Humans fear many things. Darkness, insects, animals, the depths of the ocean… Death, hunger, disease. But in this age, what people feared most could be summarized in a single word: Monsters.
The Safe Haven Hunter Academy was a fortress-like structure, surrounded by stone walls. As the bell towers gleamed in the morning sun, the excited murmur of young candidates gathered in the vast courtyard echoed from the stone floor. Dozens of candidates lined up, their eyes filled with both hope and apprehension.
Most of them had newly pinned badges shining on their chests. But Eren, Kayra, and a few other candidates had not yet received their badges. They were the last group waiting for this moment.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard, the stern-faced academy official raised his voice: "Alright! Now you will line up and receive your badges. Afterwards, your pre-assigned teams will be announced. Three factors were considered when determining the teams: whether you know each other, the compatibility of your skills, and your individual strength."
Murmurs rose from the crowd. The official, ignoring them, continued: "While the first two factors are important, strength has always been the main determinant. The strong were paired with the strong, and the weak with the weak. Remember, in this trial, who you stand with is more important than who you stand against."
Eren cast a brief glance at Kayra. Then, without hesitation, he raised his hand.
Eren: "May I ask something? What exactly do you mean by what you just said... the issue of 'whether people know each other'?"
The official replied without turning around or changing his expression: "Simple. Candidates who already knew each other were not placed on the same team. The aim is to measure how quickly you can adapt to different conditions."
Kayra turned to Eren. His eyes widened for a moment. The same surprise was on Eren's face.
Kayra, in a low voice: "Yes... this was definitely unexpected."
Approximately ten minutes later, they were lined up by the academy official. The line slowly moved forward. Kayra was behind Eren. When it was Eren's turn, the official carelessly pinned the badge on him, just like the others, and announced the number written on it: 128. Eren sat on a bench in the courtyard.
When the badge pinning was finished, the Academy official said: "On the back of your badges, there will be 3 numbers and a room number. The owners of those numbers are your teammates. You will go to that room and meet. If you pass the trial, your accommodation will be provided in those rooms."
Eren took off his badge and looked at the back. Room number 003. Since the numbers 89, 108, 1, 003 were written, the room should be on this floor, the ground floor. Eren stood up and took a step forward. As he took his second step, he bumped into someone slightly taller than him. The person in front of him was about 1.80m tall, with straight, medium-length hair and green eyes that bordered on green. Without saying anything to Eren, he turned around and walked away. Eren began to search for room 003 on the ground floor. After a long search that lasted about 20 minutes, he found the room and opened its door. Inside, one person caught his attention; the boy he had bumped into in the courtyard was also here.
When Eren opened the door, three pairs of eyes turned to him. The first thing that caught his attention was the young man he had collided with in the courtyard. He was leaning against the bed, twirling his badge on his finger. He looked up at Eren.
Dean: "So you ended up in our room too."
Eren frowned.
Eren: "The boy who jumped in front of me in the courtyard... Was that you?"
Dean smiled slightly.
Dean: "Jumped in front of you? You walked into me."
Eren looked as if he was about to lunge forward but restrained himself.
Eren: "I guess we're on the same team now. So you're lucky."
Dean narrowed his eyes, his voice sarcastic: "Lucky? You're the lucky one. I'm the strongest person you'll find around here."
The girl broke the tension filling the room. She stood up and intervened.
Mira: "I'm Mira. Tracking, reconnaissance, scouting are my specialties. And isn't it a bit early to be fighting?"
Dean shrugged his shoulders.
Dean: "We're not fighting. Where did you get the idea that I would pay attention to someone as weak as him?"
Rowan, who had been silent until then, finally sat up from his bed.
Rowan: "I'm Rowan. I specialize in magic. And personally, it's going to be tough for a team that tries to tear each other's throats out as soon as they walk in."
Eren clenched his teeth, then took a deep breath and relaxed a little.
Eren: "Eren. I use swords and guns. And Rowan, I hope it won't be as tough as you say."
Dean smiled slightly but said nothing else. The silence continued for a while longer.
Just then, a loud announcement echoed from outside: "Attention! The power rankings of all candidates have been announced. Lists have been posted on the boards!"
Murmurs rose in the corridors. Candidates slammed doors as they rushed to the boards. Silence fell over the room, then Mira was the first to move.
Mira: "I think we all need to see this."
They all went out together. A giant parchment was hung in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by a crowd. People searched for their names, nudged each other, and shouted with disappointment or joy.
Then the murmur of the crowd suddenly ceased. Everyone's eyes shifted to the same spot. Four names were written side by side at the top of the rankings:
Dean Guilliman Team 3 Eren Duskhaven Team 3 Kayra Karahan Team 5 Mira Emberfall Team 3 Rowan Thornveil Team 3
Whispers rose: "Four of the top five are on the same team?!"
"They're practically going to be the academy's favorites..."
"Or did they intentionally put them together?"
Eren's heart pounded as he felt people's gazes on him. Dean, however, merely crossed his arms and smiled.
Dean: "I told you I was the strongest person here. But this could cause problems for us."
Eren was still reeling from the shock of being ranked higher than Kayra.
Eren: "What?"
Dean had adopted a calm but very serious demeanor. His expression was as if he had seen the face of someone he disliked intensely.
Dean: "What I mean is, since we are at the top of the rankings, they will put the most pressure on us during the entrance exam. Anyway, it's good that you three ended up together. Remember, I'm only on your side for the exam. After that, you're just part of the crowd to me."