I Refuse the Tragic Ending

The eastern training grounds of Astral Dominion Academy were unusually crowded. Hundreds of first-year students had gathered beneath the morning sky, filling the enormous courtyard with conversation as they inspected their equipment and discussed the examination that awaited them.

The atmosphere was noticeably different from an ordinary academy day. There were no training dummies, sparring arenas, or instructors preparing to intervene if a battle became too dangerous. Instead, dozens of reinforced transport carriages stood beyond the eastern gates, their surfaces covered in magical formations designed to carry the students deep into the wilderness.

Today, they would begin the Wilderness Survival Examination.

For most first-year students, it was one of the most anticipated examinations of the semester. Unlike their usual combat evaluations, this examination would test more than their ability to defeat an opponent. They would have to find food and water, establish a campsite, navigate unfamiliar terrain, manage their supplies, and survive encounters with magical beasts.

Kael Grayford stood quietly among the members of Team 37 while inspecting the equipment they had been issued. His team had received the standard supplies provided to every group, including rations, water containers, basic medical supplies, a compass, flint, rope, a small tent, a field knife, and several emergency signal crystals.

He checked everything carefully before placing the supplies into his backpack.

There was nothing particularly unfamiliar about the process.

During his previous life on Earth, Kael had spent two years training as a military reservist. Field exercises had been an ordinary part of that experience. He had learned how to establish temporary camps, ration supplies, navigate unfamiliar terrain, maintain watch, move through difficult environments, and function despite exhaustion.

Sleeping on the ground was hardly something he looked forward to, but it was not an experience that frightened him either. Compared with some of the exercises he had endured during his military training, spending three days in the wilderness was manageable.

Of course, this was not Earth.

The wilderness waiting beyond the academy was filled with magical beasts, unfamiliar plants, and dangers that did not exist in his previous world.

Fortunately, Kael possessed another advantage.

He knew Emerald Forest.

Not because of his military training, but because of Eclipse Hearts.

The Wilderness Survival Examination took place in an area that had appeared relatively early in the game. Kael remembered the general layout of the forest, the locations of several freshwater sources, the habitats of common magical beasts, useful herbs, suitable campsites, and even a handful of hidden locations.

His military experience taught him how to survive in the wilderness. His memories of the game told him where to survive.

Together, the two gave him a considerable advantage.

”You’ve been checking that backpack for quite a while.”

Kael glanced to the side and found Elias watching him with a curious expression.

”I’m making sure I didn’t forget anything.”

”I understand that, but aren’t you bringing a little too much?” Elias asked. ”Do you really think we’ll need all of this?”

They were just going to stay there for three days, but Kael brought supplies that could last five to seven days at most.

Kael looked down at the supplies spread around him before calmly answering.

”Maybe. But I’d rather carry something I don’t end up using than realize I need it after it’s already too late.”

Elias stared at him.

Kael adjusted the straps of his backpack and continued checking the contents.

”Think about it. We’re going into the wilderness with limited access to supplies. If something goes wrong, we can’t just run to a store and buy what we need.”

Elias blinked.

”That’s a strange way to think about it.”

Kael shrugged.

”It’s called being prepared.”

Elias could only sigh.

Kael’s way of thinking really was different from everyone else’s. Most students seemed focused on carrying only what they expected to need. Kael, on the other hand, prepared as though every possible problem had already been waiting for them in the wilderness.

”I already hate this examination.”

Kael almost smiled.

Before he could respond, laughter came from nearby.

”Hahaha! Seriously, Grayford?”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

”What?”

Victor pointed at the backpack.

”You brought all of that?”

Kael glanced down at it.

”What if I did?”

”For three days?”

”So?”

Victor looked at his companions.

”Did someone tell him the examination lasts three months?”

Several students laughed. One of them looked at Kael’s backpack and shook his head.

”Maybe he thinks we’re going to establish a permanent settlement.”

Another laughed.

”Look at all those supplies. Food, water, rope, medicine. What else did you bring? A bed?”

”I considered it,” Kael replied calmly.

The laughter briefly stopped. Victor stared at him. Kael continued checking his equipment with a completely serious expression.

”But I decided it would be inconvenient to carry,” he added.

Elias covered his mouth, barely managing to suppress a laugh.

Victor’s expression darkened.

”You actually think you need all that?”

”I guess so.”

Victor frowned.

This idiot.

”You’re not even certain?”

”Yeah. I think there’s a reasonable chance I won’t need most of it.”

”Then why bring it?”

Kael looked at him as though the answer were obvious.

”Because I might.”

Victor scoffed.

”That’s ridiculous. You’re going to slow your entire team down carrying all that useless junk.”

”That’s none of your business.” Kael tightened one of the straps. ”But if I need something and don’t have it, being lighter won’t make the situation better.”

Victor stared at him.

For a moment, he seemed unable to decide whether Kael was being serious or deliberately provoking him.

Then he laughed.

”Fine. Carry your entire house with you. Maybe the monsters will be impressed.”

He turned his attention toward the rest of Team 37. His eyes moved across Kael’s teammates one by one.

None of them looked particularly impressive. They were students who had consistently ranked near the bottom of their year in combat evaluations, and their nervous expressions did little to improve the impression they gave.

Victor’s gaze eventually settled on Kael.

His smile widened.

”Well, this is quite a team.”

Kael said nothing.

Victor folded his arms.

”I heard Team 37 is made up almost entirely of bottom-tier students.”

One of Kael’s teammates frowned.

”So?”

”Nothing.”

Victor shrugged as though the matter did not concern him.

”I was just wondering how long you expect this team to survive.”

Several students nearby began paying attention.

Victor continued, ”Three days in the wilderness isn’t the same as fighting inside the academy. Especially for someone like you.”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

”Someone like me?”

”A pampered noble.”

Victor laughed.

”You grew up in a mansion, didn’t you? Servants probably handled everything for you.”

Victor was not entirely wrong. According to Kael’s memories, when he was young, his family had doted on him. Everything changed, however, after they discovered how pathetic his Hero Core was. Their attention gradually faded, as if his low potential had made him far less interesting in their eyes.

His father still provided him with plenty of money, but Kael suspected it had less to do with affection and more with maintaining the Grayford family’s reputation. After all, a noble family could hardly afford to let its own son appear impoverished.

But what Victor didn’t see coming was that he wasn’t the Kael he used to know.

A student standing beside him chuckled.

”Maybe he’s never even slept outside.”

”Forget sleeping. Does he even know how to make a fire?”

”His servants probably did that too.”

The surrounding students laughed.

Kael’s teammates looked increasingly irritated, but Kael remained calm. Victor was making assumptions based on Kael’s background, and there was no reason to correct him.

Victor interpreted his silence differently.

”You don’t have anything to say?”

Kael looked at him.

”I don’t see the point.”

Victor smiled.

”Then I’ll make a prediction for you.”

He turned toward the students who had gathered around them.

”Team 37 will be the first team eliminated.”

Several students laughed.

Victor raised a finger.

”Before sunset.”

The laughter grew louder.

”Once the sun goes down, they’ll realize the wilderness isn’t as comfortable as their academy dormitory.”

Someone from the crowd called out, ”Don’t forget to bring your servants, Grayford!”

Elias and Darius clenched their fists.

Kael calmly placed the last piece of equipment into his backpack before looking at Victor.

”Are you finished?”

Victor’s smile faded slightly.

”Why?”

”Because we’re wasting time.”

For a moment, Victor simply stared at him.

Then he laughed.

”Fine. Enjoy your last few hours of comfort.”

Victor turned and walked away with his group, leaving a trail of laughter behind them.

Kael watched them disappear into the crowd.

”That guy is unbearable,” Elias muttered.

”Yes.”

”Doesn’t it bother you?”

Kael adjusted the straps of his backpack.

”Not particularly.”

His military training had taught him that confidence before an exercise meant very little once the exercise actually began. The people who talked the most were not necessarily the ones who performed the best.

Another teammate looked at him.

”Are you really not worried?”

Kael glanced toward the forest map displayed above the training grounds.

”No. There’s no point. Let’s just focus on the upcoming examination.”

His calm answer surprised them.

Kael was not someone who was easy to ragebait.

He had spent far too much time on the internet dealing with every kind of keyboard warrior imaginable, from people who argued over nothing to those who seemed to treat provoking strangers as a daily hobby. After years of exposure, he had developed a rather thick skin.

Compared to those people, Victor was barely an amateur. It was like comparing an adult to a child. And unfortunately for Victor, he was the child.

A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

”Grayford.”

He turned and saw Seraphina approaching. She glanced at his equipment before meeting his eyes.

”Are you prepared?”

”I think so.”

Her eyebrows lifted slightly.

”You are not sure?”

Kael nodded.

Seraphina hesitated.

She had always believed in Kael’s dedication to training. She had seen him exercise before dawn, watched him push his body beyond its previous limits, and witnessed him slowly improving.

His progress had been undeniable. However, this examination was different.

”You’ve never done anything like this before, have you?”

Kael considered the question. Technically, he had. Just not in this life.

”Maybe I have. Maybe I haven’t.”

Seraphina noticed the unusual wording.

”What does that mean?”

”Nothing.”

If this were still a game, he would have already been calculating the best response, making sure each one had the highest chance of increasing her favorability. He would have treated the conversation like another optimization problem, just as he had done countless times in Eclipse Hearts.

But this was no longer a game. These people were real, and so were the consequences of his choices. More importantly, conquering the heroines was no longer his main objective. Surviving came first. And he knew all too well that surviving in this world required more than simply following the game’s original route.

Kael looked toward the forest. Seraphina followed his gaze.

”You understand that this isn’t simply another combat examination?”

”Yes.”

Kael nodded.

”You’ll need to manage food and water, build a proper shelter, navigate unfamiliar terrain, keep watch at night, and deal with magical beasts. But you can’t solve everything by fighting.”

Kael looked at her.

”I know that too.”

He awkwardly scratched the side of his face, even though it did not itch.

For some reason, Seraphina suddenly sounded less like a fellow student and more like a worried parent giving him a list of things he absolutely should not mess up.

Kael found it strangely amusing. At the same time, he could not help wondering why she was so concerned about him.

’Could it be that she had fallen for me?’

Kael quickly got rid of the idea. However, thinking about it, if Seraphina became his girlfriend, not only he got a dependent girlfriend but also a mother. It’s a win-win situation.

’No no no. That’s impossible. This cold beauty should be the most hard to conquer of all heroines in Eclipse Hearts.’

Seraphina didn’t know what was running through his mind. She just fell silent. Even so, she could not completely suppress her doubts. She believed in his training. She simply wasn’t certain that training alone had prepared him for three days in the wilderness.

Kael’s sudden dedication to improve himself caught her attention. For her, those who worked hard to improve themselves were worthy of respect, whether it was Kael or not.

”Just be careful,” she said.

Kael smiled and nodded.

”I will.”

He almost wanted to add ”mom” at the end of his words. But Kael managed to avoid himself from doing it. He couldn’t imagine what her reaction would be if he did that.

Would she beat him?

Probably not but it would be awkward afterwards.

”And don’t take unnecessary risks, okay?”

Kael nodded.

”I won’t.”

Kael couldn’t help but feel warmth that someone was concerned about him. Seraphina studied him for another moment before returning to her team.

Kael watched her leave.

It looked like even Seraphina had doubts about him this time. He couldn’t blame her. She had no idea about his circumstances.

Boing!

A bell suddenly rang across the eastern training grounds, drawing everyone’s attention toward the raised platform.

Professor Vista stepped forward. In the Eclipse Hearts, it was Professor Magnus who came forward. But for some reason, he didn’t return yet.

”The Wilderness Survival Examination will begin in 30 minutes.”

The conversations gradually died down.

Professor Vista raised one hand, and a massive magical projection appeared above the platform. A detailed map of Emerald Forest unfolded before the students, displaying the examination zone and several designated areas.

”Each team will be assigned a starting location within the examination zone.”

Several regions of the forest were highlighted.

”You will remain inside the examination area for five days.”

Hearing it, the students looked confused.

”F-Five days?” One of them immediately asked.

She represented everyone’s thoughts at this point.

Unexpectedly, the student looked familiar to Kael. It was Jeanneth who he had met at the library a few days ago.

Kael also noticed Lilith among the crowd. Each one of them were along with their teams. Leon was also present, surrounded by his followers who idolized him like a celebrity.

”Yes. It’s five days. The academy just decided it.”

”What?”

”That’s unfair.”

”Right?”

”How could this be?”

Professor Vista watched at the growing noise as if amused. Then he raised a hand in the air.

”Silence.”

Immediately, the noise disappeared.

”You’re right. It was stated before that it was three days. And you were issued some supplies to prepare. But no one prevented you from preparing more supplies than three days worth. Also, there’s a reason why it’s called survival.”

The students all turned pale.

Victor and his team, on the other hand, looked at Kael’s direction as if he couldn’t believe how lucky Kael was. Their provocation backfired at them.

Did Kael pay a huge sum of money to get this information? He gritted his teeth. He couldn’t believe Kael had predicted this change in plan.

Everyone looked surprised and worried. Kael understood their worries. Everyone prepared supplies good for three days only. Even if they ran to prepare additional supplies, it would already be too late.

But Professor Vista’s words were right. They could have prepared more supplies because anything could happen, especially in the wilds.

Seeing the students fell silent, ”Alright. Let’s continue,” Professor Vista said.

Then the projection changed, displaying the examination objectives.

”Your team will receive points for survival, resource gathering, magical beast hunting, rescue operations, and completion of designated objectives.”

The students listened carefully.

”Each team must establish a temporary campsite, maintain adequate supplies, and reach the designated extraction point before the examination concludes.”

Several students exchanged looks. Before, most of them were excited and confident, but now however, most of them were worried.

Professor Vista’s expression became more serious.

”Do not mistake this examination for a simple competition.”

The projection changed again, displaying images of magical beasts inhabiting Emerald Forest. Some were relatively small. Others were enormous.

”Your opponents are not limited to the other teams. The wilderness itself is part of the examination.”

The students became noticeably quieter. Kael stared at the map. He recognized the terrain immediately.

Several locations were exactly where he remembered them from Eclipse Hearts. The freshwater spring near the western ridge was there. The dense cluster of Moonleaf was there. Even the old hunting trail remained in roughly the same location.

Then Kael noticed something that made his expression change. The eastern boundary. He stared at it for several seconds. The map was almost identical to the one he remembered from the game. But this time, the examination boundary extended several hundred meters farther east than it should have.

That area had never been included in the original examination.

Kael narrowed his eyes.

That’s strange. Perhaps the academy had simply changed the examination area since the game’s events.

That was possible.

The real world did not have to follow the game’s exact settings. Still, the difference bothered him. Professor Aldrin continued explaining the rules.

”Every student will receive an emergency signal crystal. Activating it will immediately withdraw you from the examination.”

Kael listened until the briefing ended. Most of the rules were exactly as he remembered. Yet he could not stop thinking about that extended boundary.

Eventually, Professor Vista lowered his hand.

”Prepare yourselves. The gates will open in thirty minutes.”

The students returned to their teams and made their final preparations. Kael adjusted his backpack before looking toward the eastern wilderness. The forest stretched beyond the academy walls, vast and silent beneath the morning sky.

He had experience surviving in the field. He knew the examination area. And he knew the creatures they were likely to encounter. There was no reason to feel nervous. And yet, that small discrepancy on the map continued to bother him.

Thirty minutes later, the eastern gates opened.

The transport carriages began moving, carrying hundreds of first-year students away from Astral Dominion Academy and toward the depths of Emerald Forest.

Behind them, the academy gates slowly closed. Ahead waited five days of wilderness survival. For Kael, however, there was already one question he could not ignore.

What will be the outcome of this examination?