Chapter 179: The Hunt Begins [Part 1] "Everyone, thank you for coming," a middle-aged man with graying hair said with a smile. "You may call me Professor Gareth, and I will be teaching you everything you need to know about survival." Professor Gareth regarded his students with a warm gaze, and yet Alex could tell that he was undoubtedly strong. It was not an overwhelming strength. No. It was a quiet power, usually seen in those who didn’t need to prove themselves to others, such as his master Cairo, who was currently traveling the kingdom of Avalon alongside Elaine and Efa. ’I wonder what is his rank?’ Alex thought. ’Maybe Rank 5 or Rank 6.’ It was nearly impossible for Alex to know how strong the person he was facing was. His appraisal skill only activated on Monsters, that he was seeing for the first time, and it didn’t work on humans, demi-humans, or any race that couldn’t be classified as monsters. Just like most classes in the academy, this class was a joint class of Class E up to Class C. Alex saw some familiar faces in Class E, notably Bob and his two sidekicks, Grint and Jorven. But since classes had just started, he decided he would talk to them at a later time. "As this is your first time in this class, I have prepared a special surprise for all of you," Professor Gareth stated. A glance was enough for him to see that most of the students looked bored, but he wasn’t worried because he had something in store that would motivate them to participate in the class. "Right now, we stand at the eastern entrance of the Mistral Weave Forest. I have asked some beast friends of mine to play a game with you guys. All of them possess a badge. Your goal is to retrieve these badges." Professor Gareth paused a little to see several students’ eyes lit up with interest. "Each badge has a different color, corresponding to different points. Red is one point, orange is three points, yellow is five points, and green is ten points. The rules of this game are simple. The one with the most points at the end of two hours will receive a thousand academy points from me." As soon as the academy points were mentioned, everyone’s gazes became serious. Professor Gareth smiled faintly because he finally had everyone’s attention now. "The second prize is two hundred points, and the third prize is a hundred academy points. I will now tell you the additional rules of this challenge. The first rule is that no killing is allowed. "You are not allowed to kill any of the beasts who hold these colored badges. Anyone who does will get a demerit of a thousand academy points. Second, you may steal the badges from your fellow students, but you are not allowed to give them serious injuries. "Those who break this rule will also get demerit points, and the severity of the punishment will depend on the severity of the student’s injury. In addition, you are only allowed to place the badges inside these pouches. If you try to store the badges inside your storage bags and storage rings, the badges will disappear. "Last, but not least, there are also special violet badges, which will give you a hundred points. However, it will be best that you don’t try to challenge the monsters carrying them because they might just accidentally kill you guys." Professor Gareth then lightly tapped a small table in front of him, which had several pieces of paper stacked on top of each other. "Since there is a possibility that you guys will challenge the strong monsters that are way above your league in an attempt to get the first prize, everyone is required to sign a death waiver. I don’t want to be blamed if any of you act cocky in the face of danger. "If you don’t want to participate, you may leave the class for today and come back next week. Well then, who wants to sign first?" Despite his warning, none of the students hesitated. All of them quickly lined up to sign their death waivers. When everyone had finished signing, Professor Gareth tucked the signed papers into a leather scroll case. "Once you enter the forest, the survival game will officially begin," Professor Gareth explained. "You will have two hours. No more, no less. The badges will automatically activate when the time is up and you’ll be summoned back here." He then pointed toward the towering treeline of the Mistral Weave Forest. Mist curled along the forest floor and eerie bird cries echoed through the foliage. "Inside that forest are dozens of beasts who have cooperated with me for years," Professor Gareth said calmly. "They won’t go easy on you just because you’re students. "They’ll hide, ambush, and flee just like real prey or predators in the wild. Remember, survival isn’t just about strength. It’s about awareness, adaptability, and knowing when to run. While my friends have been forbidden to kill any of you, that doesn’t mean that they won’t hurt you." Alex arched an eyebrow. ’I guess he included the death waivers just to see our resolve and bravery,’ he thought. Rigorous as Frieden Academy’s curriculum was, it didn’t seem like the sort that would turn a blind eye to Professors blithely sending inexperienced youths to their deaths as part of student orientation. "I have invited our nurses from the infirmary to patch you all up, so try not to die, okay?" Gareth continued. At those words, the twin nurses with long silver hair streaked with pale blue and violet waved at everyone. "All those who get injured will be beaten up by us," Lin declared, raising her right fist. "Don’t worry, we are professionals in beating people up without hurting them!" "Even if you feel pain, it is just an illusion," Rin commented. "We are very good at healing people, you know?" Most of the First Years still didn’t know who Lin and Rin were. However, it was just a matter of time before they became familiar with the twins’ tender loving care that consisted of a few slaps, a few punches, and a few kicks that would make them feel better. Alex’s expression turned solemn, not because of the twins, but because he suddenly received a mission quest. ——— < Hidden Quest Unlocked! > Mission: The Hunter and the Hunted Goal: Try to get as many badges as you can. Rewards: Will depend on the number of badges you acquired. ——— Seeing the contents of his quest, Alex took a deep breath and focused on the entrance of the forest. "Dim Dim, get ready to support me." "Dim Dim~" He could already sense the tension in the air as many students began activating buffs and checking their gear. Professor Gareth waited for a few minutes before he raised a hand. "One final reminder! This is not a group challenge. You may team up if you wish, but the points you earn will be tallied individually. So if you share the spoils, do so wisely." With that, he took a small bronze whistle from his coat pocket and brought it to his lips. A shrill note echoed through the clearing. "BEGIN!" The students surged forward, dashing into the misty forest with a mix of excitement and anxiety. Some moved in groups while others darted in alone, hoping to claim an early advantage. Alex walked at a calm pace. Bob, Grint, and Jorven passed by him in a rush. "Let’s goooo!" Bob shouted, leading his cronies forward. "You coming, Alex?" Grint called over his shoulder. Although they had only spent a short time together, they still shared a bond. "I’ll catch up later," Alex replied. "Do your best to stay alive, okay?" Grint smirked and waved the young man goodbye before catching up with Bob and Jorven. Alex glanced to his right just in time to see Charles disappear into the trees with a confident stride. Fran lightly tapped Alex’s shoulder before charging on ahead, moving to his left. She now considered Alex as a friend, so she wished him luck before heading inside the forest. As Alex finally entered the forest, a breeze rustled the leaves, carrying with it the scent of dew, wood, and something faintly... feral. He could vaguely sense dozens of gazes landing on him, some curious, some cunning, and some outright hostile. The hunt had begun for both the hunters and the hunted.