The morning sun broke through the canopy, casting a warm glow on the faces of the Awakened gathered in the clearing. About 25 of them remained, their numbers dwindled by the relentless challenges of the Tutorial. Lleyn sat with Elena, Dorian, Selene, Lyria, and Aric, his eyes scanning the faces around him. Each one told a story of struggle, loss, and the desperate will to survive.

Aric stood up, his armor clinking softly. "Listen up, everyone. We've lost too many people, and we can't afford to lose any more. We need a leader, someone to guide all of us through this hellish Tutorial."

All eyes turned to Lleyn. He felt their gazes like a physical weight, each one filled with varying degrees of expectation, hope, and desperation. Elena, his only family here, looked at him with a complex mix of emotions that he couldn't quite decipher.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again," Lleyn began, locking eyes with Aric. "I'm not your leader. I won't be anyone's leader."

Aric's eyes narrowed. "We're talking about the lives of everyone here, Lleyn. Don't you care about that?"

Lleyn paused, choosing his words carefully. "I care about survival, Aric. My survival and Elena's. That's my priority."

The air grew thick with tension. Aric sighed, his shoulders dropping ever so slightly. "Fine. If you won't step up, then I will. These people need someone, even if you don't think it should be you."

With that, Aric turned and walked away, moving toward the larger group of Awakened who had been listening intently. As he left, Lleyn felt the eyes of his team—especially Elena's—boring into him.

Dorian broke the silence. "So, what now? We just let Aric take over?"

"We focus on ourselves," Lleyn replied, his voice tinged with finality. "We train, we get stronger, and we survive. That's all that matters."

Selene looked at him, her eyes searching. "And what about the rest? The other Awakened?"

"They're not our concern," Lleyn said, cutting her off. "Our concern is to make it through this, whatever it takes."

As the group dispersed, each absorbed in their own thoughts, Lleyn felt Elena's eyes on him. He met her gaze, seeing the unspoken questions there. He knew he owed her an explanation, but not now. For now, he had made his choice, and he would live with the consequences, whatever they might be.

As he watched Aric assume the mantle of leadership for the remaining Awakened, Lleyn couldn't help but wonder about the path he had chosen. He had refused to lead, to take on the responsibility for lives other than his own and Elena's. It was a choice that would define him, for better or worse, as they navigated the perilous days ahead in the Tutorial.

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Aric's voice echoed through the clearing as he began organizing the larger group of Awakened, assigning roles and responsibilities. Lleyn watched from a distance, his thoughts a complex web of emotions and calculations. He turned to his team, who had been quietly observing the unfolding dynamics.

The clearing buzzed with the sounds of metal clashing and concentrated breathing. Lleyn stood at its center, surveying his team as they engaged in various training exercises. Though he had no intention of leading, he recognized the importance of guiding them in honing their skills.

"Dorian, Selene, spar with each other. But remember, this is about technique, not brute force. We can't afford injuries," Lleyn instructed, pointing to a flat area of the clearing.

Dorian gripped his axe, and Selene readied her spear. They circled each other cautiously before their weapons met in a series of calculated strikes and parries. Dorian's axe had the advantage in blocking and deflecting, easily handling Selene's more straightforward spear thrusts. Selene's eyes narrowed in concentration as she adapted her movements, learning from each interaction.

Satisfied with their progress, Lleyn turned to Elena, who was practicing her aim with her crossbow. "Elena, focus on your breathing. Synchronize it with your trigger pull. And try shooting while moving; a stationary target is an easy target."

Elena nodded, absorbing Lleyn's advice. She moved laterally, crossbow aimed, and released a bolt while in motion. It hit closer to the center of the target, a clear improvement. Lleyn nodded approvingly, pleased with her progress.

Finally, Lleyn approached Lyria, who looked puzzled as she held her staff. "What's the issue, Lyria?" he asked.

"It's this staff," she replied. "I activated its special skill, and while the bolt was powerful, it didn't land where I was aiming."

Lleyn examined the staff, its intricate runes glowing softly. "Magic weapons often require a deeper connection with their wielders. Have you tried focusing more intently on your target?"

"I've just tried twice, but it's like the staff has a mind of its own," Lyria said, frustration coloring her voice.

Lleyn feigned a thoughtful look. "You know, I've read novels and played games where magic users meditate to better understand their abilities. Maybe you could try that? Since the Mana Bolt is created from your mana, you should be able to control its direction the same way you channel mana into the staff."

Lyria looked skeptical but intrigued. "Meditation, you say? Well, it's worth a try."

She closed her eyes, taking deep, measured breaths. Her grip on the staff relaxed, and she seemed to enter a state of deep concentration. After a moment, she opened her eyes, aimed the staff at a distant tree, and released the magic. The bolt of energy shot out and, to everyone's surprise, curved in the air, hitting the tree exactly where she had intended.

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"Wow, it worked!" Lyria exclaimed, her eyes wide with astonishment and delight.

"Good. Now do it again. Five more times," Lleyn instructed, watching as she repeated the process. Each time, the bolt obeyed her will, curving and twisting through the air before hitting the target.

After the seventh successful shot, Lleyn raised his hand. "Stop. How do you feel?"

"I feel... drained," Lyria admitted, looking a bit pale.

"That's enough for today. If your mana goes below zero, you could collapse from exhaustion. Always keep track of your limits," Lleyn cautioned.

Lyria nodded, grateful for the advice. "Thank you, Lleyn. I feel like I've made real progress today."

Lleyn turned back to Lyria. "For the rest of the training, focus on meditation. Try to sense the flow of mana within you. Understanding that flow will help you control your magic better."

Lyria nodded and sat down, closing her eyes to meditate. Lleyn then moved on to oversee Selene and Dorian's sparring session. Hours passed, the sun moving steadily across the sky. Just as Lleyn was correcting Selene's spear grip, Lyria's voice called out.

"Lleyn, I think something happened!"

He walked over to find Lyria's eyes open, a look of wonder on her face. "I felt something click while I was meditating. I got a skill—Mana Sense."

Lleyn smiled, genuinely pleased. "Excellent work, Lyria. That skill will serve you well."

As the day drew to a close, Selene and Dorian, both exhausted from their intense sparring, discovered they had acquired new skills as well—Spear Mastery Lv1 for Selene and Axe Mastery Lv1 for Dorian.

"Good job, both of you," Lleyn praised, clapping his hands together. "These skills will make you more effective in combat."

It was then that he noticed Elena, standing off to the side, her expression crestfallen. "Elena, what's wrong?"

"I didn't get any skills," she said, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Lleyn approached her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You've been focusing on aim and movement, not sparring like Selene and Dorian. It's natural that your skill acquisition would lag a bit. Just keep polishing your aim; you'll grow in the upcoming fights."

Elena nodded, but her eyes still held a trace of worry. "I understand, but I feel so vulnerable in melee fights. I barely have enough time to reload my crossbow."

Lleyn considered her words carefully. "That's a valid concern. But remember, every role is crucial. Your ranged attacks provide us with an advantage that melee fighters can't offer. As we progress, we'll find ways to cover those vulnerabilities. For now, focus on what you excel at."

Elena nodded, her eyes meeting Lleyn's. "Thank you, Lleyn. I'll do my best."

"And that's all we can do," Lleyn said, looking at his team—tired but stronger, each one finding their place in this unforgiving world. "Rest up; tomorrow is another day."

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The campfire flickered and crackled, casting a warm glow on the faces of the weary adventurers. The scent of roasting boar filled the air, a feast courtesy of Lleyn's hunting skills. As they sat in a circle, each lost in their thoughts, Lleyn broke the silence.

"You know, this reminds me of simpler times," he began, turning a skewer of meat over the fire. "Times when the biggest worry was what to have for dinner, not whether you'd live to see another day."

Selene looked up, her eyes meeting the dancing flames. "I can relate. I used to be a history teacher. I spent my days discussing the past, the rise and fall of civilizations. Now, I wonder if any of it even matters."

Dorian chuckled, his eyes twinkling in the firelight. "I was a mechanic. Spent my days under the hoods of cars, covered in grease and grime. Never thought I'd be here, swinging an axe instead of a wrench."

Lyria, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "I was a psychology student. I wanted to understand the human mind, to delve into the complexities of behavior and emotion. And here we are, in a place that tests the very limits of our psyche."

Elena sighed, her gaze distant. "I was about to graduate in computer science. I had job interviews lined up, plans for the future. And then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed."

Aric cleared his throat, drawing the group's attention. "I was in sales. Sold everything from kitchen appliances to furniture. It's strange to think how those skills seem so trivial now, so disconnected from our current reality."

Selene looked at Lleyn, her eyes searching. "What about you, Lleyn? You've been guiding us, but you've never talked about yourself."

Lleyn took a bite of the cooked meat, savoring the flavor before speaking. "It's really not much.. I was doing odd jobs, wasting my money on drinking and gambling until not so long ago. In contrast, youou all have quite respectable, meaningful backgrounds."

The group looked at him, their eyes widening in surprise. They had all assumed he had a military or law enforcement background, given his leadership and survival skills.

Elena, eager to shift the mood, chimed in. "Well, he did turn his life around. He owns a large fitness and sports equipment store in the city now. 'Leo's Sporting Junction’."

Dorian's eyes widened, a look of recognition crossing his face. "Wait a minute, I've been to that store! It's top-notch, really high-end stuff. Though, to be honest, most of it was out of my price range."

Lleyn smiled, appreciating the change of topic. "Life is strange, isn't it? One moment you're down and out, and the next, you're here, in a life-or-death situation, drawing on skills and experiences you never thought would matter."

The group nodded, a newfound sense of camaraderie settling over them. They were a tapestry of past lives and lost dreams, now woven together by the harsh threads of their new reality.

"As much as our pasts define us, it's our present that matters now," Lleyn continued, his voice tinged with a solemnity that matched the gravity of their situation. "We're here, in this unforgiving place, and we have to make the best of it. We have to survive, not just for ourselves, but for each other."

The group fell silent, each lost in their thoughts, contemplating the weight of Lleyn's words. The fire seemed to burn brighter for a moment, as if fueled by their collective nostalgia, regrets, and newfound resolve.

"Tomorrow Auralis will probably come back with a new mission," Lleyn concluded, skewering another piece of meat and placing it over the fire. "Use this night wisely. Rest, recover, and prepare. The Tutorial is far from over, and we have a long, perilous road ahead. Phase 1 alone has 4 days of missions and God knows how many phases there are. I will do what I can to keep you all safe, but you will need to grow. Who knows when you will have to fight an enemy like that Ogre on your own."

One by one, they retreated to their sleeping spots, the fire's embers glowing softly in the darkness—a small but enduring symbol of their collective will to survive.

And so, the day came to an end. They were a mix of past lives and lost dreams, now bound together by the harsh realities of their new world. As they closed their eyes, the same thought echoed in their minds: Tomorrow is another day, another challenge, another step on the journey of survival.