[INT. ILLUSION WORLD PREPARATION HALL – MORNING OF THE FIRST ROUND]
A vast circular chamber pulsed with radiant light. Divine energy flowed across etched sigils on the floor as all 110 students from the six Divine Schools stood assembled.
In the center, the ten students of the Light School stood together — not merely as classmates, but as a united force.
> Lyrion (firmly): "We go in together. One team."
> Veloria (nodding): "Ten of us. That's all we need."
> Kairo (smirking): "Let them split themselves. We're strongest when we stay whole."
> Rika (quietly, but resolute): "We trained for this as one. We fight as one."
The decision was made without hesitation. While the others whispered, the Light School had chosen clarity.
---
[INT. STRATEGY CHAMBER – OBSERVATION PLATFORM]
Headmaster Elarion stood with folded arms, watching the partitions form across the arena below.
A young assistant beside him leaned forward.
> Assistant: "Sir… the other schools have divided. Two teams each."
> Elarion (softly, eyes gleaming): "Expected. 10 students per team. Maximum strength split for survivability."
> "They don't yet understand — unity is the Light's greatest weapon."
---
[INT. STUDENT FORMATION ZONES]
Across the chamber, the remaining Divine Schools split cleanly:
Time School
— Team A: 10 members (including 1 Elite)
— Team B: 10 members (including 1 Elite)
Elemental School
— Team A: 10 members (including 2 Elite)
— Team B: 10 members
Space School
— Team A: 10 members (including 2 Elite)
— Team B: 10 members
Living Creation School
— Team A: 10 members (including 2 Elite)
— Team B: 10 members
Nonliving Creation School
— Team A: 10 members (including 2 Elite)
— Team B: 10 members
Each school formed two strategic groups, designed for endurance and flexibility — ten students in each, exactly within the permitted limit.
The contrast was stark: five schools, ten teams.
The Light School — one single, undivided team of ten.
---
[INT. ILLUSION WORLD STAGING CHAMBER]
The Announcer's voice echoed once again:
> Announcer: "The First Round begins now."
> "You will be transported to the Illusion World — a realm where reality is shaped by divine memory."
> "Here are the rules:
> 1. Each team must survive or fight until only 60 participants remain.
2. If a student dies in the illusion, they are eliminated from the competition.
3. Victory can be earned either by survival… or by conquest."
> "Alliances are permitted. Betrayal is not punished. But choices will echo through all three rounds."
> "Survive as teams… or fall as individuals."
The students steeled themselves.
---
[INT. ILLUSION WORLD CONTROL ROOM – ABOVE THE CHAMBER]
Behind enchanted crystal walls, divine sigils shimmered. Observers watched as the teleportation arrays lit up.
> Headmaster of Time School (softly): "They'll taste chaos today."
> Headmaster of Space School: "And only those who adapt swiftly will live."
> Headmaster of Elements (glancing at the Light team): "They're too unified. Either they'll become unbreakable… or they'll break all at once."
> Elarion (to himself): "Let them believe what they want. These ten… are the future."
---
[INT. WITHIN THE ILLUSION WORLD – MOMENTS LATER]
The students were dropped into a vast, shifting realm — a landscape of ruin, shadow, and strange time-flow.
Mountains moved. Skies shifted hues. Dark creatures roamed in the distance.
Team Light landed as one.
> Lyrion: "Regroup. Establish perimeter."
> Veloria (looking around): "This place is unstable. Time flow is warped in sectors."
> Kairo (summoning flame in hand): "We'll attract attention soon."
> Ray: "Let them come."
The ten formed their formation. Magic shimmered around them like a shield of intention.
> Aria (grinning): "This is what we were made for."
---
[INT. OTHER ZONES – ILLUSION WORLD]
Across the world, the other teams scattered into their zones.
Team vs. team battles erupted.
Time School Team B ambushed a group from Space School.
Elemental School's Team A took high ground and unleashed an avalanche of flame and frost against Living Creation students.
Alliances were tentatively made, then swiftly broken.
One Elemental team turned against their own allied squad from Space within the hour.
Chaos had begun.
[INT. SHADOW BALCONY – OUTSIDE THE ILLUSION WORLD]
Zyren stood watching, arms crossed.
His four generals flanked him — Silent Death beside him in silence.
> Zyren (coldly): "So it begins."
> Cinderbane (laughing low): "They've no idea what it means to bleed yet."
> Zyren: "Let them rise. Let them believe."
> "The higher they reach… the further they'll fall."
TO BE CONTINUED…