By the second day of the entrance examination, chaos had already taken hold inside the secret realm. Nearly half of the students had been forced to leave—some defeated by the wild monsters that roamed the area, others expelled by stronger competitors.
For most participants, the best they could manage was defeating the lowest-level rock elementals. These creatures populated the outskirts of the realm, where most students gathered, making encounters between examinees frequent. Early elimination was inevitable.
Once a student's performance was recorded, they were allowed to exit. Those who had fallen behind in the rankings already knew their fates. They would never qualify for the Academy, so there was no point in staying. Under the escort of a small guard squad, the defeated students began their long walk back toward Ravenshade City.
---
Not long after, Charles, a frail old man confined to a wheelchair, received an urgent report.
"Sir," one of his aides said nervously, "the group that just returned to the city… they've vanished."
Charles didn't flinch. His weathered face remained calm. "I expected as much. Tell everyone to stay alert."
He had already foreseen this outcome. The missing group was a test—bait to confirm the enemy's target. Charles had deliberately let those guards escort the weaker students, knowing the risk. If an attack occurred, it would reveal whether the enemies were after the students inside the secret realm or something else entirely.
To Charles, the choice was grim but logical. The students who had failed out were, in his mind, "useless professionals," destined for the lowest ranks of society. Their deaths, while tragic, could at least serve a purpose: revealing where the threat lay. He had even arranged future financial compensation for their families.
Still, his heart was heavy.
He had hoped that by sacrificing a few, he could convince the City Lord of Ravenshade to reinforce the area and protect the remaining examinees. But when he submitted the request, the lord's response was a cold refusal.
---
The City Lord's priorities lay elsewhere.
At that very moment, a sacred artifact was being completed—a vessel capable of containing the blood of an Evil God. The city had entered a critical stage of negotiation with a shadowy organization known as Dragon Cave. Once Dragon Cave's agents took possession of the divine blood, locating it would become nearly impossible for the alien factions that sought it.
Because of this, the City Lord couldn't spare manpower. Protecting the transaction took precedence over the students' safety.
As soon as the vessel was stabilized, both sides agreed to perform the handover immediately, unwilling to risk further delays. And so, on the very same day the students were taking their entrance exam, the trade with Dragon Cave began.
That also meant that the mysterious "butler" from Dragon Cave—their lead operative—would certainly make his move today.
---
Charles sighed, his eyes dark with frustration. "So even sacrificing those children won't earn us support…"
He wasn't afraid for himself; his body was already failing, and he didn't expect to live long. But he couldn't understand why the City Lord of Ravenshade would choose politics over protecting the next generation.
Unbeknownst to him, Dragon Cave had already infiltrated the city's guard units. Many of the men supposedly under the City Lord's command were secretly loyal to that organization.
Both sides believed the same thing: that the aliens' true target wasn't the city or its students—it was the drop of divine blood sealed within the vessel.
---
Deep underground, far from the city walls, a small group of aliens had gathered at the exact location where the missing convoy had vanished. More than a dozen of them were present, their twisted bodies barely human anymore. Amid them knelt a single trembling survivor—a young male student, pale with terror.
One of the aliens, a tall creature with arms dangling down to his knees, leaned close and asked in a low, gravelly voice, "Did you plant the device?"
The student stammered, "Y-yes, I did! As long as there's no problem with the artifact, it should activate soon…"
The alien smiled thinly and patted the boy's shoulder. "Good. You've done well."
The student's eyes brightened with desperate hope. "So… does that mean I'm one of you now? You said if I helped, you'd make me as strong as you are! I've only awakened a D-grade talent—I want to be powerful too!"
The aliens burst into cruel laughter.
The boy's confidence faltered. "W-what's so funny? Don't you dare back out! I have proof—a video of you all! If something happens to me, the others will see it!"
"Proof?" the long-armed alien sneered. "Do you even know who we are?"
The student blinked. "W-what do you mean?"
The alien motioned to his comrades, then turned away. The others closed in, forming a circle.
"Let me tell you a secret," one hissed. "We're not human anymore. You professionals call us 'aliens.' We've long since transcended your weak kind."
The boy froze, his eyes widening in horror. "Then… if I join you… I won't be human anymore!?"
They laughed again, voices like broken glass. "Exactly. To become one of us, you have to fail your awakening first. That's the price. Still want to record us, human?"
The boy tried to scream, but the sound never came.
---
Far above, on the surface of the secret realm, a strange red formation began to spread. The once-gray mist surrounding the area darkened, then turned crimson, glowing like liquid blood.
Outside the realm, near the monitoring station, two temple operatives were channeling energy into the gateway when they suddenly screamed in agony.
Their cries drew every eye.
Blood poured from their ears and noses, and the gray light of the portal shifted completely to a deep, blood-red hue within seconds.
"The Scarlet Secret Realm!" someone shouted in panic.
Professionals who knew the term went pale.
A Scarlet Secret Realm was a nightmare—a catastrophic phenomenon similar to a Dungeon Riot. Inside, every wild monster would go berserk. They would either slaughter all the professionals trapped within or escape into the outside world.
The only way to stop it was for the professionals inside to exterminate every monster before the realm completely destabilized.
Such events were extremely rare, their appearance considered almost impossible. The last recorded Scarlet Secret Realm had occurred decades ago, during a normal expedition by trained professionals. Even then, the rampaging monsters had torn through two entire cities overnight before a passing Fourth-Rank team managed to stop them.
Without that miracle intervention, the loss of life would have been unthinkable. Since then, even the mention of a Scarlet Secret Realm had struck fear into every heart.
---
Seeing the red glow spreading, Charles's deputy acted instantly.
"Quick! Stop the energy transfer! Shut down the Scarlet Secret Realm!"
Everyone understood the grim implication. The only way to seal the portal was to kill the two temple operatives currently channeling energy. Their death would immediately halt the flow.
Both operatives exchanged a brief, knowing glance. They had enough energy stored in their bodies to sustain the portal, but they also knew what was coming. Whether by the monsters' hands or by human mercy, their fate was sealed.
They bowed their heads, gratitude flickering in their eyes toward the deputy who would spare them from further torment.
But just as the deputy raised his weapon, a powerful voice echoed across the camp.
"Wait!"
Everyone froze. The portal's crimson light pulsed faster, throbbing like a living wound.
Something—someone—was about to emerge.
---
To be continued…
--------------------------------------------------
Visit our Patreon for more:
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31
----------------------------------------------------- .