Chapter 30: Three against one

Tomorrow was the Wilderness Survival Examination.

For the first-year students, it was one of the most important evaluations of the semester. Unlike ordinary written tests or combat assessments, the examination would place them directly into an actual wilderness environment. Their ability to fight would matter.

But it would not be enough.

They would also need to navigate unfamiliar terrain, conserve resources, identify threats, establish a temporary camp, and cooperate with their teammates.

A single mistake could drag an entire team down.

Team 37 gathered at the eastern training ground. They sat under a big oak tree. There were several maps spread across the ground.

For a moment, no one spoke as if waiting for someone to say something. Then their gazes landed on him.

Perhaps their recent simulation survival training got their trust in him.

Kael pointed toward the map.

"Nobody should be responsible for everything. If something happens, we need to know exactly who does what."

The others nodded.

And just that, they began assigning responsibilities. Elias would handle ranged support. Darius with decent physical strength volunteered on carrying supplies and helping establish camp. Kael and Mira would be responsible for gathering water and edible materials. Kael would also handle navigation and keep track of their position.

Darius naturally took the role of the main combatant.

Nobody objected.

Even though Kael’s improvement was astonishing, his Hero Core remained the weakest among them.

"Should we prioritize finding a safe location first?" Mira asked.

"Yes," Kael answered.

He tapped the map.

"The first few hours will be important. We shouldn’t waste energy fighting unnecessary monsters."

"What about hunting?"

"We hunt only when necessary."

Kael looked around the table.

"Food is important, but injuries are more dangerous. If we find edible plants or other safe resources, that’s preferable to fighting a monster simply because we want meat."

The others nodded.

The discussion continued. They talked about possible monster encounters, weather conditions, how to establish watches during the night, and what to do if someone became injured.

They also discussed the possibility of encountering other teams. That part was especially important. The examination was not necessarily a competition between students, however, after the reward was announced for the top performing team, it started to become a competition.

There was a huge possibility that some students might deliberately interfere with other teams.

’Victor’s team will probably try to compete aggressively,’ Kael thought.

He wasn’t particularly concerned about Victor. Victor was troublesome, but predictable. The more interesting problem was the wilderness itself. After nearly an hour, the team finally reached a conclusion.

Everyone knew their role. Everyone understood the basic strategy. They would prioritize survival, conserve their strength, avoid unnecessary battles, and regroup immediately if something unexpected happened.

"Then that’s everything."

Kael folded the map.

"We should get some rest tonight."

The others agreed and began leaving. Kael remained behind for a moment.

Tomorrow would be the real test. He had spent weeks training his body and improving his combat ability, but wilderness survival was different. Strength alone would not guarantee success.

Kael stood and left.

He had one more thing to take care of. The Core Enhancement Crystal. The Crystal was only low-grade. But that did not mean it was worthless. Quite the opposite. Core enhancement crystals were extremely valuable.

Even low-grade materials were difficult to obtain. Kael did not intend to waste it. He needed a quiet place where he could absorb it without interruption. After leaving the eastern training ground, he walked toward a less frequently used section of the academy grounds.

The main campus was still busy, but this area was relatively deserted. There was a small garden behind an old training building. Trees surrounded the area, blocking most of the noise from the academy.

Kael stopped.

"This should work."

He sat beneath one of the trees and took out the crystal. Its faint blue glow pulsed from time to time like a dying lamp. Yet Kael could clearly sense the energy contained within it.

Before he could begin...

Step.

A sound came from behind him. Kael’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t turn around immediately.

But then another step sounded. Kael calmly called out.

"Did you follow me here? You can come out," he said.

Then three students stepped out from between the trees. Kael recognized their uniforms immediately.

Villain Department.

All three were male students. The one standing in the middle was slightly taller than the others, with short black hair and a smug expression. His eyes immediately fell onto the crystal in Kael’s hand.

"So you really have it."

Kael looked at him.

"Have what?"

The student’s smile widened.

"The Core Enhancement Crystal."

Kael’s expression remained unchanged.

"Why do you care?"

"Because you’re not going to need it."

One of the students beside him laughed.

"Someone like you shouldn’t be wasting something that valuable."

Kael stared at them. There it was. Their main reason for following him. They wanted the reward. The student in the middle extended his hand.

"Give it to us. We’ll pay you for it."

Kael almost laughed. Not because the situation was funny. Because their confidence was absurd.

"How much?" He asked.

The student named a price. It was considerable. For an ordinary student, it would probably be tempting.

Kael simply shook his head.

"No."

The student’s expression hardened.

"You haven’t even considered it."

"I already did."

Kael stood up and turned around.

"Wait."

One of the other students stepped forward.

"You’re making a mistake."

Kael stopped but didn’t turn around.

The student continued.

"You have a Rank F Core. Even if you absorb it, you won’t gain much from it."

"I know."

"Then why refuse?"

"Because I don’t need the money."

The three students exchanged glances. That answer was particularly irritating. Kael was a noble. Everyone knew the Grayford family was wealthy. Trying to tempt him with money was probably pointless.

The tallest student took a breath.

"Fine. Let’s be honest."

Kael finally turned around.

"You’re a first-year Hero Department student. You haven’t been here long enough to understand how things work."

"Go on," Kael said amusedly as if listening to someone’s story.

"The academy doesn’t care about every little conflict between students. Especially when both sides are from the same year."

The implication was obvious. They weren’t directly threatening him. But they wanted Kael to understand that they weren’t afraid of disciplinary action.

The student continued.

"We can make this easy. You sell us the material at the price we offered, and everyone walks away satisfied."

Kael stared at him.

"And if I don’t?"

The student smiled.

"Then tomorrow’s examination might become inconvenient for you."

Kael’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Are you threatening me?"

"I’m warning you."

"That’s an important distinction."

The student didn’t respond. Kael looked at the other two. Neither appeared particularly nervous. They had come prepared to pressure him. Perhaps they had even researched his background. But they had made one mistake. They assumed he would be intimidated.

Kael sighed.

"I’ll give you some advice."

The three students looked at him.

"Don’t threaten someone while pretending you’re not threatening them."

The tallest student’s expression darkened.

"You really don’t understand."

"No." Kael shook his head. "You don’t understand."

Silence settled between them. Then Kael continued.

"I’m not selling it."

The student’s jaw tightened.

"Then we’ll have to take another approach."

Kael’s gaze became colder.

"What approach?"

The student looked toward his companions. One of them cracked his knuckles. The other reached toward his limiter bracelet.

"We can settle this privately."

Kael understood immediately. They weren’t going to kill him. They probably weren’t even planning to seriously injure him. Their intention was simple.

Beat him down. Force him to hand over the material. Afterward, they could claim it had been a mutual sparring match that had gotten out of hand. That was why they had chosen an isolated area.

Kael looked at the three of them.

"Three against one?"

"Don’t flatter yourself."

The tallest student removed his limiter as well.

"It’s not going to be a fair fight."

Kael’s expression didn’t change.

"Good..." Kael said.

The other three were momentarily suspicious at Kael’s calmness. Perhaps he just wanted to act tough but deep inside he was actually shaken.

Then Kael continued saying, "Now we can stop pretending this is a negotiation."

The first student lunged.

Kael saw the punch coming. His recent training had made such movements almost predictable. In the Combat Simulation Chamber, he had fought intermediate constructs repeatedly, learning to read an opponent’s shoulders, hips, and footwork instead of simply watching their fists.

His body responded before he consciously thought about it. Kael turned his shoulder. The punch slid past his face.

He stepped inside the attack and drove his fist into the student’s ribs.

"Guh!"

The student staggered away, clutching his side.

The other two stared.

That should not have happened.

Kael’s combat evaluation was among the lowest in the entire first year. Yet their teammate had been stopped by a single counter.

"Get him!"

The two remaining students rushed forward. Kael’s breathing settled into the rhythm he had practiced countless times.

One student threw a punch. Kael slipped outside it. The second attacked immediately from the opposite side. Kael lowered his body and let the fist pass over his head. His footwork never stopped.

A short pivot carried him behind the first attacker. Kael struck the back of his knee. The student’s leg buckled.

Before he could recover, Kael caught his shoulder and redirected his momentum, sending him crashing into his own teammate.

"Ah!"

Both students stumbled. Kael was already gone.

"Wait..."

One of them looked around.

Where did he go?

Kael appeared beside him. A palm strike to the chest. The student staggered backward. He swung wildly.

Kael leaned away.

The fist passed harmlessly in front of his nose.

The other one sent a punch.

Kael ducked.

Then he noticed a kick. He stepped back just enough for the sole to miss his abdomen. The student suddenly realized something. He hadn’t touched Kael. Not even once. His breathing became ragged.

"Why can’t I hit him?"

Kael stepped forward. The student threw another desperate punch. Kael caught his wrist. The movement was almost casual. A slight turn of the arm. A shift of the hips. The student’s balance vanished. Kael swept his leg behind the man’s ankle and dropped him onto the ground.

The student stared up at him. His expression was no longer angry. It was disbelief.

"He’s..."

His eyes widened.

"Why is he this strong?"

The tall one heard him. His face tightened. They had known Kael’s reputation. An F-rank Core and poor combat aptitude. A noble student who had supposedly relied on his family’s resources.

They had expected him to get scared, but they had not expected this.

"This can’t be right."

He charged forward.

Kael met him. Their fists collided. The student’s arm went numb from the impact. His eyes widened.

Kael’s strength was not merely better. It was frighteningly solid. Before he could react, Kael stepped inside his guard. A strike to the stomach and a shoulder check. Then a sweep on his legs.

The student hit the ground. He remained there for a moment, staring blankly at the sky. The third student slowly backed away.

Two teammates both down. And Kael was still standing. His breathing was steady. His posture was relaxed. He hadn’t even removed his limiter.

The student’s expression hardened. Then his hand went to his bracelet.

"If you’re hiding your strength..."

The limiter clicked open. Magical energy surged around him.

"Then I’ll force you to show it."

Kael’s eyes narrowed. The mage raised his hand.

"Wind Bullet!"

The spell exploded forward.

Kael didn’t think twice. He moved away from its trajectory. The compressed sphere missed him by inches. The mage’s eyes widened.

He had expected Kael to dodge. He hadn’t expected him to disappear from his attack so quickly.

"Wind Cutter!"

A blade of compressed air flashed across the clearing.

Kael twisted aside. The edge grazed his shoulder, cutting through his uniform. Blood appeared.

Kael then took off his limiter bracelet. A light feeling spread across his entire body almost immediately.

He continued forward.

The mage’s face changed.

"Another one!"

He fired again. But Kael slipped past it. Another spell came. Kael ducked. He stepped through the opening before the spell had completely passed. For some reason, Kael had become impossible to hit. His movement was so difficult to lock on.

The mage’s hands began to shake.

"No..."

He backed away.

"How are you doing this?"

Kael’s breathing remained perfectly controlled. The difference was obvious now. Without the limiter, his body felt lighter. His footwork became sharper. His acceleration came more naturally.

The 4-2-6 Breathing Technique synchronized with the increased flow of his Hero Core, allowing him to maintain that rhythm without losing control.

The mage couldn’t understand what he was seeing. Kael wasn’t simply faster. He was fighting as though every movement had already been practiced hundreds of times.

The mage hurriedly raised his hand. Kael was already within striking distance. His wrist was caught.

A sharp pull. Then a turn of the hips. The mage’s feet left the ground. He crashed onto his back.

Silence immediately descended. Kael straightened. The other two students stared at him. None of them spoke. They had come here believing they were dealing with one of the weakest students in the academy. Now all three were lying on the ground. One of them slowly looked at his bruised fist.

"We..."

He swallowed.

"What the hell is this?"

His eyes returned to Kael.

"There’s three of us and we couldn’t even hit him properly."

The other student looked genuinely shaken.

"His Core is only F-rank..."

He glanced at Kael’s discarded limiter.

"Then what the hell is his combat ability?"

Kael wiped the blood from his shoulder.

"Maybe your information was outdated."

They could only stare. For the first time, they understood just how badly they had misjudged him.

Kael Grayford wasn’t weak. His rank was weak. There was a difference between it. And they had just learned it the hard way.