player POV-Chapter 60: for the test 2

Silvar looked at us as soon as George finished his speech, and said with a smile and a calm voice:

"Can you give me your attention for a moment?"

Everyone around him stopped whatever they were doing and focused on him. I did the same, stepping two paces forward from the wall, trying to appear calm despite the tension that gripped my stomach. The air in the room felt heavier than usual, as if the entire moment was charged with a strange energy that made every movement and glance carry its own weight.

When Silvar saw that everyone had given him their full attention, he began speaking quietly, but his words were firm and carried the weight of responsibility:

"Alright... we will do as planned. Therefore, each one of you must adhere to the instructions I have given you, follow the plan to the letter, and do everything you have trained for. Do you understand what I mean?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, and there was a general sense of seriousness filling the room, as if we all understood that this moment was not just preparation, but the starting point for what was to come. Silvar nodded in return, then turned his gaze toward me, and for a brief second I felt an intense focus, as if he could read my thoughts, before he smiled slightly and turned his attention to Alyssa, who seemed barely interested in serious talk. He said to her:

"Alyssa, can I talk to you for a moment?"

She nodded in agreement, approached him, and the two of them moved away from us until we could no longer see them. I remained standing, leaning against the wall, observing my teammates, where Kar stood there, silent as always, and had not looked at me since that night when what happened occurred, as far as I could tell. I was not surprised by his recent behavior, as I was certain Silvar had a direct hand in what Kar was doing now. Kar followed Silvar without apparent will, silent, as if he were merely a tool executing Silvar’s orders. I briefly thought that Silvar had probably forced him to sign the contract, which explained his current state, but it did not matter much to me; I had gained a lot of money, and what happened to him did not mean anything to me.

Long minutes passed, at least five, before Silvar and Alyssa appeared in our view again. When they approached, I couldn’t read what they were thinking, as their faces were devoid of any clear expression, as if they were just silent shadows moving calmly. They stood beside us without any hint of mood, while we were preparing for the start of the test, feeling the tension squeezing our bodies, anxiety mingling with excitement all at once.

We did not wait long until George arrived and announced the official start of the test in a clear voice. The man, who appeared to be in his thirties, seemed calm but confident in his steps, and led us to the entrance of the battle arena, the place where we would begin our test. He distributed the "Farmin" device to us, and we carefully placed it on our bodies, our fear and curiosity growing with each passing second. The device felt cold against my skin, and I felt its weight pressing on my shoulders in an indirect way, as if reminding me that everything was at stake now.

Then the supervisor accompanying us turned to us and said in a calm and confident voice:

"Are you all ready? You will enter the battle arena shortly."

Everyone nodded, even I felt my heart racing slightly, but I tried to control my tension, breathing slowly to calm myself. When he confirmed our readiness, he continued in a firmer voice:

"Alright... enter one by one, calmly. Do not rush."

Silvar stepped forward first, his eyes sharp and focused, as if trying to see beyond reality itself. After him came Alyssa, stepping confidently despite the slight tremor in her hand, trying to maintain her apparent calm, though it was impossible to hide her inner feelings. I stood watching everyone rush toward the rift, a strange feeling squeezing my stomach between excitement and anticipation, as if each step brought us closer to facing the unknown.

Finally, it was my turn. I took a deep breath, tried to calm myself, and whispered to myself:

"You can do this... step by step... nothing is impossible."

I took a step forward, then another, until I reached the edge of the rift. I felt the air grow denser, as if the place itself was watching me. Then, with one final step, I entered the rift, and my feet plunged into the unknown.

Only fractions of a second passed before I felt a sudden headache, as if my vision had blurred before returning to take in the scene fully. Ahead of me stretched a vast forest, with tall trees and dense shadows, and a silence almost devoid of sound except for the distant trickle of water and the rustle of leaves stirred by a gentle breeze. The place was eerily quiet, as if everything around you paused for a moment, allowing you to notice the smallest details.

Then—

"Clap, clap!"

Silvar’s voice was sudden, and he clapped his hands forcefully, as if the sound shook everyone out of their stupor. Some of our teammates were entering rifts for the first time, and their astonishment was evident on their faces, but with Silvar’s clapping, they gradually regained awareness.

Silvar remained silent for a moment, scrutinizing us with sharp eyes, then turned his attention to everyone and said in a voice full of calm and confidence:

"We will do exactly as planned. We will split into two teams: one I will lead, and the other will be led by Alyssa. We will meet later in the middle, so I will divide you now."

He paused briefly, as if carefully assessing the situation, then pointed to Kar, Lia, and Simon, and said:

"You are with me, comrades, and the rest are with Alyssa."

"Hello!"

Lia’s voice rose with clear joy when she was chosen to join Silvar’s team, while we exchanged looks of surprise. Her face turned slightly red with embarrassment, and she said with a nervous smile:

"I... I was just trying to motivate the team."

But it was obvious she was happy to be on Silvar’s team. She tried to come up with a small lie to ease the situation, but she did not fool anyone, and it seemed to everyone that she was genuinely pleased.

Silvar paid no attention to what she said and continued speaking in a steady voice:

"Alright... let’s focus now. Each team must cooperate and follow the instructions to the letter. Every step will count, and every action will affect the entire team. There is no room for hesitation or fear."

He looked around again, his eyes scanning each team member, then added in an even firmer voice:

"Remember, if any of you deviates from the plan, you will bear the consequences of what happens."

Then Silvar turned his gaze toward me for a brief moment, an intense look, as if his words were directed at me personally, before moving his attention away and starting with the other team members to begin...