Zombie Survival System

The handful of students who had succeeded in conquering this nightmarish trial finally reached the massive iceberg, the final rallying point. Summoning the last of their strength, they clambered onto the ice's surface, every muscle aching from the lengthy swim through freezing water. All around, the biting air seemed to paralyze their limbs, and a constant shiver ran through their bare skin or the tattered remnants of their clothing. All that could be heard were labored breaths and frantically pounding hearts, like an exhausted, discordant chorus.

Jack Blade, arms crossed, stood upright and impassive, reigning like a lord over this block of ice. A thin smile—a blend of satisfaction and irony—hung on his lips. Towering over the scene with his imposing stature, he surveyed the sprawled-out students, most of them incapable of rising after the superhuman effort they had just endured. Some were still gasping for air, struggling to catch their breath, while others lay in a daze, gazing up at the heavy gray sky, mentally processing the horror of what they had just overcome.

Yet one of them refused to remain pinned to the ground: Alexandre. After helping Marlon onto the ice (the latter already on the brink of exhaustion), Alexandre slowly stood. Thick droplets of water still ran down his naked body, crystallizing here and there into thin sheets of frost. But his skin, heated by adrenaline, let the most superficial water evaporate, forming fleeting wisps of steam. This paradoxical blend of extreme cold and body heat gave the scene an almost otherworldly quality.

Determined, Alexandre advanced toward Jack Blade at a calculated pace. Each footstep echoed like a silent provocation: he was not afraid and made sure everyone knew it. His eyes, shimmering with an unmistakable challenge, were locked on his instructor's. Of them all, Alexandre seemed the least intimidated, despite the chaotic scene behind him.

Jack Blade met his stare, visibly torn between surprise and amusement. As Alexandre closed in, a heavy tension took hold, quickly noticed by the other students, whose gazes flicked back and forth between the two. Jack Blade slowly uncrossed his arms. Everything in his demeanor suggested he wouldn't hesitate to punish—or even strike—if Alexandre ventured too far in this provocation.

All around them was thick silence. The only sounds were the ragged breathing of still-prone students and the faint glacial breeze sweeping the iceberg's surface.

"Got something to say, Hautville?" Jack Blade asked calmly, his tone carrying a subtle yet clear threat.

Alexandre did not flinch. Instead, he knelt down and scraped the thin layer of ice near Jack Blade's feet, as though trying to peel away a bothersome film."No, Professor," he answered with a measuredly ironic tone. "I simply noticed that a bit of seawater had splashed onto your boots and that the cold made them freeze. I figured I could be of service."

The provocation was obvious. Everyone realized that this gesture embodied Alexandre's open defiance of the instructor. The other students, exhausted, could only watch the scene with a mix of fear and admiration. After all, most of them lay sprawled out, covered in frost, while Alexandre himself stood entirely naked, his skin bluish from the cold. He couldn't have made a more overt show of his disdain or pride.

Jack Blade, for his part, did not react directly to the insult. His face barely tightened before returning to its neutral expression. As if to ignore the insolence, he turned slightly, scanning the group and taking time to count the survivors."Twenty-one..." he announced in a cold tone. "Well! You're the least pathetic among this pathetic bunch in your class."

A hint of cynicism cut through his words, but there was also undeniable truth: only a small handful had reached this stage of the trial. Jack Blade let the silence linger, savoring the tension. Then he continued:

"Listen up: the trial is now only halfway done. Some of you would be better off quitting right here and now. So here's the deal: if you throw in the towel, you'll get 50 points, plus the 20 points you earned over the four hours gone by. Then you can climb aboard the rescue boats and go get some rest."

The students on the ground took in this announcement with palpable astonishment. A few, still out of breath, strained to listen in disbelief: 50 points was a decent reward, especially in their miserable condition. This offer to withdraw, however, meant giving up on finishing the test. Each of them knew it would be difficult to gain more by venturing further into the unknown.

Suddenly, Jack Blade pointed a stern finger at Alexandre.

"But there's a catch," he went on, in a sharper voice. "Since one of your classmates here seems to have plenty of energy left, I'm adding a special rule. Anyone who chooses to continue will no longer receive guaranteed hourly points... only the first among you to complete the next race will earn 100 points. The rest get nothing. Not even the 5 points per hour. Zero. So decide: walk away now with what you've got, or risk everything for the jackpot."