Chapter 534:Class war.

Chapter 534: 534:Class war.

The morning of the Seven-Class War arrived beneath a pale gray sky, with the first rays of sunlight barely reaching the eastern towers of the Sanctuary when the academy’s transport convoy began assembling outside the military training compound.

Dozens of armored vehicles stood in orderly lines across the enormous courtyard, their engines humming while instructors moved between the gathered students, checking equipment, confirming identification tags, and issuing final instructions.

Above them, several military surveillance drones hovered in carefully maintained formations, their cameras transmitting live footage to the academy’s observation center, where senior instructors and invited military officials would monitor the competition over the next five days.

For the 176 first-year students participating in the exercise, the atmosphere was considerably more exciting than an ordinary training day.

Some were laughing and discussing their strategies. Others were inspecting their weapons for the third or fourth time, while several students from different classes exchanged competitive glances that suggested the Seven-Class War had already begun in their minds.

Silver stood beside one of the transports, adjusting the holster of his handgun while examining the equipment he’d been issued; a reinforced protective vest, an academy identification bracelet, a limited supply of training ammunition, a standard emergency medical kit, a compact survival pack, and a small communications device that could only connect to members of his assigned class.

His sword rested against his left hip, and although its edge had been fitted with the academy’s protective combat system, the weapon retained enough weight and balance to allow him to use his normal techniques.

He examined the equipment for a moment before nodding.

"Not bad."

"That’s what you said before Hollow Creek."

He turned.

Ravenna stood behind him, her hair tied into a high ponytail and her eyes carrying a familiar mixture of amusement and seriousness. She wore the same protective equipment, although her sword was slightly longer than Silver’s, and her rifle had been fitted with the academy’s regulated training ammunition.

He smiled.

"Good morning, darling," he happily greeted.

Ravenna raised an eyebrow.

"You’re unusually cheerful," she said.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

Silver considered.

"Well, nobody’s trying to assassinate me this morning."

She stared at him, then sighed.

"Silver."

"What?"

"Please stop using that as a measure of whether your day is going well."

He laughed.

"Fine."

She stepped closer and adjusted a loose strap on his vest.

"Did you sleep properly?" She asked.

"Mostly," he nonchalantly replied.

"Silver."

"Six hours."

Her narrowed her eyes.

"That’s not enough."

"It’s six more than zero."

She gave him a flat look and he smiled innocently.

"All right, all right. I’ll sleep properly after the competition."

"You’d better."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

Ravenna smiled despite herself, then she glanced toward the other students.

"Helena’s been looking for you," she said.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Already?"

"Apparently, Caleb suggested attacking Class Two’s base before the competition officially begins."

Silver slowly smiled.

"That’s..."

Ravenna folded her arms.

"Don’t."

He laughed.

"I was going to say ambitious."

"Of course you were."

They walked toward the gathering area together.

As they approached, he noticed that Class Four’s students had already assembled around Helena, who stood beside a portable tactical display with an expression that suggested she’d spent most of the previous night reviewing possible strategies.

Caleb was arguing with Rowan. Mina stood nearby, quietly checking the condition of her dual blades. Several other classmates were discussing the positions of the seven bases. And near the rear of the group, an empty space remained where Elias Thorn would’ve normally stood.

His smile faded slightly which Ravenna noticed. She gently touched his arm.

He looked toward her but she didn’t say anything, she didn’t need to.

Silver nodded once, then approached Helena.

"Morning."

Helena turned.

"Finally."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Missed me?" He jokingly asked.

"Unfortunately."

Ravenna laughed.

Helena gestured toward the tactical display.

"We’ve received our starting position."

He leaned to take a closer look.

The map showed a large battlefield divided into several distinct regions. Dense forests covered the northern section, while an abandoned industrial district occupied the southeast. A river cut through the central area, separating several elevated hills from a network of old maintenance roads and underground service tunnels.

Seven fortified bases were positioned around the outer sections.

Class Four’s base was located near the southwestern forest.

Silver studied the map.

"Hmm."

Helena looked toward him.

"What?"

He pointed toward their position.

"We have decent cover, but our access to the central checkpoints is limited."

She nodded.

"Exactly."

Ravenna leaned forward.

"The river crossing is also relatively far from us."

"Which means," Silver continued, "if we try to compete for the central objectives immediately, we’ll probably exhaust ourselves before establishing a stable supply route."

Helena smiled faintly.

"That’s what I thought."

Caleb folded his arms.

"So we attack someone else’s base."

Everyone turned toward him.

Rowan sighed.

"Caleb."

"What?"

Silver looked toward him.

"You’re remarkably consistent."

He grinned.

"Thank you."

Helena rubbed her forehead.

"We’re not attacking another base before we’ve even established our own defenses," he firmly said.

Caleb looked disappointed.

"Fine."

Silver smiled.

"Don’t worry. There’ll be plenty of opportunities to hit people later."

Caleb brightened.

"See? Silver understands me."

Ravenna shook her head.

"That’s what worries me."

The transport journey lasted nearly two hours.

The battlefield was located inside a heavily monitored military training zone beyond Alpha Three’s main residential district, where several abandoned facilities and sections of reclaimed wilderness had been converted into a permanent large-scale exercise ground. The academy had spent years developing the area, installing surveillance systems, protective barriers, emergency evacuation routes, and artificial objectives designed to simulate the conditions Contractors might encounter during actual field operations.

Although the Seven-Class War was technically a competition, the environment was deliberately designed to punish carelessness.

Food and water would be limited, communications could be disrupted, supply stations could be captured or destroyed, and students who failed to manage their resources properly could find themselves eliminated without ever encountering an opposing class.

Silver found that particularly interesting. It reminded him of the survival exercises Major Halden had conducted during his specialization training.

The strongest fighter isn’t always the one who survives.

He glanced toward Ravenna who was sitting beside him, quietly examining a printed copy of the battlefield’s environmental report.

Silver smiled.

"Found anything?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Several things."

"Oh?"

She pointed toward the map.

"The academy says some hidden missions involve environmental analysis and simulated beast activity. There are three locations marked as former biological monitoring sites."

He leaned closer.

"Wow."

She continued, "Two are near the central river, but the third is inside the abandoned industrial district."

He considered it.

"And?"

"The third site is positioned near an old drainage network. If the academy is using biological specimens or environmental simulations, that area might contain one of the hidden objectives."

Silver smiled.

"Already planning to dissect something?"

Ravenna elbowed him.

"Idiot."

He laughed.

Then she became serious.

"Silver."

He looked toward her.

"What?"

"Do you think we’re ready?" She quietly asked.

Silver considered it.

He could’ve answered immediately. He could’ve told her that Class Four had some of the strongest students in the academy, that their experience at Hollow Creek had prepared them for unpredictable situations, or that his own growth had been extraordinary.

But he knew that wasn’t what she was asking. He looked toward the other students. Caleb was asleep, Rowan was reviewing his equipment, Mina was quietly speaking with Helena, Several classmates were laughing nervously, and others were staring through the transport windows, perhaps wondering whether they were about to embarrass themselves in front of the entire academy.

He smiled faintly.

"Probably not."

Her eyes widened.

"What?"

He continued, "We’re behind on coordinated training. Helena’s still adjusting the squad assignments, and several people haven’t fully recovered their confidence after Hollow Creek."

She nodded slowly.

He looked toward her.

"But we’re here," he softly said.

She studied him.

He continued, "And we have five days to figure things out."

Ravenna smiled.

"That’s your strategy?"

He grinned.

"Adapt."

She laughed.

"Of course."

By nine in the morning, all seven classes had reached their assigned bases.

Class Four’s position consisted of a reinforced command building surrounded by several defensive barriers, two observation towers, and a collection of supply containers. The surrounding forest provided excellent concealment, but the terrain also limited visibility and created several possible approaches for enemy squads.

Helena immediately began organizing the class.

"Caleb, Rowan, you’re responsible for the western defensive perimeter. Mina, take three students and establish observation positions near the northern ridge. Everyone else, begin checking the supply containers and setting up communications."

The students moved.

Silver approached the tactical display.

Helena looked toward him.

"Thoughts?"

He studied the terrain.

"We should avoid sending our strongest squad toward the central checkpoint immediately."

She nodded.

"Agreed."

He pointed toward a narrow service road.

"There’s a smaller supply station here. It’s closer to us, and the surrounding terrain should make it easier to defend."

Ravenna leaned forward.

"There’s also a water source nearby."

He smiled.

"Exactly."

Helena considered it and nodded.

"Then we’ll secure that first." She looked toward Silver. "I want you leading the reconnaissance group."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Me?" He asked just for confirmation.

"Yes."

He smiled.

"Excellent."

Helena pointed toward him.

"And before you get any ideas, your objective is reconnaissance and securing the station. Not fighting every student you encounter."

He placed a hand against his chest.

"I’m offended."

Ravenna laughed.

"Silver," Helena called in an exhausted voice.

He nodded.

"Understood."