Chapter 9: The Ogre’s Cave

The valley gradually narrowed as Team Thirty Seven ventured deeper into the artificial wilderness. Towering cliffs rose on both sides, blocking much of the afternoon sunlight. The cheerful sounds of birds slowly disappeared— replaced by an eerie silence.

Only the crunch of footsteps echoed across the rocky path.

Elias instinctively lowered his voice.

"...I don’t like this place."

Darius nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it’s eerily too quiet."

Mira nervously clutched her staff.

"I haven’t seen a single monster for several minutes."

Kael wasn’t surprised.

He told them, "The stronger the predator, the fewer creatures will remain nearby."

"Why?"

Mira asked curiously. Elias and Darius looked equally curious as well.

Kael smiled then explained, "Weak monsters established territories. Powerful monsters ruled entire regions. Everything beneath them either fled, or became food."

He already explained it a moment ago but its easy to forget when you’re in a tense situation, so he understood it.

Hearing his words, realization came to the three.

"Oh, I see."

"Ah, no wonder."

They began trusting Kael’s knowledge more and more.

Kael noticed something and immediately ordered.

"Wait, stay alert." He slowed his pace. The others also matched him. "We’re close," he added.

The group nodded.

Then several minutes later, the cave finally came into view. It stood halfway up the cliffside. Its entrance measured nearly six meters high. Ancient claw marks covered the surrounding stone. Around it, scattered bones lay half buried beneath years of dust. Some belonged to deer; others were unmistakably human.

Elias swallowed.

"...Those aren’t fake, are they?"

"They’re just illusions," Kael answered.

"Sigh. I almost wetted my pants."

Whether it was intended as jokes no one reacted.

"The academy creates realistic environments," Mira said.

Everyone agreed.

Unlike ordinary training grounds, this simulation forced students to confront genuine fear. Many first years lost their composure before even seeing an enemy.

Kael slowly examined the cave entrance. Exactly as he remembered. And just like in the game, the academy instructors intentionally placed the team flag inside.

However...

The flag wasn’t the cave’s only secret. Hidden beneath the ogre’s den, a narrow tunnel connected to forgotten ruins.

Only a few beta testers knew about it.

Inside rested a treasure chest containing an uncommon combat technique. Most players never found it during their first official release.

Kael intended to get it.

"Formation." Darius immediately stepped forward and said, "I’ll take the front."

"Mira, You stay in the center. Elias, cover us."

Then he looked toward Kael.

"You watch everything else."

Kael nodded.

It wasn’t a perfect formation. But for first-year students, it was more than acceptable.

They slowly entered the cave. The temperature immediately dropped. Moisture dripped from the ceiling. The smell of damp stone mixed with the scent of something far less pleasant. The tunnel stretched deeper into darkness before widening into a massive cavern.

Then...

They saw it.

A creature nearly three meters tall. Its skin was gray and its body showed massive muscles. They also noticed an enormous wooden club rested across one shoulder.

It was... The Ogre.

Although only an illusion created by academy magic, its intimidating presence felt completely real.

The creature slowly opened one eye, then another.

The moment it noticed them, a thunderous roar came.

"ROOOAAARRR!"

Its roar shook the cavern. Loose rocks tumbled from the ceiling.

Elias instinctively stepped backward.

"...It’s huge!"

Darius gripped his sword tightly.

"I’ll keep it busy."

"Wait."

Kael quietly stopped him and everyone looked toward him.

"The flag."

He pointed upward.

Tied near the cave ceiling, behind the sleeping area, fluttered a blue academy flag. Exactly where he expected.

"We don’t need to defeat the ogre. We only need the flag."

Darius blinked.

"...You’re right."

The academy instructions had never required defeating every monster. Only completing the objective.

Most students forgot that.

Kael quickly examined the battlefield. Large stone pillars surrounded the cavern.

Perfect, just like in the game.

"I have a plan."

Everyone looked at him.

A moment later, the ogre charged. Its enormous footsteps shook the ground.

"Darius!"

"Left pillar!"

Without hesitation, Darius sprinted toward the nearest stone column. The ogre followed. Just before impact, Darius rolled aside.

BOOM!

The creature’s massive club smashed directly into the pillar. Cracks spread across the stone.

"Again!"

Kael shouted.

Understanding dawned on Darius’ face.

He grinned.

"I like this!" He shouted out of excitement.

The ogre roared angrily before pursuing him once more.

Meanwhile...

Kael turned toward Elias.

"The ceiling. Can you hit the rope?"

Elias looked upward.

The flag hung nearly fifteen meters above the ground.

"...That’s a difficult shot."

"Can you do it?"

The archer slowly drew his bow.

A deep breath.

His expression became focused.

"I’ll try."

The string released.

Whoosh!

The arrow soared upward but it missed the target. It struck the cavern wall several centimeters away.

"Tch."

Elias immediately prepared another arrow.

The ogre smashed a second pillar. Dust exploded into the air. The ceiling trembled.

"Faster!"

Kael urged.

Elias inhaled deeply.

This time, he waited. Not for the target, but for the movement. The flag gently swayed as the cavern shook.

Now.

The arrow flew.

Then...

Snap.

The rope broke then the flag fluttered downward.

"Mira!"

The timid healer instinctively reached upward.

She caught it perfectly.

"I got it!"

The academy emblem immediately glowed.

Objective complete.

Normally, the exercise would end here. Students would simply retreat. Unfortunately, the collapsing pillars had weakened the cavern.

Crack.

Crack.

Crack.

Kael’s expression changed.

"...Everyone, let’s go out!"

The ceiling began collapsing. Huge rocks crashed downward. The ogre roared furiously as massive boulders buried its illusionary body. Without looking at it, the team sprinted toward the exit.

Dust swallowed everything. A gigantic boulder crashed directly behind them.

BOOOOM!

Sunlight finally greeted them as they escaped the cave. Seconds later, the entrance completely collapsed.

Silence came.

Then everyone breathed heavily.

Elias laughed first.

"Hahaha..."

"We actually did it!"

Darius slapped Kael’s shoulder hard enough to stagger him.

"That was brilliant! We never even fought the thing."

Mira hugged the recovered flag tightly.

"We passed?"

Kael nodded.

Her relieved smile made Kael pause. She looked genuinely happy. It reminded him once again, why he wanted to change the future.

Everyone here was real humans not NPC in the game.

Then...

Kael frowned.

Something was wrong.

According to the game, the cave shouldn’t have collapsed. The hidden tunnel should still exist. He turned toward the pile of rubble.

Did his actions altered the sequence once again?

Suddenly, a faint vibration traveled through the ground. Not only once but twice. Darius immediately noticed it.

"...Did you feel that?"

Kael nodded slowly. His eyes slowly narrowed as he believed this wasn’t in the game.

"Everyone..."

"Be quiet."

They listened.

Several seconds passed.

Thump.

A distant heartbeat.

No, not a heartbeat, but...

Heavy footsteps.

Coming from beneath the collapsed cave.

Elias’ face paled.

"...The ogre survived?"

But no one has answers. Even Kael wasn’t sure anymore.

Thump.

Another vibration came. This time, it much stronger. Dust slid down the collapsed rocks. It seemed something from the cave was trying to come out.

Kael’s mind raced.

Did the Ogre really survive? But it was an illusion only. It shouldn’t have acted out of sequence. Unless the instructors decided to increase the mission’s difficulty.

Kael doubted it.

...

Meanwhile...

High above the valley, Professor Magnus abruptly stood from his chair. His calm expression disappeared for the first time.

"...That’s impossible."

The monitoring crystal flickered violently. The magical readings inside the valley spiked beyond normal training parameters.

Every instructor in the observation room turned pale.

One professor whispered in disbelief.

"That energy..."

"It isn’t part of the examination."

"Wait! This is..."

"Demonic energy!"

The younger instructor’s expression turned pale after the crystal confirmed a demonic energy within the training ground parameters.

Far below...

Kael tightened his grip on his practice sword. He had come prepared for the trial. He had come prepared for hidden treasures. But he had not come prepared for an event that never existed in the original game.

For the first time since his reincarnation, his knowledge of the game offered no answers.

And whatever it was that about to emerge from inside the ruined cave, had just become the greatest unknown he had faced yet.