The Start Forest Crown Hunt Event - The Superior Rebirth: A Hero's Awakening

Xavier floated in an endless void, weightless and still. The emptiness stretched on indefinitely—until it didn't.

Cracks splintered through the nothingness like fractured glass, and before he could react, Xavier found himself standing in an unfamiliar hospital room. His form was hazy, almost ghost-like, as he took in the scene before him.

A young woman sat cradling a newborn in her arms, her voice soft and melodic as she hummed a lullaby. Xavier peered down at the baby, his heart tightening with familiarity.

"Oh, it's this dream again," he murmured, exhaling deeply.

It had been seven years since he first started having this recurring vision. And yet, no matter how many times he experienced it, the outcome never changed.

The mother continued singing, a warm smile gracing her tired but content face. Then, the door creaked open, and a man entered, his eyes alight with joy.

"You seem to be in a good mood, Julia," he teased.

Julia shot him a playful glare, her nose scrunching. "And what's that supposed to mean, Andrew?"

Andrew chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Nothing, nothing! Just an observation."

"Mm-hmm, that's what I thought." She huffed, but her expression softened as she gestured toward the infant. "Come meet your son."

Andrew stepped closer, looking down at the tiny bundle. His gaze flickered to his wife. "Have you decided on a name yet?"

"Not yet," she admitted. "But I want something unique... something special."

Andrew nodded thoughtfully. "I was thinking the same."

Julia's eyes suddenly brightened. "Oh! What about the name Xavi—"

Before she could finish, the dream wrenched Xavier away, pulling him backward as if reality itself had snapped. The next thing he knew, he was awake in his bed, drenched in sweat.

"Why do I never get to hear the full name?" he muttered, rubbing his temples. But before he could dwell on it, Jonathan's voice rang out from downstairs.

"Xavier! Get up, or you'll be late!"

His eyes widened in realization. "The Forest Crown Hunt!"

Adrenaline shot through him, and he leapt out of bed, rushing to get dressed. He grabbed the Visors of Time, slipping them on before dashing downstairs.

Jonathan shook his head at him. "When will you stop running late?"

Xavier grinned. "I'm not late—I'm just ahead of time."

Before Jonathan could argue, Aleksander strode in from outside, wiping dirt off his hands. He tossed something at Xavier. "Here, Grandfather had this sword specially made for you. Use it well in the Hunt."

Xavier caught the weapon, but his arms nearly buckled under its weight. "Man, why is this thing so heavy?"

Aleksander smirked. "It's made from a high-density alloy. Stronger, more durable—so you don't keep breaking swords every time you use that 'special move' of yours."

A grin spread across Xavier's face. "This is amazing! Thanks, big bro."

"Don't thank me. Thank Grandfather," Aleksander said, ruffling his hair. "Now hurry up, or you'll actually be late."

Xavier nodded and turned toward the door—only for Violet to burst down the stairs, nearly face-planting onto the floor. She scrambled up, ran to him, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Promise me you'll be careful," she said, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "No reckless stunts."

Xavier chuckled. "I promise."

Satisfied, Violet kissed his forehead, and with that, Xavier sprinted outside, waving goodbye as he headed for school.

—

The academy's front lot was packed with vehicles, an unusual sight. Before Xavier could make sense of it, a firm hand grabbed his collar from behind.

"Took you long enough," came Miss Seo-Yeon Park's voice.

Before he could protest, she dragged him toward one of the school transport, horse-drawn vehicles, tossing him inside where his classmates waited. Soon, all the students were en route to a colossal forest—so vast it could have been mistaken for a city.

Upon arrival, an authoritative voice echoed throughout the crowd. "Alright, listen up!" The event announcer's voice silenced the murmuring students. "Welcome to this year's Forest Crown Hunt!"

Xavier's pulse quickened.

"To begin, you have been placed in teams of six," the announcer continued. "Each team must decide on a King, Warriors, a Healer, a Scout, and a Strategist. You will be working together to claim victory."

Excitement buzzed through the crowd.

"To make things more interesting, we have ensured that both gifted and ungifted students are evenly distributed. Your main goal: steal the opposing team's crown by any means necessary. The more crowns you collect, the higher your ranking."

Xavier smirked. This is going to be fun.

"This event can last anywhere from days to an entire week, depending on your strategies and endurance."

The announcer's tone turned serious. "And remember: you are permitted to go all out. This is a battlefield simulation. A preview of what may come when you serve as knights for your country. So fight with everything you have."

"But let me make it clear, you are not permitted to even so slightly attempt to harm your fellow colleagues to the point that might led to death. And breaking this rule will not be tolerated by the school head and the high councils of the nation.".

"But If you break this rule, you will not only be expelled from the Pennsylvania Royal Academy, but you will also be under heavy punishment by the country's judiciary," the announcer declared gravely. "Do I make myself clear?".

The air grew cold, as silence swept the entire crow. But unlike the rest, Xavier tightened his grip on his sword, his mind racing with possibilities. This is more than just a game. It's training for the battles ahead.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself.

As the announcer finished outlining the regulations and the main purpose of the event, the teachers randomly assigned each student to a group of six players.

Xavier glanced at the number on his participation bracelet and walked toward his assigned team—Team 12. To his surprise, he noticed a familiar face.

"Oh, Jack!" Xavier exclaimed, draping an arm over Jack's shoulder. "I can't believe we're on the same team!"

Jack, Jason's best friend, glanced at his own bracelet and grinned. "Wait, we're on the same team?" he asked, feigning surprise before smirking. "Oh, we are definitely winning this event."

Xavier chuckled at Jack's confidence. "I wouldn't be so sure about that," he replied playfully.

Their lighthearted exchange was interrupted when they noticed another teammate approaching. The sight of her took them both by surprise—Princess Misaki Yamato, the daughter of the Emperor of Japan, had the same bracelet number as them.

As the rest of Team 12 assembled, Princess Misaki took the initiative to introduce herself. She stepped forward, radiating an air of elegance and composure. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Misaki Yamato, the third princess of Japan." She offered a polite nod. "I look forward to working together."

A girl with black-streaked hair stepped forward and bowed. "The honor is ours, Princess Misaki," she said respectfully. "My name is Aria Steelblade from the Steelblade family. I'm honored to be on the same squad as you."

"Elowen Mistglen of the Mistglen family," another girl added, bowing as well. "It is an honor to be in your presence, Your Highness."

Jack, ever the showman, puffed out his chest and bowed dramatically. "Greetings, Your Highness. It is truly an honor to meet you." He flashed a confident grin. "Jack Ironvale, from the Ironvale family. It's a privilege to be your teammate."

Xavier followed suit, bowing his head slightly. "Xavier Ashford, from the Ashford family. It's an honor to meet you, Princess Misaki."

The moment he mentioned his surname, the group fell silent. Elowen's eyes widened in disbelief. "Did you just say Ashford?"

Xavier blinked, puzzled by her reaction. "Uh, yeah?"

Elowen let out an excited shriek and grabbed Xavier's hand. "Then that means you're related to Violet Ashford?!"

"Yeah, she's my older sister," he confirmed, slightly overwhelmed by Elowen's enthusiasm.

Elowen practically vibrated with excitement. "I love your sister! Violet the future Saintess is incredible!"

Aria smirked and nudged Xavier playfully. "Oh, I didn't expect to be on the same team as the younger brother of Aleksander, the Child of the Heavens."

Xavier let out an awkward laugh. "Yeah, well, don't expect me to live up to their reputations."

As the team got to know each other, Elowen suddenly asked, "Wait, aren't there supposed to be six of us?"

Jack glanced around. "Yeah, you're right. Where's our last teammate?"

Before anyone could respond, a hush fell over the crowd. The students instinctively parted as a figure strode toward Team 12 with an air of absolute confidence. It was none other than Prince Magnus of the Imperial House of Flashstride. The tension in the air was almost tangible.

Princess Misaki remained composed. "Oh, I wasn't expecting to see you here, Prince Magnus." She met his gaze calmly. "I assume you're our sixth member?"

Magnus scoffed, crossing his arms. "Tch. Didn't expect to be placed in a group full of weaklings."

His gaze landed on Xavier, and for a moment, the air crackled with unspoken hostility.

Xavier met his stare head-on. "What's wrong? Afraid of being carried by people you consider weak?"

Magnus smirked. "You're a funny guy, Xavier." His eyes gleamed with a dangerous glint. "But if you get on my nerves, I will kill you. And this time, Senior Jasmine won't be here to save you. You got that, little princess?"

Xavier's expression didn't falter. Instead, he smirked. "What's the matter? Gonna turn into a baby again if I keep talking?"

A ripple of amusement passed through the group at the reminder of how Princess Jasmine had once humiliated Magnus, but the prince's reaction was anything but amused. His eyes flickered a blazing red as arcs of electricity sparked around him.

In an instant, he closed the gap, tapping a finger precisely where Xavier's heart was. "I could stop your heart in a fraction of a second, vibrating it until it implodes."

Xavier's fingers twitched toward the hilt of his sword. He exhaled slowly, keeping his gaze steady. "I'd like to see you try—without regretting it."

Before things could escalate further, a familiar voice interrupted. "Wow, are you two seriously about to kill each other before the event even starts?"

Jason approached, raising an eyebrow at the rising tension.

Princess Misaki sighed and stepped between them. "They won't be doing anything reckless under my watch," she stated firmly.

Jason smirked, arms crossed as he eyed Princess Misaki. "Under your watch? Are you the king of your team or something?"

Before Misaki could respond, Prince Magnus stepped in, his voice laced with arrogance. "A true leader is the strongest among their team, a title that is earned, not given."

He shot her a mocking glance and added, "And I don't think you meet those criteria, Princess Misaki."

Misaki chuckled, unbothered. "You're funny, Prince Magnus," she replied with a teasing glint in her eyes. "But assuming you're stronger than me? Now that's delusional."

She took a step forward. "Besides, a great leader isn't just about raw strength. It's about intelligence, balance, and strategy."

Prince Magnus scoffed. "Only the weak make excuses like that."

Jason, ever the instigator, casually shrugged. "Me personally? I wouldn't let anyone call me delusional. Just saying."

Prince Magnus sneered. "If you want to be the leader so badly, then take it."

His tone darkened as he added, "Just remember—you'll never measure up to the head of your family, Misaki."

Misaki exhaled slowly, turning away. "And you? You'll always be the shadow left behind by your older brother's success. Keep that in mind when we win."

Jason grinned, nudging things further. "Ooooh, if that were me, I'd be swinging right now."

Magnus erupted into laughter, shaking his head. "We'll see about that, Misaki."

By the end of the debate, the rest of Team 12 had reached a decision—Misaki was their king, despite Magnus's objections. Xavier and Aria would serve as warriors, defending the squad and Misaki. Elowen, the most skilled healer, was their medic, while Jack took on the role of strategist. Begrudgingly, Magnus was assigned as their scout.