Martian Archer

As soon as the countdown ended, a holographic display flickered in the sky.

A robotic voice echoed across the field.

> "Final Exam Rules Update."

"1. Only HALF of the teams will pass."

"2. Attacking the jury is prohibited."

"3. No outside interference."

A murmur spread among the students.

Felix crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Half? That means—"

Tanya whistled. "We just gotta survive longer than the losers."

Leon frowned. Something felt off.

The voice continued.

> "Survival Time Remaining: 3 hours."

A loud alarm suddenly blared.

BZZZT!

The sky turned red, and a name appeared on the holographic display.

[Contestant #34 – Eliminated]

For a moment, everything went silent.

Then, a student screamed.

Leon's stomach dropped.

"Eliminated?"

"Wait did someone just… die?"

More whispers spread through the crowd.

Felix frowned. "No way…"

A second later, another announcement echoed.

> [Contestant #21 – Eliminated]

A loud crack of an arrow echoed across the field.

Then another scream.

Tanya's face darkened. "...Holy shit."

Felix's arrogant smirk vanished.

Elise tensed, her knuckles turning white.

Leon gritted his teeth.

The truth sank in.

There's no rule against killing.

The final exam had turned into a bloodbath.

The First Killers Appear

A student near them dropped his bow and bolted.

"SCREW THIS! I'M OUT!"

WHIZZ!

An arrow pierced his back.

His body collapsed.

Leon froze.

Felix muttered, "Oh. So that's how it is…"

On the other side of the field, a team laughed.

A boy with spiked hair twirled his bow. "Too easy."

His team surrounded him, grinning.

They had upgraded bows.

"The rich kids…"

They weren't just playing to win.

They were hunting.

Survival Instincts

Leon felt his heartbeat quicken.

He looked at Elise.

She was shaking.

She wasn't ready for this.

"Neither am I…"

Felix rolled his shoulders. "Welp. Time to use you guys as bait."

Leon's eye twitched. "Are you serious?!"

Felix smirked. "Of course. If you die, that's one less competitor."

Tanya frowned. "Tch. You're an ass."

Felix shrugged. "I'm a realist."

He turned to Elise.

"Elise. Stick with me."

She hesitated, then nodded.

"She's the only one here I trust."

Tanya cracked her knuckles. "I don't plan on dying either, but I ain't good with bows. You two better not slow me down."

Leon glanced around.

Students were scattering, forming small alliances or hunting weaker targets.

The sound of arrows slicing through the air filled the battlefield.

Leon clenched his fists.

"I came here to prove myself… but now it's just survival."

Tanya tilted her head. "So, what's the plan, Martian boy?"

Leon took a deep breath.

Then, he grabbed Elise's wrist.

"Run."