With Elysia on my team, I needed one more member. Most groups were already full. I sighed, knowing that being a commoner probably made this harder.

Even as a top student, there was always some resentment—jealousy or hostility, it didn't matter. What mattered now was finding the last member. Maybe a demi-human?

This world might claim equality, but old grudges were not so easily forgotten.

I had no other option.

Professor Grimgar's voice rang out. "Only 45 seconds left! If you don't have a team, be ready for the consequences!"

I spotted a high elf with a fencing sword and bow. Her platinum white hair and ocean-blue eyes stood out—unusual for her kind.

I walked up to her.

"Are you still looking for a team?"

The high elf glanced at me, her expression unreadable. "I am. And you?"

"I need one last member. If you don't have a group, we can team up."

She looked at me for a moment. "Why ask me? Surely there are others."

"Not anymore." I looked around the room. "And even if there were, I don't have time to be picky."

She let out a soft hum. "A human teaming up with an elf? You don't mind?"

"I don't mind. What matters is if they can contribute to the team. That's all."

She chuckled lightly. "Interesting. Very well, I'll join you. But don't expect me to follow orders blindly."

I nodded. "I understand."

Professor Grimgar's words echoed in the room, his voice harsh. "Now that everyone has teamed up, the combat training starts now. But, before that, I'd like to remind you that the person you chose to be your teammate will remain your squad until graduation. If I hear any talk of disbanding, I'll kill you myself! Do you understand, brats!"

The room went silent. Some students grumbled, but a single look from Professor Grimgar silenced them instantly. For me, though, nothing had changed—it seemed like I'd be working with Sylvia and Elysia for the next six years.

Elysia crossed her arms and looked at me, clearly annoyed. "You really chose her as your teammate?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with that? Sylvia's strong."

"She's a high elf, and you know it," Elysia said. "You could've chosen someone else."

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Sylvia, leaning casually against the wall, spoke up with a relaxed tone. "I'm strong enough. You should worry about yourself more than me."

I sighed. "Complaining won't change anything. Professor Grimgar made it clear—we're a team now."

Elysia hesitated, then sighed as well. "Fine... I'll deal with it. But only because I trust you, Kaiser."

Sylvia nodded calmly. "Same here. I'll do my part."

And with that, we reluctantly accepted the reality of the situation.

Professor Grimgar explained the rules for today's combat training: a battle royale combined with capture the flag. The objective was simple—steal the enemy's flag to win. Any method could be used to defeat the opponent, but killing was strictly prohibited. Anyone who crossed that line would be expelled from the academy.

"This is an ancient relic used by the academy to train students like you," Professor Grimgar said, activating the cube-like relic.

The scene shifted instantly, the training ground transforming into a dense, sprawling forest. The air smelled of earth and pine, and the sound of leaves rustling beneath our feet felt real, even though we knew it was all just an illusion.

"Listen up, brats. The forest is your battlefield. Once you step in, the training begins. The one with the most points wins. That's all."

Professor Grimgar's voice echoed as the students split into groups. He watched silently, his gaze sharp and cold.

"Where are we? Is this even possible? I've heard White Tiger Academy has ancient relics, but I never thought this could happen." Elysia muttered, her expression filled with disbelief.

"This place... it looks familiar. I feel like I've seen this forest before, but I can't remember when." Sylvia murmured, her brows furrowing in thought.

"..."

Relic.

A relic can be an object, a person, or an entity from legend, history, or folklore. Its existence depends on remembrance—so long as stories, records, and myths persist, the relic continues to exist.

The higher a relic's rank, the greater its status and influence in the world of relics. Its power strengthens as its origin becomes more widely known.

But if left forgotten, a relic fades. Without recognition, it eventually becomes nothing more than an ordinary antique.

"Are you paying attention, Kaiser? What's the plan?" Elysia asked.

Sylvia nodded with a smirk, readying her bow as she waited for my orders.

I grabbed a stick and a few rocks, arranging them into an X and O in a triangle formation on the ground. "I'll be X at the front. You two are O, covering my sides."

I pointed to Elysia. "You'll act as the decoy—mages are usually the first targets." Then, I turned to Sylvia. "You'll stay hidden and eliminate any threats that come our way."

"If either of you senses danger, respond immediately. Professor Grimgar is monitoring this forest, so at least no real harm will come to us."

Kaiser moved toward the forest, scouting the area while concealing himself in the bushes. Sylvia stood behind me, waiting patiently for the prey to appear. Elysia remained still, activating her magic detection. A magic circle formed, and the mana dispersed into the surrounding area. Moments later, Elysia detected three members of the same team—Raiden, Cain, and Finnian—moving cautiously through the forest.

"That commoner truly doesn't know his place. First, the academy acknowledges him, and now he has the audacity to stand beside Elysia and Sylvia as if he is their equal? It's laughable," Raiden scoffed.

"A stray dog clinging to nobles—pathetic. No matter how much favor he gains, he'll never be more than an outsider," Finnian chuckled.

"If he's weak, he'll fall like the rest," Cain smirked.

"It's infuriating. Elysia should have rejected him like before, but instead, she accepted his invitation. He's stolen her from me," Raiden muttered, clenching his fists.

"Still obsessing over her? Even after she embarrassed you?" Cain raised an eyebrow.

"That was then. I wasn't strong enough. But now, things will be different. If I defeat that commoner in front of her, she'll have no choice but to acknowledge me," Raiden gritted his teeth.

"There's nothing special about him. He'll break the moment you step in front of him," Finnian scoffed.

Just as they were speaking, they spotted Elysia—alone.

"Perfect. This time, I'll prove myself to her," Raiden sneered.

The three of them immediately moved to attack.

Then, in an instant—

The ground beneath them collapsed.

Dust filled the air as the three plummeted into a pitfall trap.

"What—?! Damn that bastard!" Raiden shouted.

"A trap? Tch… That commoner dares resort to such cowardice?" Cain scowled.

"You wretched—!" Finnian gritted his teeth.

Elysia looked down at them, her expression cold. Without a word, she raised her hand. A magic circle flared to life.

"Tier 2 spell—Consecutive Strike: Fire Arrow," Elysia said calmly.

Flames burst forth, raining down toward them.

At the same time, Sylvia whispered an incantation. A gentle breeze turned into a violent gale, and within moments—

A tornado descended upon them.

The last thing Raiden saw before being swept away was Elysia's indifferent gaze.

I picked up the red flag and smirked. I never expected my plan to work, though I didn't think those three would be weaker than I had anticipated. I handed the flag to Elysia, and she looked at me, confused.

"Why did you give it to me? Aren't you the leader?"

I replied calmly, "Because I trust you, Elysia."

Elysia was flustered, her cheeks flushing faintly. Is he stupid? Flirting at a time like this… This is why I can't stand commoners, she thought.

Sylvia, who had been watching, leaned in curiously and whispered, "Is that the only reason?"

"If I hold the flag, everyone will target me. It's better for Elysia to hold it. She's the greatest decoy. Now that she holds something important, everyone will probably think she's the leader. And that's when I strike. While they're focused on her, I'll take the enemy's flag," I answered.