The landscape appeared covered with a white mantle, walking on the snow, while an extreme cold hit every part of my body. The number of pine trees increased, "this was the tundra."
A remote place, which at first seemed like a beautiful and peaceful spot, could at any moment become dangerous.
"I don't have anything to keep me warm."
I was shivering from the intense cold. As far as I knew, no student was sent with any object to withstand the cold.
(Daren) Noah, take those fallen big sticks over there.
Daren pointed me to a small cave towards the mountain.
(Daren) Elia, use your skills to light the sticks that Noah is carrying.
Gathered in the small cave, sitting around the campfire, among the others, I was the one most affected by the cold. Daren just looked at me.
(Daren) Let's talk about how to defeat other teams.
(Liria) What if we rob them while they don't notice?
(Daren) It's a good idea.
Among the four of us, only Daren and Litian were talking, Elia remained silent, and I didn't know what to say.
"I don't know a strategy that makes it easier for us to win."
(Daren) Any way, Noah?
...I can't think of any.
Daren just looked at me worriedly, Liria didn't even notice me.
"What a more embarrassing moment"
(Daren) Alright, we'll go with Liria's plan.
Daren and Liria were the only ones who talked about the plan and agreed on a strategy to surprise the other teams and gain an advantage at the beginning of the fight.
Basically, Elia, since her weapon is the bow, will focus on hiding to gain an advantage from a distance, on top of the trees or somewhere to avoid being noticed. Liria will support Daren with support and healing magic, Daren will be the one to go up front to attack, and well, I will stay next to Liria to protect her.
"I feel like he/she is trying to exclude me in some way."
(Daren) Now the problem is the resources to make us a coat.
Unlike the other students, we cannot obtain resources naturally like hunting; instead, we can only get them from the defeated students.
And you can't fool the teachers, the book that is following us will note every single movement we make.
It's like a surveillance camera but in a book that provides detailed information; also, through this book, we are monitored in real-time by the teachers.
"I will suffer a little"
(Liria) I can use cold resistance magic.
(Daren) No, save mana, it will be what we need the most.
Liria nodded, it seemed that naturally Daren was the leader of the team.
(Daren) Alright, we'll all move together, let's find some gear and take down whoever we can.
__
Somewhere else on the snowy mountain was a team of four students, three men and one woman, two swordsmen, a mage, and an alchemist.
It would be impossible to differentiate who had such a role, if it weren't for the weapons they carried since they all wore the academy uniform.
_It's very cold.
_Don't complain, it's not that bad.
Two of the students were arguing, one of the swordsmen Rion and the mage Gen, although the way they spoke to each other might seem strange, they are good friends.
_Don't mess around, let's find an animal we can defeat.
The leader of the group was the other swordsman, Lior always stood next to his friend Alex, who played the role of the alchemist in the team.
_Don't get angry, if
_I didn't want to do it, but I'm worried about our team.
_Hehe.
The good synchronization of these two annoyed the pair of friends.
_ugh I don't like you two.
_Exactly, tone down the affection.
The two single friends were annoyed by the romance, perhaps because they weren't the protagonists of something like that.
_!!!...Wolves!_ Lior's shout alerted them to the pack of wolves running in their direction.
_Get ready!_ exclaimed Rion.
The two swordsmen positioned themselves to the side, while the alchemist and the mage took their places further back.
The wolves, resembling those from another world, were white, had ice crystals on their tails, elbows, and claws, were twice the size of a normal wolf with a sharp gaze.
_Rion, don't separate!_ shouted Lior as the wolves drew closer and closer.
The roar of these echoed throughout the place, the snow trapped between the branches of the trees fell, creating a mist that cut visibility.
At that moment, one of the wolves jumped towards the swordsman Rion, who barely reacted in time and defended himself with his sword against the wolf's enormous claws.
¡CLANK!
_ugh, Lior now!_ the scream alerted Lior.
_I know!_ Lior jumped on the wolf that was being held by Rion.
A clean cut was enough to slit the wolf's throat and stain the white snow with blood.
Good!
From the snowbank, another wolf jumped at the mage Gen, but his barrier couldn't withstand its sharp teeth.
¡CRASH!
_aaah help!_Gen fell into the snow, still being bitten by the wolf.
_Gen!_ The desperation of Rion made him run at full speed towards the wizard Gen.
_Take that!_ The alchemist Alex melted the wolf's skin down to the bones with a corrosion potion.
_Thank you, Alex!_ grabbing his friend.
_Damn it, Rion!_ Lior was being attacked by two other wolves.
But without the wizard's reinforcement, he wasn't powerful enough to defeat a single wolf. Being knocked down by the wolves and continuing to try to devour him.
The alchemist Alex threw a potion where Lior was, and it imploded the area. But it didn't affect Lior.
_H-How_lior was touching around her body in desperation.
He looked back and saw that the wizard Gen, despite being fiercely attacked by the wolf, still managed to cast a protection spell.
_Thanks, Gen He approached the others, they didn't look at Rion with a bad face.
_Sorry, I panicked when Gen was attacked.
The leader, despite his strong temperament, also knew what it felt like to care for others.
_I'll let it slide this time and…_ Lior looked at Alex worriedly _ A-Alex, d-doesn't it worry you to throw such a dangerous potion at me?
_huh? I knew Gen could cast the spell at that moment.
Alex's sincerity affected Lior a lot, who didn't believe that Alex was capable of not doubting.
_Okay, let's gather the materials from the four wolves and make some coats with them._ Lior wanted to ignore that fact and came up with the idea.
(All) Yes!...
Ten minutes passed, and the four of them already had wolf coats that they were able to make thanks to their skills, which helped them speed up the crafting process.
_ha, it feels much better!_ Rion's cheerful face also cheered up Gen.
Haha, you seemed like you normally resist the cold.
The mocking face of the wizard Gen seemed an insult to Rion, who deep down was the one who suffered the most from the cold.
_What, who do you think I am!
Both friends always argued over the smallest things, but on the other side, Lior and Alex just laughed silently at the pair of friends. This team was the clear example of a couple that wasn't quite a couple.
_Alright, let's continue, we have what we need for a long exploration_Lior, as always, being the driving force of the team.
Pointing towards the great mountain, this group of students dared to surpass it, in search of being the first.
His journey unfolded, filled with intense battles.
_Wind Falcon!_ Lior shouted loudly, noticing a presence moving in the sky with great speed.
"Gen, activate your shields!" Rion was desperate due to the excessive speed.
Gen raised his staff, several circles with hieroglyphs appearing, approximately four.
_Armored pentagram!_ The newly emerged ability caused shields in the shape of pentagrams to appear in front of each team member.
A piercing scream cut through the sky, tearing at everyone's ears, _!agh!_ at great speed, a speed of 390 kilometers per hour.
Dodge!
¡¡GRAAANG!!
A dry and brutal sound spread, around was the team of students.
In the middle, a crack with a circular shape appeared, and there was the falcon, exuding a windy presence, the falling snow was expelled by this wind, its eyes aflame with a sky-blue color.
Kreeee!
A fierce scream, as if they were scratching metal with their nails, disappearing for an instant.
_Cover yourselves, it will surely return!
Everyone was on alert, the situation was desperate, the silence made it simply terrifying.
_because nothing is happening_ Rion was worried.
_sh! Shut your damn mouth_ the wizard Gen was upset.
_What, how dare you_
¡Screeee!
A sound that quickly rose in pitch appeared
_I don't see it_ Lior looked worried
_me too-
Rion was caught off guard by a colossal attack.
¡THWACK!
The shield shattered in an instant, striking his right arm and being knocked aside.
_¡¡agh!!
Although it didn't escalate, Rion's arm remained stuck to him, but without the ability to move it.
_¡Gen, attend to Rion, Alex, use a healing potion on him!_ Lior took charge of the situation.
_¡Good!_ Gen and Alex moved quickly.
_"This situation is concerning"_ Lior knew about the danger and the risk of failure of this event, but a defeat he does not know.
¡Screeee!
The same piercing sound appeared, frightening the entire group.
_There!_ Alex pointed to a group of trees.
Among those trees, the bluish silhouette appeared at high speed, dodging each tree, the sound grew louder as it approached.
"Gen, give me support magic!" Lior shouted to Gen while he was with Rion.
_s-si_ Gen pointed his staff at Lior while reciting an accumulated chant.
[Protection][stamina][strength][speed]
An astonishing support magic, worthy of a student from the Eldoria academy. Although due to the excessive amount of magic this spell consumed, Gen could only withstand it for about 30 seconds, 30 seconds necessary to finish off this hawk.
The falcon was approaching rapidly, none could keep up with it except for Lior, who with the support magic [speed] had not only his body but also his instincts functioning at 200%.
_¡¡aahhh!!_ Lior screamed as the wind falcon got closer and closer until they were face to face.
With the speed of a bullet, and Lior with his enhanced abilities, in a surprising breakthrough of both, pushing the enormous amounts of snow...
The body of the falcon fell far away, where its fall accumulated large amounts of snow.
_We did it!_ Lior raised his sword with pride and happiness.
_Yes!_ Just like the others, they were also happy for his victory, even Rion who was recovering his strength on the cold ground.
They reorganized, collected the materials from the falcon, such as its feathers and enormous talons.
_I feel that the reward is somewhat low for the damage it caused us. Alex didn't think the exchange they got for the high suffering was fair.
_the claws will be very useful_ Lior, as always, trying to cheer up Alex.
_Yes, the claws of a wind hawk are mine, you can make a knife with them," the wizard Gen, with his extensive knowledge of materials, helped him determine the value of each object.
_What a great reward then!_ Rion was already completely healed from his wounds.
This group knew how to handle every situation they encountered well, fighting with animals, their battle with the wind falcon, will serve them as experience.
Walking all together, telling jokes, some stories and beliefs, they were starting to get along better.
As they walked, in a swift movement, a silhouette larger than the hawk appeared.
_!Back!_ Lior recoiled from the possible impact that could have ended his participation in the event.
Well, well, you dodged very well.
_What!_ In front of Lior, another student attacked him… it was Daren.
A piercing, ominous gaze, already behind three other silhouettes. I knew they were...
Hunters.
Points to consider.
Statistics of the protagonists.
Attack: 80
Mana: 25
Stamina: 120
Skills: [fencing (basic)] [analytical knowledge (medium)] [pulse level 1]