The falling star(drake reincarnation)

Chapter six(trial of survival)

The academy bells rang just past dawn.

Every student received the same message:

⟨Notice⟩ – “Survival Test Initiated – Report to Central Plaza Immediately”  

⟨Location: X-Rank Portal | Survival Duration: 3 Days | Squad Limit: 3⟩  

⟨Objective: Collect 10 Blood Crystals from Planetary-Class Beasts⟩

Drake’s heart skipped.

X-Rank? That wasn’t training. That was a death sentence.

He arrived at the glowing teleport gate with hundreds of other students, all buzzing with tension. Holograms of massive alien beasts floated above them—some with wings, others with more teeth than logic allowed.

A voice boomed overhead.

“You will be sent into the world of Ixion-7, where monsters are at minimum planetary level. Form groups of three. Anyone alone will not survive.”

Instant panic.

Students immediately began clumping into groups, sticking to known warriors or high-rankers. Nobody looked at Drake. Or if they did, it was with pity or mockery.

He stood there, alone.

Until—

“I’ll team up with him.”

Heads turned.

Riva Flameborn stepped forward, calm as ever. Her red cloak fluttered lightly behind her. “I’ve seen what he can do.”

Even Drake blinked. “Riva…?”

Murmurs exploded among the students. “She’s crazy.” “Why him?” “What’s her angle?”

Before he could process it, another voice cut through.

“Count me in too.”

It was Syrian Kane.

Now the crowd really lost it.

The heir of one of Star City’s strongest families, choosing to team up with the so-called weakling?

Drake just stared at them both. “Why are you two—”

Riva cut in, “Let’s just say… you’re unpredictable.”

Syrian added with a smirk, “And I like knowing what I can’t understand.”

⟨Ding!⟩  

[Squad Formation Confirmed: Drake – Riva – Syrian]  

[Initiating Transfer to Ixion-7 in 3… 2… 1…]

Flash!

They were gone.

---

Ixion-7 – Day 1

The air was thick, the sky green, and the ground trembled every few seconds.

Massive roars echoed in the distance. Giant shadows flew overhead.

The system buzzed:

⟨Survival Activated⟩  

[Blood Crystal Count: 0/10]

Drake glanced at his team.

Riva scanned the terrain, calm. Syrian cracked his knuckles, smiling.

Ixion-7 was a nightmare.

Skies filled with winged beasts, trees the size of buildings, and the ground itself felt… alive.

Drake could sense it—qi thicker than anything he’d ever felt. The planet itself was pulsing with chaotic energy.

“Stay alert,” Riva said, eyes glowing faintly. “Something’s approaching.”

Boom… Boom… Boom…

From the distance, the trees parted like paper—and a massive, tusked beast stomped into view. At least 20 meters tall, its body armored with black scales, steam rising from its nostrils.

**⟨Scan⟩ – Class: Planetary-Level Beast – Blood Crystal Value: 3⟩

Syrian whistled. “Well… that’s a warm-up?”

Drake stepped forward. “We need to work together. We take it from three sides—”

But Syrian already vanished.

“Let’s see how tough it is!”

He appeared above the beast in a bolt of lightning, slamming his palm into its head. The impact cracked the outer shell—but not enough.

The beast roared, spinning and hurling Syrian into a tree with bone-cracking force.

Drake swore. “Idiot!”

Riva moved next, flame swirling around her arms.

“Cover me,” she said.

Drake activated Shadow Step, weaving between the beast’s feet and slashing its ankles with fire-laced kicks.

It roared again—this time in pain.

Riva’s flames shifted shape—forming a massive phoenix that dove toward the beast’s chest.

BOOM!

The beast stumbled, its armor cracked wide.

Drake seized the opening, gathering his qi and activating his new move—

“Shadow Burn!”

He struck the core of the beast’s chest—and this time, the creature let out a final screech before collapsing in a heap of fire and smoke.

⟨Ding!⟩  

[Blood Crystal Acquired – Value: 3]  

[Progress: 3/10]

Syrian limped back, wiping blood from his lip. “Alright… maybe teamwork isn’t so bad.”

Drake rolled his eyes. “You think?”

Riva just smiled faintly. “This was just one. There are worse out here.”

As the sun began to set on Ixion-7, the trio moved deeper into the wild—still unsure if trust would hold.

But for now… they survived.

By the end of the second day on Ixion-7, the trio had done the impossible.

They battled a sea-level Aqua Serpent with venom that could melt rock, fended off a herd of horned razorlings, and defeated enough monsters to collect 9 blood crystals.

Drake was exhausted. Even Sky’s voice was quieter than usual.

Syrian wiped his brow. “One more. Then we’re out of this hell.”

Riva nodded. “I sense a cluster of beasts near the ridge. We move at dawn.”

But before they could set up camp—

“You’re not going anywhere.”

Voices. Multiple.

Figures emerged from the treeline, cloaked in black, faces half-covered.

The system buzzed:

⟨Ding!⟩  

[Hostile Signatures Detected – Group Affiliation: Uruk-hai Family]  

•⁠  ⁠Bloodline: Shadow Clone & Illusion Mastery  

•⁠  ⁠Skill Detected: Hive Perception – Shared Senses Between Clones  

•⁠  ⁠Aggression Level: High – Desperate for Crystals

There were at least eight of them—and one stepped forward, grinning.

“You three look tired,” he said. “Why not hand over the crystals and walk away?”

Drake stepped forward, but Syrian threw out an arm, blocking him.

“Let us handle this,” he said coldly.

Riva’s eyes narrowed. “They’re from the Uruk-hai clan. Dangerous… but cocky.”

“I like cocky,” Syrian smirked.

He lifted his hand—and energy swirled.

The system buzzed privately for Drake:

⟨Syrian Skill Alert⟩ – Copied Abilities Active:

1.⁠ ⁠Lightning Palm (Kane Technique)  

2.⁠ ⁠Stone Skin (Earth Armor)  

3.⁠ ⁠Void Dash  

4.⁠ ⁠Gale Cutter Slash  

5.⁠ ⁠Regen Core  

6.⁠ ⁠Shadow Bind (Uruk-hai)

Syrian vanished—Void Dashing behind the nearest Uruk-hai and crushing him with a reinforced Lightning Palm.

Illusions scattered.

Riva moved next, summoning flames into twin blades, slicing through clones with perfect precision.

But Drake noticed something.

“Wait… something’s off—”

Sky’s voice echoed in his head.  

“These aren’t full illusions. Some of them are real. They're switching positions rapidly. If Syrian or Riva strike the wrong one—”

Too late.

Riva slashed at a clone—only for the real enemy to appear behind her, stabbing deep into her shoulder.

She gasped, falling back.

Drake’s eyes narrowed.

No more standing by.

“Sky… switch with me.”

“You sure?”

“Yes.”

⟨Switch Activated⟩

And just like that—Sky entered the fight.

As Sky took control, Drake’s posture shifted. Calm. Cold. In complete control.

The Uruk-hai attackers didn't even notice the change—until he moved.

Fwoosh—

Sky vanished, then reappeared behind the enemy leader, his foot cloaked in shadow-infused fire, laced with pressurized qi.

Boom!

The clone dispersed instantly—but the real enemy flinched.

"That's not shadow clone movement," one muttered.

Sky raised his hand slowly, fingers glowing with black-red energy.

“Shadow Flame Spiral.”

A ring of fire spiraled from the ground, mixed with dancing shadow blades. The attackers panicked—unable to tell illusion from reality anymore.

Sky darted in again, this time using pure qi reinforcement with his shadow legs—too fast, too direct.

One Uruk-hai screamed as he was crushed into the dirt.

Syrian, catching his breath, watched from the sidelines.

“…That’s not a DC-rank student,” he muttered.

Riva, clutching her wounded arm, nodded. Her eyes never left Drake.

“He’s been hiding… everything.”

Still, neither said a word—just watched as Sky cleaned house.

The last Uruk-hai backed up, trembling. “What… what the hell are you?!”

Sky tilted his head. “Just a shadow of someone who’s had enough.”

He raised his hand for the final blow—

CRACK.

The sky tore open.

Everyone froze.

Something ancient stirred above them, shaking the forest and silencing even the monsters.

The system screamed:

⟨DANGER!⟩  

[Warning: King-Tier Monster Detected]  

[Type: Sky-Scraping Vine – King of the Crimson Root Forest]  

[Estimated Level: Beyond Planetary – King Tier]

From above, a massive vine thicker than a building crashed into the battlefield, shattering the ground and creating a crater.

It uncoiled—and revealed a massive plant-beast with thorned tendrils, glowing red eyes, and a scream that warped space.

Even Sky flinched.

Syrian’s voice cracked, “That’s not something we can fight—”

Riva backed away. “It’s not here for blood crystals. It’s hunting… territory.”

Sky turned to the others. “We need to run. Now.”

But the vine's glowing eye… was locked on Drake....to be continued 

END OF CHAPTER SIX