A few minutes before Leon found himself in the forest, the S Class students had been gathered in a large, dimly lit room, accompanied by the hooded guides. The air was tense, filled with anticipation and a hint of nervous energy.

The leader of the guides, Ryna, still hidden beneath her hood, stepped forward. Her voice, calm yet commanding, echoed through the chamber.

“Before you enter the arena, you must understand the rules of this test,” she began. “Pay close attention — violations will result in immediate disqualification.”

She paused briefly, then continued:

1.     “The competition will continue until only one participant remains.”

2.     “Your ranking will be determined by the order in which you are defeated or choose to bail out. The earlier you are eliminated, the lower your ranking will be.”

3.     “You may choose to team up with other participants, act solo, or even betray your allies. Anything is allowed — strategy and cunning are part of the test.”

4.     “Each participant may bring one artifact or magical device to aid themselves. Only one. Using more than one will result in automatic disqualification, and you will be forcibly removed from the virtual space.”

The students shifted uncomfortably, some glancing toward each other with suspicion already forming in their eyes. The rules made it clear — alliances were temporary, and trust was a liability.

Leon, however, remained silent. His eyes half-lidded, his mind already replaying the event from his past life. He had been here before, though the memories felt distant — faint traces of strategies, alliances, and betrayals that had shaped the outcome.

Ryna’s voice snapped him back to the present.
“Now, one by one, you will follow your guide into the device room. The Battle Royale begins once your consciousness enters the arena. Prepare yourselves.”

The memory faded.

—

When Leon opened his eyes again, the dense canopy of a vast forest surrounded him. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the leaves, illuminating the moss-covered ground. A light breeze brushed past his face, carrying the faint sounds of wildlife — birds, rustling leaves, and flowing water somewhere nearby.

He exhaled slowly. “So, it begins…” he murmured.

The virtual world was astonishingly realistic — exactly as he remembered. Every sensation, every sound, even the smell of damp soil was perfectly replicated by the device.

Leon’s expression hardened as his mind shifted into tactical mode. The others will start moving soon — searching, hunting. The reckless ones will clash first. The smart ones will observe.

He glanced around and quickly located a tall oak tree nearby. With a subtle motion, he began to climb, his movements quiet and efficient. In moments, he was perched high among the branches, hidden by the thick leaves.

From there, he had a wide view of the forest floor below.

Patience, he thought. The first few minutes always reveal the reckless. I’ll observe, analyze their abilities… and only then, move.

As the wind rustled through the canopy, Leon settled into position — silent, unseen, and waiting for the first spark of battle to begin.

Leon crouched on the thick branch, his eyes sweeping the forest below. The faint sounds of rustling leaves and distant magic bursts echoed faintly in the distance — signs that the others had already begun their skirmishes.

But Leon wasn’t in a rush. Information first, movement later.

He leapt silently from one tree to another, his steps light and precise. The forest stretched far beyond what the naked eye could see — a vast expanse filled with towering trees, winding rivers, and rocky cliffs. It was large enough to allow both ambushes and prolonged hunts.

If this world was created based on the device’s mana capacity… then it’s easily several kilometers wide, Leon estimated as he continued his agile traversal through the canopy. That means visibility is limited — ambushes will be frequent. I need to identify the others’ positions before making my move.

He closed his eyes briefly and extended his mana sense, but the thick magical interference of the virtual space blurred everything beyond a few hundred meters. Even with his refined control, the device simulated a realistic mana environment — unpredictable, unstable, and difficult to read.

So I’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way, he thought with a faint smirk.

He continued moving from branch to branch, scanning, listening, watching. Occasionally, faint flashes of magic flared in the distance — fire and lightning bursts, followed by echoing booms. Someone was already testing their power.

Then—

Rustle.

Leon froze mid-step, his instincts screaming.

A faint, chilling wind brushed past his cheek, followed by a gleam of silver beside him. His eyes widened — a blur of movement lunged from the left.

Too fast!

A massive silver wolf materialized beside him, its fur shimmering faintly with mana. Its claws gleamed like sharpened blades as it swung toward Leon with predatory precision.

He barely had time to react.

Leon twisted his body backward, the wolf’s claws slicing through the air where he had been standing just a heartbeat ago. The sharp gust from the swing brushed past his cheek, leaving a faint cut — a reminder of how close it had been.

He landed on a nearby branch, crouched low, eyes locked on the beast. The wolf growled, its golden eyes filled with intelligence. It wasn’t a normal summoned beast — it moved with purpose, trained to kill.

Leon narrowed his gaze. That must be Sylvain’s summon…

He exhaled, adjusting his stance and raising one hand slightly, ready to cast if necessary. “Tch… I didn’t even sense it until the last second. So that’s how realistic this space is.”

The wolf snarled, lowering its body, ready to pounce again.

But Leon didn’t stay.

With a swift motion, he kicked off the branch, jumping back several meters and landing silently on another tree farther away. His eyes didn’t leave the wolf as he created more distance.

No point in wasting mana this early, he thought calmly. I’ll disengage for now. It’s too early to reveal my cards.

Leon leapt from branch to branch, his pace quick but controlled. The silver wolf’s presence faded behind him, yet his instincts refused to settle. Something in the air prickled—an uneasy stirring of mana that didn’t belong to the forest.

He landed lightly on a branch and paused for a brief second to catch his bearings. That wolf was likely Sylvain’s summon, he thought. Which means he’s nearby. I’d better—

A sharp growl cut through the air.

Leon’s eyes narrowed. Another one?

Before he could turn, a large shadow swooped down from above—massive wings outstretched, claws glinting with mana-infused steel. A mythical beast, something between a griffon and a wyvern, lunged toward him from behind with terrifying speed.

But Leon didn’t flinch.

A faint smile crossed his lips. “Already predicted that.”

At that instant, a green magic circle flared to life behind his back, rotating swiftly like a gust caught in a vortex.

Whoosh!

A violent wind burst outward, exploding from the circle like a cannon. The blast struck the beast midair, throwing it back several meters. The creature let out a startled roar before crashing into a thick trunk, shaking the surrounding trees.

Leon flipped forward, landing gracefully on another branch. He straightened his stance, his cloak fluttering slightly from the residual wind pressure. “I may not have sensed the wolf, but I’m not letting that happen twice.”

Below, the silver wolf rushed to the fallen beast’s side, growling protectively. The mythical creature shook its head, recovering quickly, and let out a low snarl—but didn’t immediately attack again.

Then, from behind a nearby tree, footsteps approached.

A figure stepped out from the shadows — a boy with sandy-blond hair and calm emerald eyes. He was dressed in the same uniform as Leon but with a faint silver emblem stitched on his sleeve. His demeanor was composed, his aura tranquil yet commanding.

Sylvain Arcrest.

He crouched beside his two companions — the silver wolf and the winged beast — and gently ruffled their heads. The two mythical beasts quieted almost instantly, nuzzling against his hand with surprising affection.

“You two got a little carried away,” Sylvain said with a small, amused smile. His tone was calm, but there was a glint of challenge in his eyes as he turned his gaze toward Leon, who now stood ready on the higher branch.