Apocalypse Transmigration - The Card Captor System

The morning sun had only just begun to rise above the mountain peaks when Leo arrived at the training grounds. The other candidates had yet to gather. Standing alone beneath the chilly morning breeze, Leo adjusted the straps securing the hidden weapons concealed beneath his uniform.

A few moments later, familiar footsteps approached. Leo looked up. Lia was walking toward him. The moment he saw her face, he frowned a little. Yesterday, she had been overflowing with excitement. Today, that excitement was gone. Her expression was calm, almost too calm. She looked as though something heavy was weighing on her mind. She must be nervous about the final examination, Leo thought.

As Lia stopped in front of him, Leo smiled gently and raised a hand. He patted her head.

”Don’t worry.”

”I’m here.”

”As long as I’m with you...”

”No one can do anything to you.”

Lia looked into his familiar eyes. For a brief moment, Dennis’s words echoed through her mind.

”I’ve prepared a very special surprise for your big brother today...”

Her fingers tightened into fists. But she forced a smile onto her face.

”...Okay.”

She chose not to tell Leo about meeting Dennis. Today was already important enough. She didn’t want him worrying about anything else.

At that moment—

”Everyone.”

The instructor’s cold voice echoed across the training grounds. The remaining candidates snapped to attention. Behind the instructor stood a guard carrying a metal case. The guard stepped forward and opened it. Inside lay ten metallic wristwatches. The instructor picked them up one by one before handing them to each trainee.

”Put them on.”

Leo glanced at the number engraved on his watch.

01

He fastened it around his wrist. A few meters away, Lia looked down at hers.

07

The remaining candidates also secured theirs. Once everyone had finished, the instructor reached into another box and took out ten small black pills. He handed one to each candidate.

”Consume it.”

Not a single person questioned the order. After surviving eight years within the Hall of Mercenaries, obeying instructions had long since become instinct. Leo placed the pill into his mouth and swallowed. A heartbeat later, a strange dizziness washed over him. His vision blurred. The world began spinning around him.

Drug...?

That was his final thought. Darkness swallowed everything.

A cool breeze brushed across Leo’s face. Birds chirped somewhere above him. His eyelids twitched before opening. Towering trees stretched toward the sky in every direction. Dense vegetation surrounded him. He was lying in the middle of an unfamiliar forest. Leo rolled to his feet, instinctively drawing one of his hidden blades. His sharp eyes swept across the surroundings. No one. Only endless trees.

Just then—

A mechanical voice broke the silence from the wristwatch strapped to his arm.

”Welcome to the final examination.”

Leo’s attention shifted toward the device. The emotionless voice continued.

”The examination rules will now be announced.”

”This examination is a fight to the death.”

Leo’s pupils contracted.

”Only the final two surviving candidates will successfully pass.”

A brief silence followed. Then—

”The examination will officially begin once the signal flare is launched.”

”Until then, candidates may prepare as they wish.”

The voice continued announcing the rules one after another.

”Removing your wristwatch is strictly forbidden.”

”Any candidate who removes their wristwatch will be immediately eliminated.”

”Elimination...”

The voice paused for a brief moment.

”...means death.”

”Elite personnel stationed throughout the forest will immediately hunt down and execute the eliminated candidate.”

Leo’s expression grew solemn. The announcement wasn’t over yet.

”Your wristwatch contains a map of the examination grounds.”

”Leaving the designated perimeter shown on the map is prohibited.”

”Any candidate who exits the examination area will also be eliminated.”

Another brief silence. Finally, the mechanical voice spoke one last time.

”Follow all examination rules.”

”We wish every candidate...”

”...the best of luck.”

The transmission ended. Silence returned to the forest. Leo lowered his wrist. His calm eyes swept across the endless trees before narrowing.

”So...”

”It begins.”

Meanwhile, inside the Hall of Mercenaries, a spacious conference chamber overlooked the mountain through floor-to-ceiling windows. A massive crystal monitor occupied the center of the room. Displayed across its surface was a detailed map of the examination grounds. Ten blinking red dots were scattered throughout the dense forest. Each dot carried a number.

01.

02.

...

10.

Every surviving candidate’s location was being tracked in real time. Seated around a long table were the highest-ranking figures of the Hall of Mercenaries. The Grand Elder occupied the seat at the head of the table. To his right sat Hilda, swirling a glass of crimson wine in her hand. The instructor stood behind the other elders with his arms folded. Several other elders observed the map. One of the older elders finally broke the silence.

”Hilda.”

He tapped the table with a finger.

”I have a question.”

Hilda didn’t even bother looking at him.

”What is it?”

The elder narrowed his eyes.

”Why are the rules different this year?”

”For decades...”

”The Hall’s final examination has always produced a single graduate.”

”Only the strongest survives.”

”So why...”

”...are two candidates allowed to pass this time?”

Hilda took a sip of wine before glancing at him. A faint smile appeared on her lips.

”Because I’m the one in charge of this year’s examination.”

”So naturally...”

”...I make the rules.”

She leaned back in her chair.

”Whether one person passes...”

”Or two people pass...”

”Is none of your concern.”

She shrugged.

”Even the Grand Elder hasn’t objected.”

”So why are you making such a fuss?”

The elder’s expression darkened.

”Hmph.”

”You think we’re blind?”

”Everyone in this room knows exactly why you changed the rules.”

His eyes shifted toward the two blinking dots marked 01 and 07.

”You’ve grown rather attached to two of the candidates.”

”That’s why you’ve altered the examination.”

Before Hilda could respond, another voice interrupted.

”I support her decision.”

Everyone turned toward the speaker. It was the instructor. He stood with his hands behind his back, his expression as emotionless as ever.

”I’ve personally overseen this batch’s training for the past eight years.”

”My opinion...”

”...is that allowing two graduates this year is justified.”

Several elders looked at him in surprise. The instructor continued calmly.

”Lia’s growth exceeded every expectation.”

”She earned the qualifications to graduate.”

”As for Leo...”

He glanced briefly at the monitor displaying Candidate Number One.

”No one here doubts his ability.”

”Allowing both of them to pass will only strengthen the Hall.”

The room fell quiet. At that moment, the Grand Elder opened his eyes. The pressure inside the conference room intensified.

”Enough.”

His calm voice cut through every discussion. He looked toward the questioning elder.

”Hilda was appointed as the examiner for this year’s final test.”

”I approved every rule before the examination began.”

”So...”

”There will be no further debate.”

The elder lowered his head.

”...Understood.”

The Grand Elder then shifted his gaze toward the technician seated before another control panel. The man sat up straight.

”Signal Officer.”

The technician stood up.

”Yes, Grand Elder.”

The old man looked once more at the ten blinking dots scattered across the forest. Then he calmly gave the order.

”Fire the signal flare.”

”Let...”

”...the final examination begin.”

”Yes, Grand Elder.”

The technician pressed a large crimson button. Far above the forest, a brilliant red flare shot into the sky.