Chapter 68 - Unexpected

"Winner: Vael Frostguard!"

Professor Ulfar announced from the edge of the arena, gesturing for the barrier operators to lower the protective shields.

"Phew..."

I let out a quiet breath, retracting [Frost] and sliding my silver dagger back into its sheath at my waist.

Jodan dropped his broken hilt onto the concrete floor, staring down at his empty hands with a shocked, defeated look.

"Good match."

I told him, offering a quick nod before turning around to walk off the stage.

He didn’t reply. He just stood there staring at the shattered pieces of his sword scattered across the ground.

’There was no corruption at all...’

I thought to myself, looking at Jodan.

"Thank you for the match."

Then, he went and replied with that, looking at me with a defeated smile and extending a hand at me.

His tone sounded completely genuine, filled with nothing more than the disappointment of losing a good fight.

I couldn’t help but feel a massive wave of relief wash over me.

My shoulders relaxed as the heavy tension in my chest slowly dissolved.

If the corruption event was completely gone, then I wouldn’t have to worry about facing it.

I didn’t have to stress about a chaotic monster transformation breaking out right here in the middle of our practical assessment.

While it does bother me that a whole event of the game is missing, I think an early game event such as this wouldn’t affect the story way too much.

I was about to reach my hand out for a friendly handshake with Jodan.

I stepped forward, extending my right arm to complete the customary post-match greeting.

"Urgh?!"

But before our hand could even touch, I suddenly heard a weird noise coming from him.

A wet, choking gasp burst out from his throat as his whole body jerked violently backward.

"Huh?"

My movement halted instantaneously. A bad feeling washing over me.

My hand froze in mid-air as a cold shiver ran up my spine.

And in the next instant—SWAAAAAHHHH~!!!

I suddenly felt a strong wave of dark, disgusting energy coming in front of me!

A thick, pitch-black aura erupted directly out of Jodan’s chest, expanding outward like a violent wave of sticky smoke.

The sudden pressure slammed against my skin, carrying an overwhelming stench of rot and ancient malice that made my stomach turn.

My eyes widened as my head snapped in front of me.

And just as I feared, the worst case scenario was happening right in front of me!

Jodan... He’s turning into a corrupted one!

The terrifying black energy coiled around his arms and torso, sinking into his skin like dark living roots.

I was stupefied for a few moments, I don’t know why this happened out of nowhere.

My mind completely blanked as I stared at the scene unfolding inches away from me.

Jodan was literally fine just seconds ago, he even accepted his defeat and was offering a handshake to me!

There were no warning signs, no slow accumulation of evil mana, and no signs of madness during our actual fight.

"Vael!"

Anyway, I was able to snap out of my thoughts after hearing Professor Ulfar’s voice. He was aware that something went wrong.

"Get away from Jodan!"

He warned me after that. I saw him and the other professor, along with the arena supervisor, trying to deactivate the shield to get to me and Jodan.

Professor Ulfar slammed his hand against the translucent barrier surface, channeling his massive mana to force the magical wall open.

The head professor of C Class and two official arena technicians rushed to the main control terminal beside the platform, frantically inputting override codes to drop the shield.

But alas, the weird mana leaking out from Jodan was messing with the barrier, making their work harder than usual!

The dense black energy erupting from him core flared outward, clinging to the inside of the magical shield like a thick oil spill.

The dark aura corrupted the barrier’s mana channels, causing the blue translucent walls to flicker wildly between red and black as the controls locked up entirely.

The override commands were completely jammed from the inside by the violent surge of evil power.

"Damn it! The internal circuit is being overwritten!"

The head professor of C Class yelled out in panic, his hands glowing as he tried to force his way through the corrupted mana network.

"Vael, keep your distance! Do not engage him directly until we break this down!"

Professor Ulfar shouted, drawing his own heavy weapon as he prepared to blast through the barrier using brute force.

Anyway i decided to just hold on until the professors break the barrier and save me just like in the game when Zion was in this situation.

My main goal right now wasn’t to fight a full-blown corrupted one head-on, but simply to survive and stall for time. As long as I kept dodging and stayed out of his immediate attack range, the instructors would eventually crush the corrupted from the outside and handle the rest.

FWIP!

I got prepared, raising both my weapons.

I snapped my right hand back to the hilt of [Frost] and drew my silver dagger with my left hand, dropping low into my defensive stance once again.

I circulated my frost mana rapidly through my legs, preparing to dodge whatever chaotic attack Jodan was about to hurl at me.

"H-He...lp...!"

But just as I was getting ready to fight... I heard that coming out of Jodan’s mouth. It was a desperate plea.

"Huh...?"

And looking at him, I can see his face looking scared and confused.

His voice was thin, trembling, and completely broken, completely devoid of the arrogant hostility I expected from a game villain.

Black tears were streaming down his cheeks, mixing with the dark veins crawling across his skin as he reached out with a trembling hand toward me.

He doesn’t know what’s happening too.

His eyes were wide with pure terror, rolling wildly as he desperately fought against the black energy taking over his limbs.

I mean, I already realized it... The Jodan I saw today... He was nowhere from being a corrupted one.

He wasn’t some evil mastermind who willingly made a pact with demonic forces just to crush his rivals. He doesn’t even seem like a bully or whatever.

"..."

He was just a regular student who fought hard, accepted his loss, and tried to shake my hand like any normal peer.

’I know... I realized it by now.’

Someone else had planted this dark seed inside him, using him as a helpless pawn to cause havoc during the academy assessment.

and knowing that—it made me angry.

A deep, burning rage flared up inside my chest, replacing every bit of my previous fear.

Some hidden bastard had intentionally ruined this guy’s life, trying to turn him into a mindless monster.

"Please...!"

Jodan was begging me to save him before his human consciousness was swallowed whole by that vile power.

The black roots were creeping up his neck, rapidly spreading toward his face as his eyes began to turn completely pitch black.

If I waited for the professors to break the barrier from the outside, it would take them at least a couple minutes.

By then, Jodan’s mind would be completely wiped out, transforming him into a corrupted one that would have to be put down.

If I wanted to save his life, I had to act right this second.

"Don’t worry."

And so I said that.

CRACKLE—SWAAAAAAAHHH~!!!

I gathered my remaining mana and circulated it inside my body, I just left a few for me to be able to move afterwards.

I locked my eyes onto Jodan’s body that was slowly being transformed into something else, stepping forward instead of backing away.

"FUHHHHH..."

I drew in a massive breath, pulling every single drop of frost mana out of my core and pumping it violently into both of my weapons.

The blue energy inside me rushed through my vein, making my skin feel icy cold as my internal mana reserves plummeted to near zero.

"I will not let you turn to one of them."

I said that with absolute conviction, staring straight into Jodan’s desperate eyes.

Then, after gathering my mana—

"HAAAAAA—!!!"

CRACKLE— B O O M!

I thrust [Frost] and my silver dagger into the concrete floor beneath my feet, releasing the entire ocean of compressed ice mana in a single explosive wave!

An enormous wave of sub-zero frost erupted outward from my blades, sweeping across the entire stage in a fraction of a second!

CRASH! CRACKLE! FROOSH!

Massive pillars of jagged, thick ice shot up from the ground, coating the floor, the surrounding magical barrier, and the air itself in solid sheets of frozen white crystal!

The sheer intensity of the extreme cold instantly flash-froze everything within the arena, trapping the dark leaking energy before it could spread any further.

The black smoke surrounding Jodan was caught mid-expansion, locked firmly inside transparent walls of thick ice.

The creeping dark roots on his skin were forcibly halted, frozen solid right at his neck before they could reach his brain.

And lastly... Jodan’s entire body was encased in a giant, protective block of clear ice, preserving his remaining human consciousness in a state of suspended animation.

In a matter of seconds—I froze everything around me. My ice cracking the barrier of the arena a bit, helping the professors get inside of here.

Even inside the deep freeze, I could feel the faint, heavy throb of that disgusting evil force struggling against my ice magic from deep within his chest.

It was a repulsive energy that felt far more vile and concentrated than anything I had encountered so far.

I frowned.

"Huff... Haaaaaa..."

I stood there breathing heavily, my knees shaking slightly as the cold mist slowly cleared around the frozen arena stage.

Outside the ring, the entire facility had fallen completely dead silent.

"..."

"...!"

"W-What?"

"Everything froze..."

"Why did he do that? What’s happening?"

Some students said, confused.

Professor Ulfar, the head professor of C Class, and all the spectating students were staring at me with their mouths wide open in absolute shock.

CRACK...!

The translucent barrier flickered one last time before finally shattering into dust under the extreme pressure of my ice blast.

CRASH!

I dropped down onto one knee, using the hilt of my rapier to support my weight as my breath came out in heavy, white puffs.

’Ugh... I lost more mana than I had thought.’

My mana core was practically empty, but as I looked up at Jodan’s frozen face inside the crystal block, I knew he was still alive.

I had bought him time.

"Vael...!"

Professor Ulfar was the first to react, vaulting over the broken barrier frame and rushing onto the ice-covered platform beside me.

He placed a broad hand on my shoulder, his eyes darting between my exhausted face and the massive frozen structure towering behind me.

"Are you alright?!"

Professor Ulfar asked urgently, scanning my body for any signs of dark corruption or physical injury.

"I’m... fine..."

I replied, my voice raspy and dry as I exhaled a faint cloud of cold air.

"Just exhausted... Please... check on him..."

I added, gesturing weakly toward the frozen block containing Jodan.

The head professor of C Class and several medical staff members rushed onto the platform right behind him, carrying containment artifacts and diagnostic tools.

"The dark energy is completely suppressed inside the ice!"

One of the technicians called out, scanning the frozen block with a glowing metallic rod.

"His heart is still beating... The corruption hasn’t reached his brain core yet!"

He added, looking over at the professors with a mix of shock and immense relief.

"Get the high-tier containment team up here immediately!"

Professor Ulfar ordered loudly, turning back to the arena staff.

"Transport him directly to the medical facility under maximum security! Do not break the ice until the purification squad arrives!"

"Understood!"

The medical staff quickly activated a levitation gurney, carefully lifting the massive block of ice off the platform to transport Jodan away.

Zion came running from the spectating area, shoving past the stunned crowd of students to reach the platform.

"Vael!"

He shouted out, skidding to a halt on the icy floor and wrapping his arm under my shoulder to help pull me up.

"Man, what the hell was that dark energy?! Are you okay?!"

Zion asked, his face filled with worry as he supported my weight.

"I’m fine... i just ran out of mana..."

I told him, offering a small, weak smile as I leaned on his shoulder.

"That was insane..."

Zion said in shock, looking at the frozen floor with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"You froze an entire arena by yourself..."

"I had to... otherwise he would have died..."

I muttered, looking toward the exit doors as the medical squad rushed Jodan out of the facility.

Professor Ulfar walked back over to us, his expression deep and extremely serious as he looked at me.

"You did well today, Vael."

Professor Ulfar stated, his loud voice dropping into a low, serious tone.

"You acted fast and saved a schoolmate’s life... but this situation is far bigger than a simple practical assessment."

He paused, looking around at the quiet arena floor where the remaining students were still standing in silence.

"The joint class is officially canceled. All students, return to your dormitories immediately and remain inside until further notice!"

Professor Ulfar declared loudly, his voice echoing across the wide facility.

"Yes, sir!"

The students responded in hushed, nervous tones, quickly gathering their belongings and moving toward the main exit doors in organized groups.

They were still confused, but they know something bad is happening.

Zion helped me walk down the stone steps of the arena, guiding me toward the exit corridor.

"Let’s get you back to the dorm so you can rest, Vael."

Zion said to me, keeping a firm grip on my side so I wouldn’t lose my footing.

"Yeah... thanks, Zion."

I replied quietly.

As we stepped out of the facility and into the bright sunlight, I looked up at the blue sky above the campus grounds.

The game storyline had officially broken.

Instead of Zion fighting a corrupted monster in front of the entire school, I had confronted it, changed the outcome, and saved the target before the transformation could complete.

Whoever was operating from the dark shadows behind the scenes had failed to cause their intended terrorism today.

’Whoever you are...’

I thought to myself, narrowing my eyes as cold determination settled deep within my chest.

’I won’t let you play with people’s lives like this.’

I took a deep, steady breath, letting Zion guide me down the paved road as my mana slowly began to regenerate inside my quiet core.