Red, glowing eyes, jet-black hair, and an aura of bone-chilling darkness—these are the hallmarks of what this world calls demons, humanity's greatest threat. Their sole purpose is to lay waste to human lands and slaughter without mercy, viewing humans as nothing more than inferior pests, akin to how some humans might swat bugs in their homes.
In ancient times, a small group of humans rose up to challenge the elites of the demon race, even taking on the demon kings themselves. Against all odds, they defeated three of the nine demon kings and seized their vast territories. These humans were hailed as heroes, and with their victory, they established Eldoria Academy—a colossal institution designed to nurture future generations capable of standing toe-to-toe with the demon kings.
Thanks to the academy's success, human lands expanded, and demon territories fell one after another. Eventually, the balance of power shifted so drastically that a truce was forged between humans and demons. This fragile peace has lasted to this day.
But peace is fleeting. In the distant future, the reincarnation of one of the original heroes—the main character of the novel—will awaken to his true power. His rise will become a beacon of hope for humanity and a threat so great that the demons will break the truce, plunging the world into war once more.
It's no exaggeration to say that Eldoria Academy is the reason humanity has not only survived but thrived in this world.
Which is why it's so baffling that a demon—or rather, a demonified species—managed to infiltrate a beginner's exam. For an institution as experienced and vigilant as Eldoria, such a breach seems almost impossible without inside help.
The novel doesn't delve too deeply into the specifics of how the attack happened, but it's clear there's a traitor within the academy, aiding the other side. Not that it's something I need to worry about. Soon enough, the traitor's eyes—and interest—will be firmly fixed on the main character.
After the exam began, I found myself in the wilderness—dark, vast, and utterly alone.
To put it simply, when the groups were formed, I ended up with the worst kind of nobles: the type who saw me as nothing more than a worm, an existence lower than the dirt beneath their feet. Naturally, they ignored me, outright rejecting my presence. I didn't have much of a choice but to separate from the group and fend for myself.
Thankfully, I'd anticipated this. I'd already come up with a backup plan: the trees. They provided food, shelter, and safety, with the only downside being discomfort. But discomfort was a small price to pay compared to being eaten alive. This forest, over a thousand years old, was home to trees of unimaginable size. It took me five grueling hours of climbing and resting to reach the very top of one.
One of the key features that hinted at the teachers evaluating our survival skills was the rule allowing us to bring any materials that could fit in a bag. I'd packed water and rope—simple items on the surface, but they were my lifelines. The water would keep me hydrated, and the rope would help me secure myself high above the ground. With the only additional item being the binoculars on my waist
The trees here were monstrous, towering over a thousand feet tall with trunks as wide as small houses. Living among their branches wasn't just a strategy; it was a necessity.
The sheer size of these trees also served as a grim reminder of how terrifying demonic entities truly were. The fact that something could level an entire forest of these colossal trees was beyond comprehension. For the professors, it might've been a walk in the park, but for us students—still hovering near "human" levels of strength—facing such an existence was nothing short of suicidal.
Well, that's without considering the main character, of course. He's basically a monster himself, with power enough to go toe-to-toe with that thing. Which is exactly why I'm planning to follow him through the woods and trees. This is also where the rope comes in handy. I'll be able to swing from tree to tree, using the colossal trunks as my pathway. Despite their massive size, the trees are spaced similarly to those in a normal forest, so the distance between them isn't too great.
With that in mind, I didn't do much on the first day. I knew the main character would be more active starting on the second day, and besides, it's always best to rest as much as possible before a life-threatening event.
Twenty-four hours passed without much happening. As the sun rose on the second day, I began moving through the forest, swinging from tree to tree while observing the students below with my binoculars. I circled the area for six to seven hours, searching for any sign of the main character, who should've met up with Friena by now.
But there was no trace of them. I was baffled. Where were those two? I kept moving for another two hours or so, my patience wearing thin, until I finally caught a glimpse of pink hair.
It had to be her. Pink hair was extremely rare in the academy, with only three people known to have it—according to the novel, at least.
I spotted her near a campfire, completely alone. No signs of anyone else. I stayed hidden, watching her from above until night began to fall. Still, there was no sign of the main character. Desperate, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I roped down from the tree and approached her.
Sneaking up from behind, I said, "Well, would you look at who's here."
She jumped at my voice, and I fully expected a smack across the face. But instead, her expression was one of overwhelming relief, as if she were about to cry.
'Why is she looking at me like that? Where's the main character?'
Thoughts raced through my mind as I broke the silence again.
"Why are you alone? Where's your group? And more importantly, where's Clawd? I thought he was in your group."
She took a sharp inhale, followed by a sad smile.
"I was ignored and left alone—probably because of my pink hair. But, aside from that, who are you talking about, Klare? Clawd? Who's that?"
"What do you mean, who? The imperial prince, of course. Wasn't he in your group?"
Her brows shot up in confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about, Klare? There is no imperial prince—only a princess. I think you're heavily mistaken."
I stared at the ground, my hopes crumbling into dust. My eyes felt hollow, lifeless.
'What does she mean? This can't be happening.'
'Without him, we're dead. There's no one stronger than him in the novel. He's the reason most of the fights even end in victories.'
The weight of her words hit me like a tidal wave, and I dropped to the ground, my energy completely drained.
The realization hit me even harder because I'd spent an entire day meticulously recalling and writing down every major event from the novel. I'd planned everything around him—the main character, the one person who could turn the tide and save us all. Without him, my carefully laid plans were nothing but scraps of paper, useless and crumbling.
The last thing I saw before my vision blurred was Friena's face, her usual brightness replaced with extreme worry. Her hands reached out toward me, her lips moving as if calling my name, but I couldn't hear her. The exhaustion from a full day of relentless movement, the shock of her revelation, and the crushing weight of despair all crashed over me at once. My legs gave out, and the world spun as darkness crept into the edges of my vision.
Then, everything went black.
I had inevitably feinted.