Chapter 14: The Red Sky

Draven looked at the boy who had just shattered the marble floor with the butt of his silver spear. He kept his face perfectly blank, but his mind was rapidly cycling through the lore of the original web novel.

Aegon Logcheville. He was not just some arrogant noble. He was a prodigy with a massive inferiority complex.

In the original timeline, his obsession with surpassing Neville pushed him right into the arms of the Church of the Eternal Eclipse. He became one of the most dangerous villains in the second half of the story.

---

Draven narrowed his eyes and activated his Tactical Appraisal.

[Target Identified: Aegon Logcheville]

[Class: Blood-Spear Vanguard]

[Level: 19]

[Hidden Status: Corrupted Ambition (Vulnerable to Cult Influence)]

---

’So the corruption has already taken root,’ Draven thought to himself. ’He is a ticking time bomb. A genius spearman, but completely blinded by his own ego.’

Neville turned his perfect, shining smile toward the newcomer, though his blue eyes were completely devoid of warmth.

"You have no place in this conversation, Aegon," Neville said dismissively. "This bet is between the top two rankers. Do not interrupt us."

Aegon barked a harsh, mocking laugh.

"Your ego is as inflated as ever, Golden Boy. Who gave you the right to dictate who participates in a competition?"

Neville’s polite facade hardened.

"I gave myself the right when I took first place. You scored lower than the slum rats. Learn your place and wait your turn."

Aegon’s crimson eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. He gripped his spear tighter, stepping right into Neville’s personal space.

"My place? Are you actually scared, Golden Boy? Are you terrified that this so-called slum rat is going to surpass you in a real hunt, so you are trying to corner him early? Or are you just scared of me?"

The heroic mask completely slipped from Neville’s face. His pale cheeks flushed with sudden, indignant rage. The rage bait worked perfectly.

"I am not scared of anyone," Neville snapped, his holy aura flaring up for a brief second.

"Fine! You are in. I will crush both of you in the forest today. We will see who the real Vanguard is."

Neville turned around to glare at Draven, fully expecting to see fear or intimidation on his face.

But Draven was not there.

Neville and Aegon both blinked in confusion. They looked around the crowded lobby. Draven and Estella were completely gone. They had already left to get some peace and quiet before the trial began.

Left standing alone in the middle of the crowd, Neville and Aegon looked at each other like two foolish monkeys fighting for some bananas.

---

An hour later, the scenery drastically changed.

The Academy mages had activated a massive teleportation array, transporting all the first-year cadets to the outskirts of the Artificial Forest.

Draven rolled his shoulders, shaking off the slight nausea of teleportation. He looked up.

Massive, ancient trees towered into the sky, their thick canopies blocking out most of the morning sun.

This forest was located entirely outside the Great Wall, but it was in a region heavily protected by the top Guilds for training the new elite students.

Instructor Graves stood on a raised dirt mound in front of the gathered applicants.

"Listen closely, Cadets!" Graves roared over the murmuring crowd.

"You are now in the active zone. If you are in mortal danger, press the crimson button on your Nexus-Band watches. You will be instantly teleported back here to safety. However, doing so forfeits your score."

Graves pulled a heavy hunting knife from his belt and smiled with a cruel, veteran glint in his eye.

"And remember, there is no rule against attacking other students to steal their points. Trust no one. Watch your backs. The Vanguard Combat Trials begin now!"

Draven did not hesitate. He grabbed Estella’s hand and bolted straight into the thick underbrush, moving incredibly fast.

He did not need to guess their path. His new Tactical Radar skill was passively active in the back of his mind. A glowing topographical layout of the forest stretched out in his head.

It provided him with a completely safe road, showing him exactly where the environmental traps were and where the monster packs roamed.

They moved fast straight towards the high-level zone in the center of the forest. Along the way, three Level 8 Mutated Boars charged out of the bushes.

Draven swiped his hand through the air, using localized gravity to crush their legs into the dirt. Estella followed up instantly with precise lasers of starlight, piercing their skulls before they could even squeal.

Their synergy was flawless. They had practiced killing many monsters together in the Outlands, and it paid off beautifully.

As they pushed deeper, Draven slowed his pace to speak. "Estella, listen to me," Draven said, keeping his voice low.

"What is it?" she asked, her breathing steady.

"I had another prophetic dream last night," Draven revealed smoothly, keeping his eyes on the dense trees ahead.

"This trial is a trap. A terrorist attack is going to happen here today. The Church of the Eternal Eclipse is making a move."

Estella’s violet eyes widened in horror. "The Church?"

"Yes," Draven nodded grimly.

"The forest is surrounded by a barrier, and the Instructors will not be able to disable it because it is already hacked by the terrorists. The cultist is going to use an Eclipse-Forged Amalgam to kill the students. They want to wipe out the seeds of humanity before they grow stronger."

Estella gripped her hands tightly. "What do we do?"

"Our mission is simple," Draven said, his voice hardening with absolute resolve.

"We eliminate the terrorist, and we butcher that beast."

---

Meanwhile, on the complete opposite side of the forest, Neville Hennesy was putting on a show.

"Let me give you peace by ending your pain," Neville said solemnly. He pulled his silver sword out of the chest of a Level 5 Horned Rabbit.

His entourage of noble students clapped and cheered. He was still in the outer areas, completely clueless about what was actually happening in the depths of the woods.

He just wanted to look good for the cameras that were undoubtedly recording from the trees.

"We must run forward fast, my friends!" Neville encouraged his squad, pointing his sword heroically toward the deeper woods.

"We need to win this competition and prove our superiority. Follow me!"

His squad cheered, taking a bold step forward.

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

A deafeningly loud boom sounded from the very center of the Artificial Forest. The ground violently shook beneath their boots. Neville stumbled and looked up in horror.

The blue sky above the canopy suddenly turned a sickly, blood red.

A terrifying roar tore through the trees. Seconds later, the underbrush completely exploded.

Hundreds of monsters burst out of the treeline. But they were not attacking. They were running away from the center area in absolute panic.

Neville stood frozen, his heroic smile completely wiped from his face as he stared at the red sky in utter shock.