The Trial

The crowd was called the 2nd Player Group, shown above their heads. The one leading them noticed the 1st Player Group's tension.

"Ah! We're not here to harm anybody. We saw light and tried getting close to it. Sorry if we gave you all any tension."

Some were cautious, thinking they might be skinwalkers or something worse, but they sighed in relief once they realized they were just like them. Arjun broke the silence.

"It's alright. Let's introduce ourselves since we've all gathered here. My name is Arjun—"

They started to introduce themselves and grew closer—well, only a few. They talked and shared stories from both sides. Lisha and Ivy sat together while Mei and the others made new friends.

"I thought it would only be us... Didn't expect other country students to join us... They're the same age too," Lisha and Ivy thought from different perspectives.

Lisha was thinking about how to prepare for the upcoming trial and what type of blessings could be useful.

"Some of us have defensive skills. Maybe I can ask them about it."

Before she could finish her plan, the blue panel appeared again:

[Ari Systems are here to show your physical and mental status. Your blessings, given by the 4 constellations and 3 ultimate beings, can be found here.]

The 2PG did as the panel instructed, followed by the 1PG. They saw their blessings—some had ones from the 4 constellations, a few from the 3 ultimate beings, and others had combinations of both. Some couldn’t use theirs because they were passive; others had defensive or offensive blessings.

[You have ten minutes before the trial begins... PREPARE YOURSELVES.]

"See! I was right!"

"How on Earth are we supposed to train though?" said Rosette.

Both groups began testing their skills by sparring, with consent. It started with Arjun and Isuki, then a few other matchups. Even though they had ten minutes, it only took them one minute to figure out their powers and start fighting. Afterward, they were slightly bruised.

Mira and three more students healed them. Even healers gained experience points, just like those who fought.

[All players, get into position. You will fight your opponents.]

They got into position, activated their skills, and waited. Suddenly, the ground shook violently. Tall walls of bushes rose up around them. Above them was the open sky; the players were scattered.

[Find the exit within 3 hours. If failed, you will lose your life.]

"Lose our life, huh? What a lie. I’ve failed before and I was still alive and well," thought Lisha.

"The others are scattered... Where and how are we going to find them!?" said Jina.

"Just use your first skill."

"How?"

"Just blast it in all directions, through the walls of the maze. This will help them reach us."

"That's a great idea, but what if the bushes close back? Or the others get hurt?"

"...That won’t happen if you keep blasting. And if they get hurt, that’s their problem."

"You're heartless!!"

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

Jina did as instructed. Soon they spotted classmates and regrouped—except for the Japanese players.

"Jina! Blast through the center!" said Lisha, standing next to Mei.

"But she’s at her limit!" shouted Mei and Ava.

"If she doesn’t, we might not be able to escape this maze!" said Lisha.

Jina tried her best and managed to open a path to the exit, which looked endless, but Lisha assured them there would be an exit there.

They parted ways, and Mei and Lisha headed to the center.

"I hope we reach there quickly. It should take just two strikes an—Mei!? Wha—let me go!" shouted Lisha.

"YOU’RE TOO SLOW!" barked Mei.

"YOU SAID WE NEED TO GET THERE FAST, so let me do the running, you sloth!"

"She’s... so damn right. I am very slow. Not my fault my knee twists if I push past my running limit," thought Lisha.

She heard a rustle on her left and told Mei to head toward the right wall. She grabbed a branch poking out.

"THIS MIGHT HURT!!" Lisha shouted as she cut Mei’s hand.

"OUCH! WHAT THE HECK!?" screamed Mei, dropping her.

"IS THIS HOW YOU REPAY ME FOR HELPING YOU!?" Blood trickled from the cut.

Lisha explained, "This is the only way to unlock your skill. Since yours is 'Blood Hold,' it works with your blood or your enemy's."

"How do you even kno—"

"No time for questions. We’re about to fight."

The boss appeared—a Venus flytrap-type monster with a thick, stone-like stem.

"Use your first skill, Dancing Waves. Chop off the roots."

"..."

"You'll be fine. Trust me."

"That’s what you always say..."

Mei charged forward, powered up. She slashed one root, already tired, but pushed on. She cut three more, drained, but still managed to sever the last one.

"Alright, STOP!" shouted Lisha.

"What? Why!?"

"Because you finished your job."

"Wait, that’s it?"

"Yeah. Easiest way to kill a plant? Remove its life support."

Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and a gust of wind pushed them back. Mei watched as the plant dried up, shriveling like a skeleton.

"What a grandma," said Lisha.

"Yeah, right? Anyway, now we leave," replied Mei.

"Do you even know where to go?"

"..." crickets

"No?"

"Stup—"

Meanwhile, the rest were fighting toward the exit. Nina, respected and strategic, coordinated with Arjun (leading the boys).

"What happened to Jina?" asked Nina.

"She made a path for Mei and Lisha to the center. Without her, we wouldn’t have found each other," said Ivy.

"Why’d Mei and Lisha go to the center?"

"Dunno. I’m not Lisha."

"So it was Lisha’s idea... maybe there's a final boss."

"Aww, I didn’t know Lisha was trying to protect us—"

"Or maybe she just wanted the level-up for herself, using Mei as backup," said Elara, Nina’s rival and third-best all-rounder.

"Pfft, as if. Or we would’ve seen them sooner—WHY IS MEI HERE ALONE—oh, Lisha’s behind her. Probably slow, as usual," said Hana.

The others were too busy fighting to notice. But soon, the exit opened, monsters disintegrated, and they ran. Nina carried Jina and paused to look back.

"How much time do we have left?"

[30 seconds.]

"MEI, YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS! HURRY!" screamed Sora.

Some called the countdown out loud. The wall behind them crumbled.

They had 10 seconds left. Mei and Lisha arrived with two seconds remaining.

"Why are you carrying Lisha!? You’re too tired for this!" said Ivy.

"She was way too slow," Mei huffed.

Lisha: ">:("

They sighed in relief after the exhausting battle, wondering if every trial would be like this. They shared stories of how they fought.

Two players exploring found the Japanese players still mid-trial.

"Eh? They’re still going?" said Varun.

"Maybe they just started," said Arjun.