"The trio is getting out of hand. Do something about it, Vasra, and be quick, or the fall of humanity won't need any monsters," the colossal, grotesque monster that appeared on the first day suggested.
"It's none of your business, Baalk. I have my own plans for them. Just make sure no student dies in this place," Vasra said with a commanding tone.
Baalk was originally an ancient tree that had existed before the mutation. Surprisingly, it had intelligence and was not violent like the rest. It was 12 years ago when Vasra was exploring an epic dungeon he stumbled upon a portal-type artifact leading to this place. Upon entering the portal, the system rewarded him with Baalk as the first man to discover this place. After exploring this realm for some time, they concluded that it was a treasure trove with plenty of resources, monsters, and dungeons, yet no monsters above the gold rank, making it an excellent training ground. Nobody knows where this place is or if it's an entirely different world; not even Baalk knows the answer.
Baalk made a low "hmph" of disapproval.
---
Another month passed, and the same old routine was followed. However, this time it was just Kaelen and Jered; Alex had long since advanced to the challengers. He had been busy hunting with peers for extra resources, as the ones provided by the academy were insufficient for a level 50-plus awakener. The monthly stipend was not even 1 percent of what they needed, so they had to go out exploring.
The trio had dissolved into just a duo, yet they were still doing great. After all the good deeds of scamming XP from their peers, Jered was level 19, just a few XP shy of hitting level 20. Even without fulfilling the requirements needed to enter the forest, they were still given passes, as the gatekeeper knew that the boys were not your average awakeners.
Just that day, the academy announced that they would be holding the yearly test for the novices the next day. Whoever passed would be rewarded with 10 levels, regardless of how much it takes. The task was to bring back a beast's head before dawn to be considered passed, and the exam was to be held in the forest on the eastern part of the village.
This was a rare occasion, as the academy never rewards them with levels. Many saw an opportunity in this and were preparing their gear for tomorrow. Yet Jered and Kaelen were completely relaxed, as the forest was their playground, and they had long since mapped the entire area. It was just the eastern part of the floating village, and they had dealt with beasts occasionally.
That very evening, after class, the duo went knocking door to door of their classmates, asking for a level's worth of XP on the condition that they would help them secure a beast. Many agreed; some were confident about it, and some were wary of the duo scamming.
"Thanks for the offer, but I don't need your help for this small task," Neal said with pride, very confident in himself. But deep inside, he was plotting for revenge. He was already level 10, and those 10 free levels from the exam would bring him to level 20. He had endured the bullying, and finally, a chance to shine had come.
Level 20 was a turning point where they could start choosing their class. In Eldraus, skills are not limited to class; anyone can learn any type of skill regardless of class. There is no downside; the only problem is that unrelated skills to one's own class will not be buffed. For example, Kaelen, being a divine cleric, receives a 500 percent buff for any cleric-related skills, such a broken class.
Many rejected the offer, but they had anticipated this. What the other kids didn't know was that the number of beasts available in the forest was limited, so it was sure that some of them would fail, either because they couldn't find one or all the animals had been taken.
Any students that had to be rescued by the teachers were considered failed as well.
After the survey, they went back to their own room.
"Galor, could you massage me? My shoulders are a bit stiff from all the training today," Kaelen said as soon as he entered, laying down on the bed.
"Of course, Master Kaelen," Galor replied with a smile, but deep down, he hated this young master of his.
Galor was actually the heir of a noble household, but after the fall of their family, he was reduced to serving in the army. Luckily, he had seen the post in the military, to train and become stronger in an extraordinary academy. He thought this was his chance and had eagerly signed the contract, only to find out that he had to look after kids in this new academy while training.
The servants were not picked at random; only those with a gold system or higher were picked, regardless of age.
He knew it was going to be a pain in the ass being a nanny, but this child was no child at all; he was a true bully, a menace to society.
---
As the night deepened, the building block D of the academy buzzed with anticipation for the upcoming test. Students sharpened their weapons, reviewed strategies, and whispered about the potential challenges ahead. Amidst this, Kaelen and Jered, ever the opportunists, finalized their plans, confident in their knowledge of the forest and their abilities.