The Freshman Trial wasn't a test of honor. It was a resource allocation simulation.

  That was Julian's conclusion as he stood in the Great Plaza, surrounded by three hundred nervous teenagers.

  Most of them were decked out in family heirlooms—enchanted breastplates, wands glowing with fire essence, and rings that boosted mana recovery. They looked like walking treasuries.

  Julian looked down at his own gear.

  * Standard Issue Grey Robe (Defense: 1)

  * Iron Shortsword (Modified with a coarser edge for vibration conduction)

  * 10x Low-Grade Mana Stones (Pouch)

  * The Sonic Lancet (Hidden in sleeve)

  "Pathetic," a voice sneered from his left.

  It was Kaelen, the Fire-Affinity student who had nearly burned down the lecture hall on day one. He was wearing crimson armor that probably cost more than Julian's entire life earnings. "Bringing a rusty piece of iron to the Trial? Just forfeit now, F-Grade. Save the medics the trouble of scraping you off the pavement."

  Julian adjusted his glasses. He didn't see Kaelen. He saw a variable.

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  [Target: Kaelen]

  [Defense: High Thermal Resistance]

  [Weakness: Arrogance / Acoustic Conductivity of Plate Armor]

  "Armor is only as good as the person inside it," Julian replied calmly. "And metal is an excellent conductor of shockwaves. You might want to pad your helmet."

  Kaelen scowled, his hand sparking with flame, but before he could escalate, a booming voice echoed over the plaza.

  "SILENCE!"

  The Dean stood on the floating platform above them. "The Trial is simple. You will be teleported into the Blackwood Expanse. Your goal is to collect Spirit Tokens from the beasts within. The more tokens, the higher your ranking."

  "Warning: The mortality rate is capped at 5%. If you are about to die, crush your escape crystal. You will be disqualified, but you will live."

  Julian gripped the small escape crystal in his pocket. *Disqualification means expulsion. Expulsion means poverty. Failure is not an option.*

  He felt a tug on his sleeve. It was Amelia. She looked pale.

  "Take this," she whispered, shoving a small copper disk into his hand. "It's a barrier prototype. It... it creates a bubble based on surface tension logic you taught me. It might block one hit."

  "Why help me?" Julian asked.

  "Because you're my research partner," Amelia hissed. "And I don't want to find a new one."

  "TELEPORTATION SEQUENCE INITIATING IN 3... 2... 1..."

  The world twisted. The sunlight of the plaza vanished, replaced by the damp, heavy air of a dense forest.

  Julian hit the ground, rolling to absorb the impact. He immediately scanned his surroundings.

  Tall black trees. Low visibility. And a sound... a low, chittering sound coming from directly behind him.

  Julian froze. He turned his head slowly.

  Ten yards away, rising from the shadows, was a **Dusk Spider**. It was the size of a carriage. Its eight eyes glowed with a predatory red light, and its mandibles dripped with venom.

  [Target: Dusk Spider]

  [Level: 8]

  [Status: Hungry]

  "Statistical probability of this spawn location: 0.03%," Julian whispered, drawing his modified sword.

  He didn't activate the Sonic Lancet yet. He needed to test the sword.

  The spider shrieked and lunged.

  Julian didn't crush his escape crystal. He did the math.

  "Let's dance."

  Author's Note: