team's locked in."
Daiki began to glance around the cafeteria.
First-Years.
Second-Years.
Faces he recognized.
Faces he didn't.
Strong ones.
Confident ones.
Some already eyeing each other like prey.
But not everyone looked so confident.
One First-Year, near the back of the cafeteria, was rereading the event rules on his phone over and over again as if they would magically change.
Another boy was quietly arguing with his teammates in a panic.
Someone else sat completely alone, staring down at their untouched food with shaking hands.
Nobody was laughing, not anymore.
"Battle royale in a murder forest," Daiki muttered. "That's just great."
Yui took a sip of water. "At least we know the rules..."
"Rules won't matter out there," Ren said. "Only strength will."
A hand palmed down onto the table.
"Wrong," Jin said, sliding into the seat across them.
"Rules will matter."
Daiki looked up.
"Oh, great. You again."
Jin glanced at Daiki, then smirked.
"You look ready," Jin said.
His eyes were eerily calm.
"Yeah," he said, eyes sharper now, a teeth-bearing grin on his face. "Ready to win. You, on the other hand—"
He looked Jin up and down with a snarky expression as he raised his finger and pointed.
"—look like someone who already decided how this ends. That's usually when the surprise really hurts."
"Then surprise me," Jin replied flatly. "Everyone keeps talking like this is already decided."
His eyes lifted, calm and cold.
"Prove they're wrong."
Ren's eyes lit up.
"Yea, we will. Don't even worry about it."
Yui blinked.
"...Not trying to sound mean, but did you come over here just to say that....?"
Jin shook his head, completely casual.
"Nope. I wanted to let you guys know—"
He pointed at all three of them.
"—we're officially enemies now."
The table went quiet.
Then...
"Oh, it's like that?" Daiki said, grin sharpening a bit.
Ren stood up and cracked his knuckles.
"You sure you wanna say that to our face?"
Jin smirked.
"You sure you wanna hear it from someone stronger than you?"
Ren leaned forward.
"Say. That. Again."
Jin leaned in too, eyes sharp now.
"I'll say it slower if you want."
Yui sighed.
Jin leaned back first, chuckling.
"Relax. Just a warning."
He stood up, staring down at them.
"Try not to die in the first ten minutes," he added. "I'd hate to lose the chance to knock you guys out myself."
Daiki shot him a grin.
"Better hope you find us first."
Jin paused, then smiled.
For real this time.
"Looking forward to it."
And with that, he walked off toward a table of Second-Years.
Ren exhaled loudly.
"I want to punch him."
"...You can later," Yui said calmly.
"...Eventually."
Then, the bell rang.
All students were ordered to go to their homeroom classrooms immediately.
Class 1-F reconvened in Kojiro's room.
The energy inside was way different from what it was a couple of weeks ago.
No more groaning.
No more slouching.
No more half-asleep students.
Kojiro stood at the front, arms folded, grin as wild and unhinged as ever.
"This," he said, voice low, "is the day you've been waiting for."
He paced slowly in front of them.
"For weeks, you trained. You fought. You endured. And today—"
His eyes seemed to almost glow with excitement.
"—we find out who among you are still fragile little lambs... and who have grown into lion cubs."
A few students swallowed.
Kojiro slammed his hand against the desk.
"I don't want sheep!" he barked. "I don't want fucking prey! I want teeth! I want hunger!"
He pointed at the class with his katana.
"Out there," he continued, "what class you're from doesn't matter. No one will save you. You either eat... or you get eaten."
His grin widened.
"Some of you are about to realize you don't belong here at all."
Kojiro shot his arms out wide.
"But, until the very end, belions! Tear into anything that breathes. Devour any sheep in your fucking way. Make everyone remember who you are!"
The room was left dead silent.
But his speech hit.
Determination was blooming in everyone's soul like a forest fire.
Then, Kojiro snapped his fingers.
He brought out weapons and laid them across the front desk.
Swords.
Short blades.
Spears.
Bats.
All reinforced.
All non-lethal by design.
"Choose," Kojiro said.
Ren stepped back without looking at the weapons.
"Nah."
Daiki followed suit.
"I'm good."
Kojiro's grin widened even more.
Yui hesitated.... then snagged a short combat knife.
Compact.
Balanced.
She slid it beneath her uniform, tucked securely against her undershirt.
Kojiro nodded approvingly.
"Smart."
Minutes passed.
Then the announcement came.
All participants were to report to the Komorebi Exclusion Forest immediately.
The walk there felt endless.
The deeper they travelled into the outskirts of the Institute, the quieter it got.
The usual noise of students talking slowly disappeared behind them until only footsteps remained.
Even the air started to feel different.
Denser.
Heavier.
When the forest came into view, it was massive.
Dark.
Alive.
Instructor Matsuda stood at the perimeter alongside another Instructor—a tall woman with braided hair and cold eyes. A tag with the name "Kisaragi" was on her chest.
"You know the rules," Matsuda said. "Teams will be separated. Entry gates are randomized."
Daiki took a deep breath.
Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder...
Ren.
Yui stepped closer.
Together.
They were given a talisman before being guided away from the others and led to one of the forty-four gates.
Daiki could hear it now.
It sounded like the forest was almost breathing.
Branches shifting.
Leaves rustling.
Something moving deep within the trees.
Then.....
A loud gunshot echoed through the air.
And the gates flew open.
They ran without hesitation.
The trial had finally begun.