A Meaningless Ending.

| In the Stalefort Academy—

While the heavy rain continued to pour outside, the teachers closely observed Shiro’s battle with the noble. Then, something happened—something so rare it left the entire room in disbelief.

Just as Shiro began explaining how he had tracked the noble’s movements by analyzing footprints in the mud, a sudden, loud laugh erupted from the elderly man sitting at the front of the room. His laughter echoed through the heads of every instructor present. Despite working at the academy for many years, none of them had ever seen that old man laugh—or show any emotion at all.

It was like watching a lion meow like a kitten.

Startled, Gild turned to his colleague Shin—the man with a doll-like face that rarely changed expression. Unsurprisingly, Shin showed no reaction at all.

“…Seriously? Isn’t this your first time seeing the Director laugh? Come on, I know your face is stuck in eternal ‘deadpan mode’... but man, Shin, you’re suffering in silence, aren’t you?”

Gild chuckled as he said this, though Shin seemed to be caught off guard by something else entirely.

“…Yes, it is the first time. But I’m surprised by something else.”

“Something else? You mean that kid’s analysis?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh. I gotta admit, staying calm and thinking like that mid-battle… that’s pretty impressive.”

“When you’re fighting, especially against someone more skilled or powerful than you, your mind tends to freeze up. It’s like carrying a weight no one wants. You can’t think straight. But that boy.. He figured out how to neutralize his opponent quickly—despite having no real combat experience.”

At that, Gild raised a brow.

“Huh? And how do you know he has no prior combat experience?”

It was a fair question. Shin was the kind of guy who never said or did anything without a reason. But this time, his response was delayed—he hesitated for just a moment.

“…He’s the son of someone I know.”

“Ooh? Now it’s getting interesting. And this ‘someone’ is…?”

“Must you be so insistent?”

“Well, you’re clearly hiding something.”

Gild leaned in, round-faced and curious. Shin furrowed his brow before replying curtly.

“I’m not hiding anything. Focus on what’s happening out there, not here.”

“Alright, alright… sheesh. So stubborn.”

Shin’s answer may have ended the conversation—but it didn’t kill Gild’s curiosity.

---

| Back in the rain-soaked forest—

Shiro was still running from the Gyork. But this time, it wasn’t out of fear—he had a plan.

After sprinting just long enough to clear his head, he’d come up with something risky. Wildly risky. But if it worked—it could turn the tables entirely.

“That’s right! Come on, you overgrown thunder-chicken! I’ve got a buffet waiting for you!”

Grinning, Shiro charged straight toward the supply zone—where all the other examinees were gathered. Including Alice.

Just as he imagined what kind of face Alice would make upon seeing the beast chasing him down—he spotted her. She was in the middle of a fight. But as Shiro closed the distance enough for her to see him—and the hulking creature on his tail—Alice’s expression shifted. Exactly as he’d hoped.

“Want something to satisfy your battle cravings, you damn psycho? Here’s a gift!!”

“Wha—”

Alice clearly heard his shout.

Unconsciously, Shiro had bloomed a vivid flower of hatred toward Alice. The way he called her a "damn psycho" wasn’t just for show—deep down, maybe, just maybe, this entire plan was driven by a desire for revenge.

He wanted to see her overwhelmed. Just like she had overwhelmed him.

And the Gyurk? It was the perfect instrument for that revenge. The creature was drawn to magic like a moth to flame—completely ignoring whether its target was stronger or weaker, unless in extreme cases.

The moment it got close enough, it immediately locked onto Alice’s overwhelming magic aura—ditching Shiro and charging at her instead.

Meanwhile, Shiro veered off course, sprinting back toward the cave without so much as a backward glance—his face lighting up with a smirk of triumph.

Alice stood tall, despite her injured right arm from her earlier battle with Leo. She gripped her sword tightly in her left hand, eyes fixed on her nine-meter-tall opponent. Blue aura rising around her, she took a deep breath and readied herself.

All the while, one thought lingered in her mind:

“What the hell is wrong with that kid? What did he mean by ‘satisfy my craving’?”

Her brow twitched in irritation. She was already planning how she’d turn Shiro into minced meat once this was over.

But what truly made the Gyurk terrifying wasn’t its size or its thunderbolts. No—what made it deadly was that it thought like a human.

And everyone was about to learn that the hard way.

As Alice prepared to attack, the Gyurk abruptly halted.

“…Huh?”

She’d expected a lightning strike, or for it to lunge—but it did neither.

And just as her thoughts ran wild trying to guess its next move, the creature tensed its vocal cords and unleashed a deafening roar.

It wasn’t just loud—it was painful.

Alice wasn’t the only one within its range. Over 200 examinees were scattered throughout the area—some fighting, some hiding, all after those precious supply packs. The Gyurk’s scream reached them all.

For several seconds, the horrific sound continued. No one understood why. And then—it stopped.

Relief washed over them.

But that was only the beginning.

The Gyurk didn’t move. It stood tall under the rain, yellow eyes locked onto Alice, unblinking.

“…Why isn’t it—?”

Alice’s instincts screamed at her.

Something bad—very bad—was coming.

And then they all felt it.

A powerful tremor rippled through the earth. Followed by the sounds—thuds, fast, heavy thuds—coming their way.

“O-Oi, what the hell is—?”

“Monsters! It summoned more monsters!”

“That damn beast—It called the forest to attack us! We’re dead! We’re all gonna die!!”

Everyone froze. Every duel stopped. Every hidden examinee bolted from their spots.

Panic spread like wildfire.

Some reached into their bags, pulling out the crystals Shin had given them—considering activating them to quit the exam and avoid certain death.

Dealing with the Gyurk alone was a nightmare—even with Alice there, even with everyone working together. Now they had more monsters incoming?

Just as many were about to give up—

Alice stepped up.

She climbed onto a raised rock, sword in hand, voice booming with pride:

“What are you doing?! Giving up after coming this far?! Are you going to shame your families?! Since when do humans fear mindless beasts?! If you can’t beat it with strength—use your brains! That’s what separates us from them! We fight! We think! So think of a way! Fight for what you want! Fight together!”

Her voice echoed through the rain—tinted with fear, yes, but firm nonetheless.

She wasn’t rallying them out of hope.

She had no choice.

If they all withdrew, she’d have no one left to fight beside. And if she fought alone, drained all her strength, and still survived—there was no guarantee the exam would end. They might just declare her the sole survivor and fail everyone else by default.

She needed them. Even if she didn’t want to.

So she poured her anger into them, lit a fire in their hearts, and prayed—

—prayed that someone, anyone, would be brave—or foolish—enough to stand up and fight.

Just when Alice resolved to push them harder, someone finally spoke up.

“You want us… to work together… with them? That’s absurd!”

Pointing toward one of the commoners not too far away, a noble made his stance painfully clear. There was no way he was going to fight in the same line as a bunch of peasants.

Even under such extreme circumstances, those kinds of words were all too expected from nobles. Most of the people gathered here were commoners anyway—why would they ever cooperate with one of them?

Fearful or not, they still saw themselves as above everyone else, even now.

Alice was stunned. She genuinely didn’t know what to say.

“You’re really thinking like that right now...? No wonder everyone hates you... Arrogant idiots.”

With those words, Alice hit her limit when it came to dealing with nobles. It was going to take time to convince them to throw away their pride and fight for their own survival—and time was something she didn’t even have for herself, much less for their nonsense.

So in the end, Alice made up her mind: she’d fight alone. Either until her body gave out and she passed out, or until she won. It didn’t matter if no one helped. It didn’t matter if they all ran away. She would fight without ever thinking of retreat.

That was the kind of pride and honor carried by the one known as Alice Takemikazuchi.

Of course, somewhere in the back of her mind, she figured the academy instructors would probably step in if things got truly fatal. But when, exactly? When everyone had already run off and she was surrounded by monsters? When she collapsed from exhaustion and woke up with injuries that’d make the third test impossible?

Right. There was still a third test. Alice had just remembered that.

Even if she somehow made it through this one in one piece… would that guy, Shin, even allow her a break to recover?

Within just a few seconds, her mind ran through all the problems she was facing now, and all the ones that would come after—even if someone survived this round. No matter how tough you were, no one was getting out of this forest without taking a hit. Even she, someone arguably the strongest here, had only managed to grab two out of the six supply drops. She was either too late or blocked by someone—or something—each time. Even when trying to ration food, all she had was a single water bottle and one meal that wouldn’t even last two days.

Alice and most of the students had been constantly on the move, draining their stamina fast. Meanwhile, Shiro had kept a low profile with Leo and conserved energy—but in the end, he still met the same fate as the rest.

And now, thinking through all that, her decision was clear: she wasn’t going to give up after coming this far. Two days left. She’d fight. If she could, maybe she’d retreat later—but now, she’d stand her ground.

And just when Alice gave up on uniting everyone and made peace with fighting solo…

That voice rang out.

Clear. Distinct. Like a ringing bell. A voice that felt, to Alice, like salvation itself.

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“I agree with you. I think we should all work together to get out of this mess.”

Following the sound, Alice turned toward the girl stepping out from the crowd.

The first thing she noticed was that long, drenched crimson hair. Eyes red as glowing rubies. Impossibly flawless pale skin. She stood out like sunlight piercing through storm clouds—brilliant, commanding, regal. Even without standing next to her, just looking at her, you could feel that overpowering aura. It would squeeze words of admiration from your lips without your consent, and still not come close to describing her properly.

Wearing a crimson and gold-embroidered noble’s outfit that only made her shine even more, the girl was just as beautiful as Alice. If not more. Her graceful figure alone could tempt the most disciplined of men. And despite the rain, despite the thick earthy scent of mud and grass, her perfume still lingered in the air—sweet, sharp, and dangerously enticing.

This girl’s presence was undeniable.

Behind her stood four others, each radiating a similarly royal aura.

But to Alice, she wasn’t some stranger. As soon as their eyes met, Alice smiled like she’d just run into an old friend.

“So you’re here after all. Didn’t think the princess herself would get her boots dirty to show up in person.”

For the first time, Alice spoke with a sarcastic tone, her lips curling into a faint smirk as everyone watched in silence.

It was different. Playful, even. Normally that kind of comment might offend someone—but this girl didn’t seem to mind. Instead, she smiled. Softly. A smile that could melt the heart of any man alive.

“Fufu~ don’t say it like that. Just like everyone else, I came here to grab some supplies and survive another day.”

“I see. But… you could’ve just sent them instead, couldn’t you? No need to risk getting that fancy outfit dirty.”

“Ara~ but I felt like taking a little stroll through the forest. Staying in one place all the time gets boring, don’t you think?”

“…A stroll. Here. Of all places… haaah. Yep, sounds like you alright. You haven’t changed at all.”

Alice could only sigh at the girl’s strange answer—only to be met by another one of her enchanting laughs.

To the people silently watching this exchange… well, this was a rare sight: two of the most breathtaking girls anyone had ever seen, standing together in one place. Maybe you could keep your cool if you only saw one of them. But both? Talking casually like that?

Yeah. One guy actually muttered, “I can die happy now,” as he stared at Alice and the crimson-haired girl.

But alright, let’s talk about the important thing here—the one thing that had all the guys completely forgetting about the Gyorc and the incoming monsters.

The ultimate question. The debate that sparked in everyone’s heads before anyone even voiced it out loud…

“Which one’s more beautiful? Who’s the better one?!”

Yes! The most crucial question of them all! Women probably wouldn’t get why this mattered right now, but any self-respecting man would understand.

Alice was dazzling. Strong. That golden hair of hers hadn’t lost its luster even under the downpour. Her blue eyes practically screamed elegance, a perfect match for her fair skin. Alice was the living embodiment of “the perfect woman”—the one every girl wanted to be.

And then there was the red-haired girl. Her complexion was even more flawless than Alice’s. Those half-lidded, ruby-red eyes gave off a calm vibe that made your heart instantly feel at ease. Her voice could wrap around your soul and make you hers without you even noticing. She was the embodiment of desire—a woman who could bend any man to her will.

Yeah, the men were divided within seconds. And if not for the monsters closing in—and that tiny sliver of common sense still clinging to their brains—there might’ve been a full-on war just to settle who was prettier.

“Well, I’ll admit it… your presence is oddly comforting,” Alice said, glancing sideways at the girl.

“Heeh~ did I hear that right? Since when are you honest about your feelings? That’s kinda cute, actually.”

No one dared to interrupt. No one could. Standing between those two was like standing between two gods—you just didn’t.

Meanwhile, back at the statue, the Gyorc remained still. Footsteps echoed closer and closer. But that didn’t stop the red-haired girl from continuing, completely unfazed.

“Alright, enough joking around. I’d like us to work together and take down that frozen Gyorc before it starts moving. So, please… can I ask all of you to cooperate with me? Just for a little while, to get through this safely?”

Her eyes scanned the crowd as she smiled gently. For some reason, she made sure to lock eyes with the very people who had shot down Alice earlier. And somehow, none of them looked as opposed anymore.

There was also that little thing she said—

“Do it for me.”

Unlike Alice’s fiery speech, this girl had delivered her words as a personal request. Something you’d usually refuse, but not this time. Not here.

Her choice of words? Pierced straight into the heart.

Unlike Alice, she didn’t command the crowd. She moved them—with that calm, serene tone of hers.

Especially the guys.

“U-uh… I don’t mind. We can do it.”

“Y-yeah! If we work together, we can make it!”

The positive responses started with the boys—and quickly spread from there.

Truth be told, her words weren’t all that different from Alice’s. The only real difference was who said them. First it was Alice.

But this time?

This time it was Princess Lunamaria Bildora of the Kingdom of Linderia. Equal in power to Alice, maybe even superior.

Her status alone placed her above them all—and that beauty was simply beyond argument. She was a princess—not ordering them, but asking them. Her way with words? Nothing short of perfection.

And just like that, teamwork began to form under the princess’s lead.

Alice, meanwhile, just chuckled and sighed at how easy it had been for her.

Aside from being the perfect chance to show off in front of the gorgeous princess.

---

In the royal chamber of Stalefort Academy—

King Beldora and King Diermed were still watching the test unfold with keen interest.

But the moment Luna appeared on the screen, Dermid felt a strange aura flare up beside him. It wasn't killing intent, nor did it feel malicious. Honestly, he couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Out of instinct, he turned to his left—and saw Beldora now standing, fists clenched and screaming at the top of his lungs.

"THAT'S MY LITTLE GIRL!!!"

He was jumping, yelling, and moving in ways no self-respecting king should ever move. It was a royal meltdown, in every sense of the word.

While the guards struggled to figure out an appropriate reaction to the bizarre scene, Dermid let out a long, tired sigh.

"You seem proud of your daughter... Beldora."

"Of course I am! I came all the way here just to see her! Go, Luna, my darling! Show them your true power! Make your father proud!!"

"..."

Unable to find a proper response to such emotional chaos, Dermid chose silence. He simply observed the lunatic next to him dancing with glee over his daughter’s appearance. And though Dermid was known for his stone-cold demeanor, even he couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly at the sight of Beldora acting like... well, anything but a king.

---

Back in the supervisor’s hall—

The tranquility that had ruled the room earlier was nowhere to be found. The sudden appearance of the Gyork, the summoning of beasts, and the students’ reckless decision to face them had thrown everything into chaos. The supervisors were no longer just watching a test—they were watching a crisis unfold.

Especially since these students weren’t ordinary kids.

A few of the younger teachers stood up, voices raised in panic.

"They’ll get themselves killed at this rate! We need to use the teleport crystals—NOW!"

"Someone go out there and put up a barrier before that pack wipes them out!"

Voices echoed throughout the chamber. But amidst the rising panic, an old man sat silently, eyes locked on the screen. He hadn’t said a word, nor had his expression changed.

Gild and a few others turned toward supervisor Shin, as if silently asking for him to speak.

Shin sighed, seeming to understand their unspoken request. He stood up from his chair and walked to the front, stopping before the aged man with the long white beard.

He bowed, deeply and respectfully, his silence asking a question.

The old man gave a slow, deliberate nod.

That was all Shin needed.

Without wasting a second, Shin lifted his head and addressed the room with a voice like thunder crashing through the sky.

"ENOUGH WITH THE NOISE! SHOUTING WON’T DO ANYTHING!"

The room fell dead silent.

He looked around, voice calm but commanding.

"Have you all forgotten the purpose of this academy? We don’t just teach them magic—we shape them. We teach them how to live... and how to survive. Our world is full of unknown monsters. No one knows when war will break out again. That’s why they need to learn how to fight through situations like this. You all know that. I understand you want to protect them. I’m worried too. But I trust them—I trust they’ll work together and figure it out. That’s how humanity has always survived… and that’s how they’ll survive now."

"So please… stay calm. Until there's something that truly calls for action—just watch."

With that, Shin returned to his seat. The room remained silent.

Gild watched him sit, a proud smile on his face—as if to say, That’s my boy.

With calm restored, the staff turned their eyes back to the screens and resumed observing the events in the forest.

---

Back in the forest—

Far away from the chaos, Shiro was quietly heading back toward the cave, completely unaware of the disaster he had unintentionally sparked.

But as if fate had decided to punish him, he didn’t get far. He never even made it back to the cave.

Instead, he was currently being devoured by a massive, jelly-like creature—a slime. One of the weakest monsters known to man... and yet it was somehow choking the life out of him.

Moments ago, when Shiro redirected the Gyork and tried to escape, he’d heard a roar that shook the forest. That’s when the monstrous horde had emerged, charging wildly through the trees.

In a panic, Shiro had pulled out his grappling hook, looking for a branch to latch onto and swing away. But before he could do anything... the slime struck.

Caught off-guard, he barely managed to toss his bags aside before being swallowed whole.

And now… he was drowning inside the thing. His body was being crushed by the goo, and he couldn’t breathe. His lungs screamed for oxygen, his limbs went numb, and coldness began to creep through his body.

"...Am I really… gonna die here? Just like that? My crystal… it’s… in the bag… I can’t—"

The slime’s fluids were forcing their way into his lungs.

He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t even scream.

Is this… death?

Images flashed through his mind—his father, his sister…

He could feel it, the end drawing near.

"...Hah… What a boring life..."

And in the exact moment Shiro gave up and let go—

A voice rang through his head.

—Live for your future!

"You again…?"

---

Inside the cave where Leo was resting—

Leo finally opened his eyes after three long days of sleep. But his entire body ached, his head throbbed with a splitting headache, and his memories were all jumbled. The last thing he remembered was fighting Alice… and using Nirv energy.

He groaned as he sat up, scratching his head aggressively.

"Used Nirv and still lost, huh...? Damn it, my head…"

Still rubbing his head, he glanced around the cave.

No sign of Shiro.

Looking behind him, then ahead, he realized he was alone. Just as he opened his mouth to call out, a massive boom rocked the cave.

And not just the cave—Stalefort Academy itself trembled under the shockwave, as if a massive earthquake had struck the area.

"The hell was that?! The whole cave's gonna collapse!"

Leo turned toward the cave’s entrance and saw it—a blinding light, shooting into the sky. If you followed the light’s path, you’d see a dark, ominous mass launching upward like a missile, piercing through the clouds above.

It was visible even from the academy—a huge, black cloud splitting the heavens.

Seeing it triggered something deep inside Leo.

Something that told him he had to go. Now.

He didn’t know why, but every fiber of his being screamed at him to move.

Ignoring his pain, Leo grabbed his bag, laced up his boots, and rushed outside.

And what he saw left him speechless.

A massive section of the forest… was just gone. Like it had never existed.

"I’ve gotta hurry!"

With urgency pounding in his chest, Leo sprinted toward the explosion’s origin, guided by a force he couldn’t explain.

---

Inside the Academy Building.

Everyone felt it—that terrifying tremor. But it wasn’t just the shake that sent chills down their spines. It was that ominous aura, surging out of the forest like a living storm and reaching them in mere moments, spreading dread through their hearts.

People stood frozen. Even that old man—ancient and withered as he was—was no longer sitting.

He silently watched the rising cloud from the window. He didn’t even need the screen in front of him.

Then, after a brief moment with his eyes closed, it was as if he'd made up his mind.

He turned toward the instructors and spoke:

“I am Hazel Drago, headmaster of Stalefort Academy.

I hereby order an immediate halt to the Forest Exam.

All instructors are to head there at once and retrieve all 363 examinees without losing a single one.”

The moment his words ended, no one hesitated—not even for a second.

In a flash, all the supervisors vanished, teleporting directly into the forest—to the exact area where the students were fighting off the Gyorks and monsters.

But upon arriving… they were greeted with a scene far from expected.

The Gyorks and their kin had already fled the area, having sensed the explosive surge of mana and seen that monstrous cloud.

As for the examinees?

They were scattered across the ground, shaken and stunned by what had just occurred. The blast hadn’t been far from them—some had even lost consciousness from the sheer pressure of it.

Luna, now surrounded by four guards like a Queen, stood silently.

Alice, on the other hand, had summoned a shield around her.

Then the others noticed it.

Supervisor Shin had arrived—with the other supervisors .

That alone was proof enough.

Something very abnormal had happened.

Shin stepped forward and spoke in a sharp voice:

“The exam’s over.

Everyone—use your crystals and return to the Academy, now!”

For a moment, silence reigned.

It took the students a few seconds to actually process the command.

But once they did, they scrambled to pull out their teleportation crystals and activated them without wasting another breath.

---

Meanwhile...

Leo had just arrived at the site of the explosion.

And the moment he laid eyes on the scene—

He froze.

Everything… was burned.

The trees, the wildlife—all reduced to ash. Every living creature caught in the blast's range had been annihilated.

And then there were the flames.

Not normal flames.

Twisted, black fire spread across the land—eerie and unnatural.

Just looking at it felt like it could set you on fire.

Covering his face with one arm, Leo carefully moved through the scorched battlefield, trying to locate the source of the catastrophe.

But then—he stopped.

His body locked up. His face contorted in pure shock.

"Is that...?!"

Right there, in the heart of those pitch-black flames, was someone who absolutely should not have been there.

Shiro.

Lying unconscious on the scorched earth, clothes in tatters.

Leo’s legs gave out. He couldn’t feel them anymore. His arms were trembling violently.

All he could do was reach down with his uninjured hand, grab the short dagger strapped to his waist…

And plunge it into his own left leg with a cry.

A scream tore out of him as he collapsed to the ground. But at least now—he could feel his legs again.

He pushed himself up and began crawling slowly toward Shiro.

He stumbled. Fell again. But didn’t stop. He kept dragging himself forward, inch by inch, until he finally reached him.

Shiro was lying on his back.

Leo rolled him over…

And saw it.

A strange black flame, still lingering—clinging to the area around Shiro’s chest, right where his heart should be.

Leo’s eyes widened in terror.

What is this?

What happened?

Why is he like this?

Why is there fire around his heart?!

And why the hell is it BLACK?!

So many questions raced through his mind, but Leo forced himself to push them aside.

For now, that didn’t matter.

The fire eventually faded, and Leo placed his hand gently over Shiro’s heart.

Nothing at first.

That silence—nearly make him sure about something terrible.

But then… he felt it.

Faint. Weak. But there.

A heartbeat.

A sliver of hope.

>“I don’t know what happened…

I don’t know how or why…

But Shiro…

This is the end of the exam for us.

I’m sorry.”

Leo quickly unstrapped his bag, yanked out his teleportation crystal, and spoke Shin’s name aloud.

The crystal flared with a brilliant white light, enveloping both him and Shiro, whisking them away toward the Academy.

---

When Leo opened his eyes, he was in a room—some kind of infirmary, maybe.

Dozens of students were scattered across it, many of them sitting, others lying down.

“...This many people withdrew…?”

At first, he assumed they were just the weak ones who couldn’t handle the exam.

But then—he spotted it.

A head with golden hair.

“Wait, no way...Is that... Alice?!”

The moment he confirmed it was her, one thing became very clear—

This wasn’t just a mass dropout.

Something far bigger was going on.