Chapter 55: The Law of The Wild!
"Even though killing each other prematurely doesn’t give points, even with the risks, are we allowed to team up? Just temporary alliances, at least?"
A cute-looking girl dual-wielding daggers raised her hand timidly. Her voice trembled a little. "Sir... isn’t one thousand points... um, too much?"
More questions followed after those three, but they were mostly repetitions of the same ones, fear and uncertainty echoing from different voices.
Bale listened without a flicker of emotion. His expression remained stoic, carved in stone, as if he were addressing a crowd of children rather than recruits about to enter a deadly trial.
It was hard to believe this was the same man who had accepted a bribe only moments ago. But Bale didn’t care. He had his reasons and his orders.
He began pacing slowly as he spoke, his boots crunching softly against the simulated soil.
"This world, the Outlands, doesn’t care about your friendships, your loyalty, or your moral values. Once you step beyond the city walls, greed, desperation, and fear change people. Even the kindest faces can turn into monsters when survival is at stake, the contract is not enough in this case."
He stopped and turned sharply to face them.
"You need to learn that. Out there, even an adventurer can turn his blade on his partner for a few gold coins or a rare drop. The Guild enforces rules inside the city, yes — but the wild doesn’t recognize contracts. And once you’re outside... you’re on your own."
The recruits stood silent, several of them lowering their gazes, realizing just how merciless this world truly was.
"The Outlands will test you," Bale said, his voice firm. "You’ll be thrown into situations you can’t predict, face horrors you can’t imagine. This trial is designed to prepare you for that."
He folded his arms again. "I’m not saying everyone out there is treacherous, but remember this: the majority of adventurer deaths outside the city walls are not caused by beasts. They are caused by ambushes, betrayals, and traps, by humans, by other awakened, by those who once called themselves allies."
He took a breath, his tone lowering into a grave calm.
"This trial will test every skill an adventurer needs. But above all, you must be cautious. Wise. Alert. Without those three, you won’t last more than two days in the wild."
The silence was heavy.
"And as for your last question..." Bale’s lips curved ever so slightly. "One thousand points is nothing."
The recruits blinked, stunned.
"Considering," Bale added, "that you’ll be hunting for five full days."
He let out a short exhale, almost like a sigh — but it was more of a warning than a comfort.
"So," he said finally, "any more questions?"
No one spoke.
The silence that followed was absolute.
The sharp look in Bale’s eyes was more than enough to suppress whatever thoughts they had left. His gaze alone tamed them — warning that anyone foolish enough to speak would regret it.
When he finally continued, his tone was quieter, but somehow even colder.
"Since I’m done with this part, let me remind you of something important," Bale said. "You will feel pain here exactly as you would in the real world. Every cut, every burn, every broken bone. And when you die..."
He paused deliberately, letting their imaginations do the rest.
"...the pain of death will be the most traumatizing experience of your life."
A few recruits stiffened visibly.
"So," Bale said, his voice low and final, "take this seriously. If you die here once, you’ll revive later, but the trauma stays. It will follow you into the next stages. And trust me..." His eyes glinted faintly. "...after feeling it once, you’ll never want to feel it again."
As Bale’s words faded into the heavy silence, Bruce turned his head slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping across the gathered recruits. Nervous faces. Tight grips on weapons. Uneasy eyes darting between one another. Everyone was tense, uncertain, waiting for the inevitable.
He wasn’t looking at them for long. He was searching for someone.
And after a few moments, his eyes found her.
Sophie.
She stood a short distance away, framed by the shimmering light of the simulated sun. Her posture was calm, her expression unbothered, almost serene. But something about her caught his attention instantly.
She was unarmed.
No gauntlets. No blade. No staff. Nothing.
It was odd, everyone else had come equipped, even those with mage classes. The academy drilled it into every student’s mind: never rely solely on your class abilities. No matter how powerful your magic was, running out of mana meant death. A weapon, even a basic one, could mean the difference between survival and despair.
It wasn’t just practicality. Fighting with both skill and weapon added unpredictability. A mage swinging a blade could catch an enemy off guard; a warrior who suddenly launched a fireball could end a battle in one move. The academy taught adaptability above all.
But for Sophie, none of those rules seemed to apply. It’s because of her class, Arcane Swordmaster...
And Bruce knew that better than anyone.
Their eyes met.
For a heartbeat, everything else around him faded, the tension, the noise, the heat of the plains. Sophie’s crimson eyes gleamed like polished rubies, soft and teasing. Then, with that effortless charm only she could pull off, she winked at him... and blew a playful kiss through the dry air.
Bruce’s lips twitched. A small, helpless smile tugged at the corner of his mouth before he quickly looked away, pretending to focus elsewhere.
Sophie caught it instantly. Her smile deepened, and she laughed quietly to herself.
’Still the same,’ she thought fondly. ’So composed on the outside... and yet too shy to look me in the eye.’
Meanwhile, after that brief exchange, Bruce began observing the weapons of the recruits around him.
Each weapon was distinct, refined, powerful, and tailored to its wielder’s class. Some carried massive claymores etched with glowing runes, others wielded curved daggers, staffs humming faintly with mana, and even mechanical gauntlets laced with enchantments.
But then, something caught his eye.
A single weapon so unique that it made him pause mid-thought.