The Author's POV

Soon after the professor initiated the simulation, my surroundings started to change.

Thick lush trees started appearing from beneath my feet followed by soft and crumbly soil that caused my feet to slowly sink.

My visibility slowly started getting blocked by the towering trees that started sprouting from the ground at an incredible speed.

Extending my hand forward to touch a tree, I was immensely surprised by the realistic sensation that spread through my fingers. Running my hand along the tree trunk it felt like I was touching the lines and wrinkles of an old man's face. It had an uneven surface where I could feel the flaky nature of the dark exterior, that crumbled and peeled, with a crackling sound at the slightest pressure exerted by my fingers.

It almost felt like I was touching the real thing.

It didn't feel like I was touching a bunch of codes, but an actual tree.

"How intriguing..."

[Rank 1750 Ren Dover - Team points: 6]

As I was busy being mesmerized by how realistic the trees were, a notification popped up in front of me.

Seeing the notification, I quickly swiped left to discard it and fell into deep thought.

The game was simple.

Each student had one point, and every time a teammate died the team would lose a team point.

The teams that reached 0 points would then be automatically eliminated and hence lose the game.

The only way to gain points was through completing the hidden tasks available on the map.

At the end of the test, there will be a ranking list that ranks the teams in accordance with their performance.

Taking a good look at my surroundings, my teammates were nowhere in sight.

In fact, although the professor never mentioned this to us when briefing us on the rules, I already knew that everyone was going to be separated from each other.

Well, I was the one who created the scenario in the first place.

The main goal of this test was to survive for 1 hour.

Although it sounded easy, it was in fact not. If it were that easy what sort of test would this be?

The lack of information provided by the professor was intentional because this essentially meant that there was only 1 rule.

And that was to 'survive'

Each person was directly given a weapon, which was automatically given to them depending on the weapon that they had registered on the first day of the academy.

In my case, a sleek black katana rested on the side of my hips.

-Shua! -Shua!

Swinging it a couple of times to adjust myself to the weight of the sword, I nodded in satisfaction.

It feels identical to the katana provided to us by the academy.

Sheathing the katana back into the scabbard, I warily glanced towards my surroundings.

When telling us the rules, the professor never mentioned anything apart from the fact that you must survive, and the more teammates survive with you at the end of the test, the more points your team had.

He purposely left out the details in regards to killing, and because of this, the students automatically assumed that killing was allowed.

Which was his true purpose.

said before, Professor Thibaut's goal was to further divide the line between the 'competent' and 'incompetent' students. This was so that he

he could easily lure students into making a pact

to turn this test into a hunting party for the

lucky, professor Thibaut could fabricate a couple of scenarios where some talented individuals built a grudge against each

building a grudge against

someone ranked in the hundred's challenged Kevin and lost miserably, their pride would cause them to build a grudge against Kevin, not because he was strong,

arrogant individuals would of course not accept their defeat

passes and they slowly realize the gap between themselves and Kevin's overwhelming talent, they fall into depravity and despair

would finally make his move by offering them

the offer a make a pact would be made, and a new

test was

to get

I was technically a cheat, and thus knew the general features of the

surrounded by trees...I should be on the east side of the

the north side on top of the mountains, while Emma is on the south side where the desert is located...Melissa and Amanda should both be on the west side near the ocean, thus meaning

get a good grasp of the main character's locations, I started to formulate a plan regarding my next course of

was not because I was obsessed with them, no, rather it's because all the events that will happen will be centered

predict what happened to them, but not what will happen to me, as I have never written anything outside of the scope of the

good grasp on what the protagonists were up to, I could make a rough estimate

simulations of beasts will be roaming the map preventing me

another thing that the

never expected that the creature that was hunting them could perceive their

made so that students wouldn't only focus on hiding, but actually try to develop survival skills for situations where they were being hunted

surroundings before

slight conflict with Jin, but they then decide to work together when they encounter a

thus to make my way towards the center where a large group will be gathering,

I quickly discard

people were definitely going to gather at the

my rank were to go there, the only options I had were to either directly get

me with

reuniting with my group, or complete a hidden task so that even if I die I will

Moreover just because I know what will happen, doesn't mean I know

I follow him there, he won't kill me, but he'll definitely find ways to make things

As for the rest?

have the slightest idea of where they

this leaves me with only

Complete the hidden task.

the map. One in the north, south, east, west, and center

task was different, moreover, the difficulty of the task should be something that a rank

if I was

wasn't just your regular rank 1750, I decided to

I thought

fact, I actually don't have a clue as to where the hidden task was

was, I knew nothing about this place. Apart from the fact that this was a forest-type terrain and that there was a hidden

only harden myself and aimlessly walk to where I thought the hidden

of where the hidden tasks could be located, allowing me to have

K. Johnson has died - Team points:

located, I saw a notification once again emerge on the corner of my view, prompting me to

you were ignoring

really see our team having more than 2-3 points which would put

bad score, but for someone like Arnold, this could be considered a humiliating score, which will result in more troublesome

to be honest, I really don't want to involve myself with

because of the annoying things that could come as a consequence of my actions. Moreover, if he really wanted to, he could use some of his influence to directly affect

if that were

say I knew many ways to get rid of some stray dogs that didn't know their place.