"Riley!" Jones shouted, waving and rushing over to him. Riley was stunned as Jones approached him, and then..."What are you doing here?" they both exclaimed simultaneously.Riley glared at his friend. "You're supposed to be heading to the Military Science Academy. So why are you in the Abyss? You're not a fighter!"Jones glared back just as fiercely. "And you never mentioned going to Defense Academies. Are you crazy? You need to be at least stage 2 to survive in there! You're only stage 1. They'll tear you apart."They stared at each other for a moment before sighing in unison."I don't get it. The Management is insane," Jones confessed anxiously. "We, the science academy candidates, had a test. Those who passed got tossed into the Abyss. If we 'survive,' they'll accept us. We'll spend our lives in labs. Why put us through this Abyss nonsense?"Riley patted Jones's shoulder reassuringly. "Just steer clear of the city. There are villages nearby."Feeling conflicted, Riley admitted, "I