Each of the snakes let out hissing sounds whose menacing tones reverberated as they surrounded the students. There were thirty students in the portal and nine professors from different universities. The professors distanced themselves, keenly observing the students and ready to evaluate their strengths.

This class of thirty was divided into six groups of five. One of the students, with a grin, muttered, "It's going to be fun." Just then, to his eyes, came a surprising scene; all rocks and pebbles surrounding them started to float in the air.

"Earth element beasts," Rook said, realization dawning on him. More surprising was the fact that all of a sudden the essence colors of all students changed. Each student had activated their affinity and drew weapons – spears, swords, bows, even blood reapers from small pouches.

"Are all of them affinity users? But how?" Rook's shock grew. Affinity could only be typically attained upon reaching D rank, yet all these students were at most E rank like him.

"Hey, use your essence like last time in the F rank portal," Ayush reminded Rook.

Without hesitation, Rook triggered his ability with his essence, heightening his senses. His essence flowed from the heart outwards, eventually reaching every part of his body, and it formed a thick layer of defense.

Ayush's expression changed into one of incredulity. Previously, Rook's essence layer was thin to the point that it was not visible; now it became a thick layer. Of course, what shocked Ayush wasn't only the thickness of Rook's essence layer; it was his rise in power over a few days.

The snakes constricted once more, their eyes gleaming with the intention to kill. Now obviously prepared, the students readied themselves against those beasts. All of them grasped their weapons confidently because they felt their affinities increasing their prowess.

Rook could feel the power coursing through him; all his senses had grown to an almost smothering degree. He felt each vibration that was in the ground, heard every possible stir of the dead grass, and even noticed every little twitch in the snakes' muscles. Still, like a shield, his essence layer on his body pulsed with energy, ready at all costs to protect him.

The first snake lunged, its jaws wide open, aiming for a student wielding a spear. The student reacted swiftly, thrusting the spear forward with incredible precision. The tip of the spear glowed with a green essence, as it stopped the attack of the snake but he wasn't able to harm that snake.

The spear heads clashed with snake scales; the metallic ring was indication of a chaos just beginning. Snakes bit with tails and bodies, others rising in mid-move to hurl stones like deadly missiles at the students from every angle.

The students didn't flinch in the slightest at their oncoming assault. Rook funneled his essence into his gun, and energy washed over him. The power this time was much different from that time before—now, air cracked at the end of the weapon with angry lightning.

Ayush drew a large sword from a small pouch. The blade was inscribed with golden sigils that pulsed, waving with streams of essence. His own turned into golden essence and merged with his sigils of the sword, started rotation, and glowed.

Within a second, Ayush stood in front of a snake. His sword held high over his head. "Blade!" he shouted and slashed down with the weapon. The air around the blade began to reheat and created an unstable whirlwind.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

As the sword slashed through the snake, a shockwave so strong that it blew both the snake and the students behind him some distance back erupted from the contact. Cracks appeared on the hard scales of that snake.

The other students barely watched Ayush's awesome display before returning to their fights. Rook's face twisted into a smile as his eyes fixed upon the cracked area of the snake. He pushed the lever of his gun and out came a condensed essence bullet with sonic speed.

Streaking blue, the bullet hit the crack with an explosive force that knocked the floor below, knocking three students off their feet. But Ayush stand still with help of his sword.

"Ahhhh!" one of the students in Rook and Ayush's group who had been knocked over for the second time shouted in frustration. He stood up, contortion on his face, a stream of anger. His essence surged through his blood reaper, immediately covering the weapon in flames so it had turned bright red.

The blood reaper student's swings became a blur of motion, each strike infused with furious fire essence. The snake's tough outer layer began to melt and weaken under the relentless assault. Seizing the opportunity, Rook and Ayush joined the fray, combining their efforts to bring down the beast.

Rook maintained a distance, firing precise shots with his lightning-infused gun, while Ayush and the blood reaper student engaged in close quarters.

As the snake writhed and hissed in pain, the other two students moved to assist another group. With coordinated attacks from Rook, Ayush, and the blood reaper student, the snake's outer layer finally shattered with a deafening crack. Ayush prepared for the finishing blow, channeling his essence to form a massive, ethereal sword in the air.

Rook, not to be outdone, activated the sigils on his own sword, manifesting a blade of pure energy. The two of them struck simultaneously. Ayush's spectral sword cleaved through the weakened scales, and Rook's energy blade sliced deep into the beast. The snake let out a final, tortured hiss before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

For a brief moment, a wave of relief and satisfaction washed over the three of them. They had successfully taken down a formidable opponent. But there was no time to rest. They quickly turned their attention to the other groups still struggling against the remaining snakes.

Rook and Ayush sprinted towards the nearest group. Ayush's golden sigils blazed brighter as he charged into the fray, his sword cutting through the air with a trail of fiery essence. Rook took aim with his gun, firing at any snake that dared to approach their comrades.

The battlefield was a whirlwind of action. The students fought with renewed vigor, emboldened by the sight of their peers' success. Each affinity user showcased their unique abilities, their combined efforts creating a dazzling display of elemental power.

Despite the intensity of the battle, the students remained focused. They adapted to each other's fighting styles, covering each other's weaknesses and amplifying their strengths. The once daunting task of facing six earth element snakes now seemed manageable.

As the final snake fell, a collective sigh of relief swept through the students. They had done it. The field was littered with the bodies of their defeated enemies, a testament to their skill and teamwork. Rook wiped the sweat from his brow, a satisfied smile on his face.

Ayush clapped him on the back. "We make a pretty good team, huh?"

Rook nodded, his eyes scanning the battlefield. "Yeah, we do."

The ground shook violently, causing every student's heart to skip a beat. A cold sweat dripped down the professors' faces as they stood a distance away. "Immediately reach the students!" Professor Arya shouted, her voice edged with urgency. The other professors, hearts pounding, used all their power to rush towards the students.

In an instant, the portal's interior transformed. What was once a vast expanse turned into a grand hall reminiscent of a king's palace, shrouded in darkness. The hall was eerie, lined with statues of cruel beasts, their eyes seemingly following the students.

Black mist swirled around, sending shivers down their spines. Rook sensed an overwhelming presence emanating from the throne at the far end of the hall. A human-like figure sat there, observing them with piercing purple, cat-like eyes.

Outside the portal, the once green vortex began to shift, slowly turning a deep, ominous red. Its size grew rapidly, expanding with an almost palpable menace. The officer stationed outside felt a chill run down his spine. He struggled to speak, his throat dry with fear. Finally, he managed to utter two words: "S-rank portal."