[INT. SHADOW WORLD – NIGHTFALL]
The blood-orange sky above the Illusion World dimmed into shades of violet as the sun finally disappeared over its jagged, dream-forged horizon.
It had been only a few hours since the competition began — and already, the illusion realm bared its teeth.
From the dense canopy of blackwood trees, two distant screams echoed.
Ray's eyes narrowed. "That sounded close."
Lyrion placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "But not one of ours."
Veloria activated a small rune suspended in her palm — a divine listening charm.
Moments later, her expression hardened. "Confirmed. Two eliminations… from the Elemental School's Team B."
The Light School team had kept close to their spawn point — a broken temple surrounded by a field of glowing stones. They'd used the time to secure the perimeter and plan.
The others… had scattered.
---
[EXT. VARIOUS REGIONS – ILLUSION WORLD]
In the southern marshes, one of the Elemental Team B members was swarmed by venom locusts — the illusion world's conjured beasts — while another fell victim to quicksand that wasn't quicksand at all, but a camouflaged monster that devoured from below.
Eight remained in that team now.
---
[INT. LIGHT SCHOOL TEAM CAMP – NIGHT]
The group had set up temporary shelter inside the stone temple ruins. A small enchantment dome surrounded them — enough to keep mid-tier illusion monsters at bay, but nothing more.
They'd eaten rations summoned through stored glyphs. They were tired — but alert.
Veloria stood beside Lyrion, frowning.
"There's no time limit," she whispered. "Only the number of participants must fall to sixty. That could take days… or more."
Aria nodded. "It's endurance. And pressure. They want to break our rhythm."
Lyrion turned to the others. "We divide into three night-watch shifts. Three per shift. One person rests at all times inside the core formation in case of emergencies."
"I'll take first," said Ray immediately.
Rika glanced sideways at him and nodded. "I'll join."
Syleria shrugged. "Guess I'm in too."
---
[INT. ELEMENTAL TEAM A – CAMP ZONE]
Across the misty ridge, Kairo's team sat tensely around a fire made from conjured elemental sparks.
"I don't like this place," muttered one of his teammates. "Everything feels... watched."
Kairo didn't answer. His senses were focused outward.
Syleria's group had taken their camp deeper into the illusion forest. The magical fog around them shifted unnaturally, never still. All of them had their weapons half-drawn — just in case.
---
[INT. ILLUSION SKY – MIDNIGHT]
A faint bell tolled in the distance.
The fog churned.
And then — silence broke.
A monstrous roar erupted across the entire realm — one that didn't come from any team, but from the very sky itself.
The ground trembled.
Dozens of glowing red eyes blinked open across the horizon.
---
[EXT. ILLUSION WORLD – MIDNIGHT STORM]
A horde of beasts poured from the distant fog — shadows given form, with fangs longer than blades and limbs stitched together with black mana.
It wasn't random.
It was orchestrated.
The realm had begun the midnight purge.
---
[INT. LIGHT SCHOOL TEMPLE – BATTLE MODE]
Veloria's glyphs ignited instantly. "Breach east wall — twelve seconds!"
Lyrion stood. "Formation Delta! Everyone ready!"
Ray and Rika stood side by side, their weapons gleaming with pre-cast buffs.
The beasts arrived like a flood — clawed shadows leaping over stones and smashing through defensive glyphs.
Ray was the first to strike — a barrier of light snapped into place before the monsters touched the temple.
Rika supported him with movement seals — slowing down enemies just enough for Lyrion to cut them in half.
Veloria rewound time on a broken section of the wall, restoring it mid-battle.
The team worked like one living mind.
---
[INT. OTHER CAMPS – CHAOS]
The Elemental Team A was swarmed from three directions.
The Nonliving Creation Team B lost two members before they even knew what hit them.
Time School Team A managed to hold their ground — barely — but three of them suffered minor injuries.
By dawn, the air was quieter again.
The illusion world had gone still.
Only crimson mist drifted along the ground now — vanishing like morning dew.
---
[INT. LIGHT SCHOOL TEMPLE – MORNING]
Ray wiped blood from his cheek — not his own.
Rika handed him a towel, saying nothing.
He nodded in gratitude. "Thanks."
"Good fighting," she said quietly.
Ray hesitated. "You too."
They stood there a moment longer than needed — not speaking, but understanding.
Elsewhere, Lyrion sat beside Veloria, both exhausted but calm.
"Still no casualties on our side," Veloria said, proud but wary.
"But others weren't so lucky," murmured Aria, reading the divine log hovering in her palm.
She turned the log to show the team.
"Total participants remaining: 100."
The storm had claimed ten.
And it was only the first night.
---
TO BE CONTINUED…