"Nothing really, as we pretty much act like cleaners for the beast, and every ti we do, there are always beasts that have huge potential, which is then scooped up by one of the subordinates under the beast and taken in for training.
But unlike other beasts, these beasts tend to be milder-mannered, know the reason for the attacks, and do not hold any long-term grudges.
However, it is still not a good idea to go inside these zones without proper equipnt and power.
The exam will be held there because the principals of the top colleges personally went around so of these zones and convinced them to use the overpopulated beasts as training partners.
So of the beasts objected but were taught how to say yes while their bones were broken and blood was coming out of their bodies.
Others found the idea a good solution. They knew that without this, there would be high chances of beast tides due to overpopulation, and they knew that powerful humans would not be happy with it and might co for them.
And although they were not afraid after being the ruler of an entire zone, their need for strength and dominance has mostly washed over with laziness and the will to avoid trouble when they can."
He let that sink in.
That line stirred a wave of quiet reactions.
A few students looked at each other in disbelief.
Others just blinked in surprise.
"So this whole ti, we’ve had a deal going on?" soone muttered from the second row.
Mr. Halden smiled. "Correct. This system has worked for decades now. It’s why we haven’t had a full-scale beast war since the last major tide."
A new hand rose from the middle rows—soone from the class who rarely spoke. "But isn’t that risky? Depending on beasts?"
"It’s not about trust," Mr. Halden said. "It’s about balance. They benefit from this, too. Others found the idea to be a smart solution.
They knew that without this system, there’d be a real chance of overpopulation—of beast tides forming again."
He crossed his arms and added, "And they know that powerful humans wouldn’t let that happen.
If it ca down to it, human soldiers and people from the superpower association would march right into the forbidden zones and wipe them out without rcy."
A few students looked uneasy at that.
"And while those beast kings aren’t exactly afraid anymore, after ruling entire zones for decades, their hunger for dominance has dulled.
They’ve gotten used to power, comfort, and peace. Most of them don’t want trouble. Not anymore."
He let that settle for a beat, then walked back to his tablet.
The screen behind him dimd and faded away.
"And then there’s the last five percent of the world," he said.
Everyone went quiet again.
"Natural Disaster Zones," he said simply. "Places that are always in chaos. Volcanic ranges that never stop erupting.
Storms that never break. Marshes thick with poison gas. Rifts in space and ti. We don’t go there. Not even the strongest do."
Soone near the windows whispered, "Not even Lord-ranks?"
Mr. Halden tapped the screen again, shifting the image to a detailed 3D map of a dense training forest, lined with cliffs, narrow paths, and open clearings.
"Now," he said, "this isn’t your real college entrance exam. What we’re starting next week is preparation—field simulations, virtual beast drills, and team survival exercises."
He glanced around the room. "The real exam will co later. But these trial runs will decide how ready you are when that day cos."
A few students looked visibly relieved.
Others still looked nervous.
"You’ll be split into simulated field teams—four per group," Mr. Halden continued.
"Assignnts will be random. No switching. You’ll get your teammates, a basic gear loadout, and a mission objective."
He tapped again. The map zood into a sector filled with drone icons and periter markers.
"This is the designated training zone. It’s a real forest, but monitored and reinforced. There are barriers, drones, and alert systems in place.
The ’beasts’ you’ll be facing are holographically generated but backed by real-world AI.
They’re built from DNA data and combat behavior logs."
A hand went up near the front. "So they’ll feel real?"
"Very real," Mr. Halden said. "Your suits will use shock-response panels. If you get hit? It won’t kill you, but you’ll feel it. A proper beast swipe will knock you off your feet."
That got a few uneasy chuckles.
One student muttered, "Great. So it’s safe but still painful."
"Exactly," Mr. Halden replied. "The environnt is real. The pain is real. The only thing missing is actual death."
He looked around the room again. "This is your prep. It’s not scored like the final exam—but we’ll be evaluating everything: how you think, how you move, how you support your team."
Soone from the back asked, "So can we just use it to test out our skills and not really worry about casualties?"
"Yes," Mr. Halden said. "But take it seriously. The people who slack off here don’t usually last long when the real test cos."
He let that sit for a mont and then added, "And just so we’re clear, there will be protective asures placed during the college exams, but they will only be activated when it is a life-and-death situation.
And if that happens, then the staff will co save you but it also ans that you have failed the exam and will be sent back."
He looked down at his tablet.
"You’ll get your team assignnts by Friday. Then you’ll have one full day to et up, learn the map, and run so warmups before the simulation starts."
Soone near the middle raised a hand. "What if we get placed with people we don’t work well with?"
Mr. Halden shrugged. "The chances of that happening are low, but we will make sure that you are close. We want to be as realistic as possible.
But if you still get soone you don’t like, then just adapt. There are still situations where you will be forced to join people you do not like, so you might as well learn to make it work now."
Another voice called out, "What about people with support-type powers?"
Reviews
All reviews (0)