In the control room monitors, two small screens in the bottom corner displayed a nauseating sight. Group 3 and Group 4, who should have been in the central zone by now, were instead clawing at each other in a narrow hallway. It wasn't because of monsters, but a petty scramble for the leadership position. Flashes of fire and earth flew haphazardly, while the Shadow Crawlers around them simply watched from the ceiling, waiting for them to exhaust their Vur before feasting.
"Pathetic," muttered Julius Beltrame, his fingers tapping the metal desk in a rapid tempo.
Drrrtt... Drrrtt... (The sound of the radar sensor in Adam's glasses).
Adam Sebastian raised his hand, signaling Alpha Team to halt. In front of them, under the only flickering emergency light, Melisa Yu and Bram emerged from the left corridor. Their clothes looked slightly scorched and covered in the black dust of monster remains.
The two teams locked eyes. Adam held the first Atma Card, while Bram twirled the second Atma Card between his fingers with a challenging smirk.
"Well, well, looks like the Genius Specs survived too," Bram remarked, small sparks of electricity still dancing on his shoulders.
Dimas Mahendra from Adam's team was already prepared to unsheathe his weapon. "Dam, we need extra points if we want to stay safe in the top ranks. Let's just seize their card; their Vur must be bone-dry after that fight!"
Melisa Yu immediately dropped into a Yin-Yang stance, her face cold and alert. "Just try it if you want to feel the chill of Void energy," she hissed, though her breath was still a bit ragged.
"Wait," Adam cut in calmly. He wasn't looking at Melisa, but toward the dark exit corridor ahead of them. "I don't like wasting energy on illogical things. Look ahead, 50 meters from the exit gate."
All eyes turned toward the darkness. There, the eight students from Groups 3 and 4 who were fighting earlier had apparently made a devious truce. They were lined up blocking the exit like marketplace thugs, led by Sam (C-2) and several 2nd-year students who looked hungry for points. They intended to pull an ambush, snatching cards from whoever passed by in the final seconds.
"There are four sophomores there," Adam analyzed quickly. "If we fight now, they'll just wait for us to collapse and take all our cards. Cooperate, or we all fail the stage one selection. What do you say?"
Melisa fell silent for a moment, her eyes glancing at the card in Adam's hand, then at the 'thugs' ahead. "My pride says no... but my logic says you're right. Okay, Specs. What's the plan?"
BZZZZZT—BOOM!
The thugs at the gate laughed as they saw Adam and Melisa walking closer. "Hand over the cards, sweeties! Freshmen don't need that many points!" shouted one of the 2nd-year students.
"Now!" Adam yelled.
Bram bolted forward with lightning speed, but not to attack. He released a Flashbang Lightning that forced the thugs to shield their eyes.
SWIIIISH—BLAM!
While the enemies were momentarily blinded, Raka and Dimas (Adam's Team) slammed the ground. "Level 2 Magic: Swamp of Earth!" The gate floor turned into quicksand, locking the feet of those 2nd-year thugs until they were trapped.
Melisa Yu hovered in the air, her Yin-Yang energy forming a massive vortex. "Yin-Yang Torrent: Balance Breaker!"
A wave of black-and-white energy slammed into the mud-trapped enemies. Those who were arrogant just moments ago were sent flying against the cave walls with a heavy DHUAK!
Adam himself moved efficiently. With tactical martial arts movements, he used the air pressure from his Vur to take down the thug leader without needing to release a major spell.
"Simple logic," Adam muttered as he stepped over the groaning bodies on the floor. "Large numbers without coordination are easy targets for a small, synchronized team."
WEEEEEEENNNNNGGGGGG! (Siren for 01:00 remaining).
Both teams sprinted toward the exit gate just as the hydraulic doors began to close. Adam, Melisa, Bram, and Dimas jumped out together into the brightly lit main hall area.
Melisa straightened her slightly messy hair, glancing at Adam who was cleaning his glasses as if nothing had happened. "That was... decent cooperation. But don't think I'll keep agreeing with your plans in the individual selection later," Melisa said stiffly with a touch of pride, though her eyes radiated respect.
Bram threw an arm around Adam's shoulder with a wide laugh. "Crazy, Dam! Your strategy made those 2nd-years look like rotten jackfruit! I love your style!"
On the monitor, Sekar Sari jumped for joy. "Look, Julius! They came out together! A perfect team score!"
Julius stood up, straightening his jacket. "Adam Sebastian and Melisa Yu... an interesting blend of brains and brawn. But this is only stage one. Note their names as Group Phase MVP candidates."
Heroic orchestral music peaked as the camera panned to Adam and Melisa standing side-by-side in the center of the hall, holding their Atma cards as a symbol of their first victory.
Rangda Division: The Botanical Nightmare
The Rangda Division lift stopped at a floor that resembled a giant botanical lab. The air here was incredibly humid, smelling of damp earth and pungent flower nectar. Above the entrance gate, a hologram of the Rangda figure with a long protruding tongue glowed purple, giving a mystical and dangerous impression.
In front of the student line stood Mitha Nur Aini. She appeared in stark contrast to her surroundings; her hair was tied in a high ponytail, her face cheerful with glowing lip-gloss, and her athletic body looked well-maintained even though she was currently holding a bag of taro chips. Beside her, Shinta Sefira stood stiff as an ice statue, arms crossed with a gaze that seemed able to pierce through concrete.
"Hello everyone! Welcome to the Rangda Division playground!" Mitha greeted cheerfully, her voice high-pitched but carrying a Vur pressure that made the freshmen's skin crawl. "I'm Mitha, your Division Head. And the quiet beauty next to me is Shinta, my deputy. Don't call me 'Ma'am', you can call me 'Beautiful Leader' instead!"
Shinta only looked at Mitha with the sharp corner of her eye. "Efficient," Shinta muttered softly. "Leader, explain the selection. Time is an asset."
Mitha swallowed her chip, then snapped her fingers. A holographic screen appeared, displaying a Tier D monster: Thorned Mandrake. The monster was shaped like a wolf, but its entire body was made of thorny vine roots and sharp leaves that could fire venom.
"Okay, listen up kids!" Mitha said, pointing toward the rows of giant greenhouses behind them. "Each small group will enter one greenhouse. There's already a Thorned Mandrake in a bad mood in there. Your task? Destroy its energy core before the siren sounds. You only have 20 minutes. More than that? Well, you'll become organic fertilizer for the plants here."
Shinta Sefira then took over to distribute the groups quickly and formally.
Group 1 (Elite Team): Davina Seika (A-1), Bayu Rengga (A-1), Beni An Fu Choi (B-1), and two other support students.
Groups 2 - 4: Filled by the remaining 12 mixed students from classes 1 and 2.
"Remember," Shinta added in her flat voice. "This is a team test. If one person is paralyzed, the entire group's score will be cut by 30%. Move based on logic, not emotion."
Mitha pressed the Global Start button.
WEEEEEEENNNNNGGGGGG! (A high-pitched siren, followed by the sound of the greenhouse doors sliding open—KREEEET!)
The students immediately ran into their respective greenhouse units. Davina Seika passed right in front of Mitha and Shinta. Davina gave a small respectful nod, but her eyes remained focused ahead.
Mitha watched Davina's back, then narrowed her eyes. "Shinta... that new girl, Davina. Why does she have an aura so similar to that 'Prehistoric Lizard'? The way she walks, her gaze... it makes me want to bite this chip bag until it breaks."
Shinta Sefira took a long breath, adjusting her tactical gloves without looking at Mitha.
"Simple logic, Mitha," Shinta replied in her formal style. "Don't let the emotional residue of your past with Vasky cloud your professional judgment of Davina. She has potential. Jealousy is a waste of energy that is unfavorable to your Atma balance."
Mitha instantly choked on her chip. "J-jealous?! Who's jealous! I just said her aura is similar! Besides, that prehistoric lizard is just... ah, forget it! Shinta, you're always right but you're so annoying!"
Shinta simply walked toward the monitoring desk. "Focus on the data, Leader. Davina and her team just made first contact with the monster. Let's see how 'comparable' she is to the shadow of your ex."
BRAAAKKK! (The sound of glass shattering from inside Group 1's greenhouse, followed by a plant monster's roar that shook the air).
Mitha and Shinta stared at the monitor. There, Davina was seen already unsheathing her dagger, while the Thorned Mandrake began extending its thorny vines among the synthetic trees.
Inside Greenhouse No. 1, the humidity spiked drastically. The scent of scorched moss mingled with the sharp, acrid sting of toxic nectar. The three-meter-tall Thorned Mandrake loomed amidst the synthetic vegetation, its barbed vines lashing the air with a lethal Whiiish-Tak!
Davina stood at the very front, her knuckles whitening as she gripped the hilt of her blade.
"Don't just be a shadow, Davina. Be the sword that cleaves the darkness itself," she whispered internally, her gaze locked onto the glowing green crystal core embedded in the plant monster's chest.
Beni An Fu Choi stepped forward, his hands beginning to trace a strategic pattern. "Alright, listen up! Bayu, take the left for distraction, I'll set up a barrier if—"
BZZZZZT—CHRIIIIIING!
Before Beni could finish his sentence, Davina's eyes snapped shut.
"[Mana Channeling]," she hissed.
Instantly, currents of electric blue Vur raced from her arm into the blade. The air crackled, sending tiny sparks of lightning arcing into the soil. Without a word, Davina lunged forward like a bolt loosed from the heavens.
The Control Room: Carbon Copies and Cold Truths
On the monitors, Shinta Sefira maintained her legendary deadpan expression, though her pupils dilated slightly at Davina's acceleration.
"An impulsive, destructive fighting style that shows zero regard for team strategy," Shinta murmured in her sharp, formal tone. "Chairwoman Mitha, she truly is a carbon duplicate of your 'prehistoric lizard.' Even the way she grips her sword... it's identical."
Mitha, who had been contentedly munching on chips, suddenly turned a deep shade of crimson. "SHINTA! Stop talking about that 'Ancient Lizard' or I'll—"
Ctek! Mitha pinched and twisted Shinta's ear in a fit of pique.
"Ouch. My apologies," Shinta said flatly, her face showing no hint of pain despite her ear being yanked.
The Greenhouse: The Price of Ego
SLASH! SLASH!
Davina's twin lightning strikes successfully severed the Mandrake's primary vines. The monster emitted a static-filled groan, its botanical body shuddering violently. Davina landed gracefully, twirling her sword to sheathe it with a touch of arrogant flair.
"Done," she muttered.
But behind her, the severed green vines suddenly fused back together with terrifying regenerative speed. Sluuurp Kreeek! The monster grew even larger, and a massive thorny lash whipped toward Davina's exposed back.
"DAVINA, WATCH OUT!" Bayu screamed.
Davina froze; she was too late to react. Just as the thorns were inches from her head...
[Protective Magic: Hexa Shield]
TUNGG—BOOOOM!
A hexagonal, transparent blue shield materialized behind Davina, causing the monster's attack to recoil so hard it stumbled. Beni stood there, his palms glowing with protective light.
"Hey, Miss Genius!" Beni snorted, adjusting his bracers. "You think this is a solo K-Pop stage? You almost became a plant skewer because you wanted to play the hero alone. Coordination, Davina! Coordination!"
Davina stood silent, her breath ragged. She bowed her head slightly, acknowledging the weight of her error. "Sorry, Beni. I... I just wanted to get it over with. I'll follow your lead."
Beni smirked. "That's more like it! My brain is too expensive to just be a spectator. Everyone, position Delta-3! Bayu, strike the roots with your earth element, pin it down! Support units, snipe those toxic spores from a distance!"
The Climax: Synchronized Destruction
The background music shifted to a high-tempo beat with heavy bass.
Beni's strategy worked flawlessly. Bayu Rengga stomped the ground, summoning earthen roots to lock the monster's feet. Davina no longer moved in isolation; she waited for Beni's signal.
"Davina, now! Cut the lower right side!" Beni shouted while casting a speed buff on Davina's feet.
Davina blurred forward, her movements perfectly synchronized with the long-range covering fire from her teammates. She slashed, dodged, and retreated into Beni's protective zone every time the monster counterattacked. The relentless barrage left the Thorned Mandrake overwhelmed.
"Final Blow! Bayu, launch it! Davina, take the core!" Beni commanded.
Bayu created an earthen pillar that catapulted the monster into the air. Davina leaped high, her sword ablaze with lightning far greater than before.
"[Sword Magic: Lightning Bolt, BURST!!!]"
KRA-TA-BOOM!
Davina cleaved the monster's green crystal core mid-air. The plant debris incinerated into silver ash as it drifted to the greenhouse floor.
TIIIIIIT—TIIIIIIT! (The digital clock flashed 19:50).
Davina landed, this time without rushing to sheathe her blade. She caught her breath and turned to Beni with a thin, genuine smile. "Good work, Beni. Your strategy... actually worked."
Beni put his hands on his hips, trying to look cool despite his chest swelling with pride. "Of course! You've got the brawn, I've got the brain. Now that is an OSIS Team!"
The Aftermath: Residue and Revelations
In the monitor room, Mitha Nur Aini exhaled in relief, popping the last chip into her mouth. "Phew, thank goodness for that glasses kid, Beni. Otherwise, Davina would've been fertilizer. Shinta, record their scores. MVP: Beni for strategy, Davina for execution. But add a note: Davina needs an ego-taming course."
Shinta typed away on her tablet. "Noted, Beautiful Leader. But logically... this team is the most promising so far."
Davina and her team walked out of Greenhouse No. 1, greeted by a mist of cooling water, while in the distance, Mitha and Shinta waited with unreadable expressions.
In the glass corridor of the Rangda Division, Davina walked with her head slightly bowed. The echo of Beni's reprimand replayed in her mind, making her feel like an amateur despite her talent.
Klak! Klak! Klak!
Firm yet rhythmic footsteps approached. Davina looked up to find Mitha and Shinta standing before her. Mitha crossed her arms, her perfect posture and "body goals" physique making her the envy of the academy, as she flashed a lethal, wide grin.
"Wooohooo! Congrats to the Elite Team!" Mitha cheered. "You're the only group that hit a perfect score before the bell. The others? They're currently busy picking moss out of their hair."
Shinta Sefira stepped forward, her face as blank as a powered-down monitor. "Davina Seika," Shinta's voice was low but piercing. "Your sword technique is a 9.5 mechanically. But your team coordination earlier was nearly a 2. Remember, in OSIS Sakti, a hero who dies alone doesn't make it into the victory stats."
Davina nodded stiffly. "I understand, Vice-Chairwoman Shinta. I apologize for my recklessness."
Mitha snorted, twirling an Atma key on her finger. "Listen to Shinta, Davina. Don't let your emotions and adrenaline turn you into something 'prehistoric.' I hate seeing people with all muscle and no brain. Just like him... that ancient creature."
Davina frowned in confusion. "Who... who are you talking about, Leader?"
Shinta glanced at Mitha, then looked at Davina as if reading a weather report. "Chairwoman Mitha is referring to Vasky Anguis Pratama. Technically, he is the largest emotional residue in Mitha's life curriculum since freshman year. He is her ex-boyfriend."
Deg! (Davina's heart skipped a beat).
Davina's eyes went wide. She stared at Mitha—the senior who looked like a military magazine model, with an ideal body, sharp brain, and a prestigious Silver Rank 7... was the ex-girlfriend of Vasky?
"Vasky?" Davina screamed in her mind. "Wait... Kak Vasky... and Leader Mitha?" she asked aloud, her voice rising in disbelief.
Mitha immediately turned away, her face flushing as she pretended to inspect her nails. "Ih, Shinta! Your mouth seriously needs an encryption protocol! Anyway, just don't be like him, Davina! He's... ugh, never mind! Come on, Shinta, we have to report to Ryansyah!"
Mitha stomped away in adorable frustration, leaving a trail of floral perfume. Shinta gave a small nod to Davina before following Mitha with her robotic gait.
Davina stood frozen in the middle of the hall. The image of Vasky grinning cheekily while holding an Atma coin at the canteen earlier suddenly overlapped with Mitha's elegance.
"This world... really doesn't make any sense," Davina muttered, her expression one of utter shock.