Chapter 187: Lances Decisions Has Rippling Effects

Chapter 187: Lance's Decisions Has Rippling Effects

Standing nearby, Adam was once again left speechless by Lance. As expected of a student trained by that scumbag Lawrence. With such smooth, composed rhetoric, he could probably juggle a dozen fiancées without breaking a sweat!

Adam had previously found it hard to imagine how Lawrence managed to navigate such high-stakes romantic minefields, but after this interaction with Lance, he was convinced.

"Well then, Mr. Adam, since Knight Commander Juliana has witnessed and agreed to our wager terms, please choose the format for the contest. I'll accept any type of challenge you propose." Lance smiled as he cradled his cat, his tone as casual as if he had just finished a friendly chat about everyday matters.

Lance's summary of the wager was accurate, so Adam had no grounds to dispute it. After a brief silence, the third year decided to commit fully and accepted the challenge.

"...Alright!" Adam declared. "Listen, Lance. Even though I have a compelling reason to win, I won't pick a contest format that gives me an unfair advantage. I'm going to defeat you fair and square, so decisively that you'll have no choice but to accept your loss."

Lance remained poised and elegant, appearing unconcerned with the outcome. "I look forward to it."

Or perhaps that composure implied something else: that no matter what challenge Adam proposed, Lance was certain he would be the one to win.

Adam nodded. His opponent was finally getting serious, just as he had hoped. He pointed at Lance and said decisively, "Let's compete in an event where both of us excel: a challenge within the Shadow Realm. We'll use the Endless Mode of an artificial Shadow Realm, lock our ranks to 2, and ban enchanted cards. It will be a pure test of intellect and willpower."

A murmur rippled through the conference room as the other upperclassmen and faculty members quickly realized which Shadow Realm scenario Adam was referring to.

He was undoubtedly talking about the Level 2 artificial Shadow Realm known as the Bone-Chilling Cage of Despair, which was an ultimate test of the human will to survive. Because it was so famous and frequently used for practice, everyone was familiar with this Shadow Realm dungeon. Furthermore, its inherently high degree of randomness ensured there were no issues regarding fairness.

However, regarding this particular artificial Shadow Realm challenge, it was hard to say whether Lance or Adam would emerge the victor.

Lance suggested, "Sounds good with me. How about we meet at the seventh floor atrium of the Learning and Education Hall in an hour?"

Even with the school's permission and the support of the College of Magical Engineering, activating the terminal for the artificial Shadow Realm located in the seventh floor atrium would still take some time.

"Fine. See you in an hour." Exuding the confidence of someone who already held victory in his grasp, Adam turned and walked out of the Sages' College conference room.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity lay right before him. Even when he had first arrived in Ikerite, he had never imagined such a perfect scenario. His eyes burned with a feverish intensity, and making no secret of his arrogance, he resolved to teach the Sages' College a lesson today.

***

Autumn had descended upon Ikerite. Strong winds swept across the campus, whistling between the buildings and whipping up swirls of dancing leaves. It was a scene reminiscent of the prelude to a torrential storm.

Driven by the gale, golden and crimson autumn leaves broke free from their branches and fluttered down in a flurry. Some rode the wind past the ancient clock tower, seemingly deepening the weight of time and heralding the arrival of late autumn.

The clock tower appeared all the more majestic in the wind. It stood in stoic silence, enduring the gusts as its hands steadily turned. On the pathways, students' coats snapped loudly in the wind, yet their gazes remained resolute as they pressed forward in small groups, walking briskly against the bluster.

One suggested, "Forget the classroom, let's go see the spectacle."

Another chimed in, "If we're late, there won't be any spots left at Gela Plaza."

As they walked through the whistling wind, students were spreading the word about a special event taking place soon: Adam, a top third year student from the Yaloran's Royal University's Melee Combat Department, was set to face off against Lance, the representative student from the Sages' College, in a high-stakes showdown!

Beyond the prime public viewing spot at Gela Memorial Plaza, which was home to a massive outdoor screen that broadcast continuously around the clock, many of the school's standalone team activity rooms were also equipped with magical screens, allowing for indoor viewing.

Inside a detached magical engineering laboratory belonging to the College of Magical Engineering, overhead lights cast a steady, star-like glow into every corner. Magical screens embedded in the curved walls displayed a variety of campus information.

At workbenches scattered throughout the room, students from the department were engrossed in their research, while newly arrived students chatted animatedly about the day's major campus event.

One sighed. "It's really not a sure thing that Lance will win this time, so don't be too optimistic. Even if Frey were here, he wouldn't necessarily beat Adam in this survival-style Shadow Realm."

Another laughed. "The suspense is what makes it exciting! Tsk tsk, have you heard about the wager between Lance and Adam? If Lance loses... I shudder to think just how explosive the spectacle will be."

A third quipped, "The one who'll truly 'explode' is probably Dean Lawrence."

In the distance, Karen, a second year Gold Certified card maker from the Royal University of Yaloran, sighed helplessly in the middle of her tour upon hearing the news as she lamented, "Adam is acting recklessly again."

A faint smile then appeared on her lips. While twirling a lock of her blonde hair, she gazed at Prince Ainor, who was showing her around, with her emerald-green eyes.

She then said, "On the other hand, you are always so composed and steady, Your Highness Ainor. You're truly someone the younger students can trust and look up to."

"Haha, you're too kind." Prince Ainor already held Karen, a genius Gold Certified card maker younger than himself, in high regard. After hearing her ceaseless praise, he couldn't help but smile genuinely.

Sophia looked away, as if trying to avoid seeing something that bothered her.

Everyone at the College of Magical Engineering had initially assumed that this genius female card maker from the Kingdom of Yaloran would be arrogant beyond comparison. To their surprise, she was not only exceptionally gifted, but also humble and friendly, quickly earning the unanimous approval and affection of everyone at the Institute.

Sophia knew that Karen was a genuinely sweet and guileless girl. However, for some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that Karen had been getting a bit too close to Prince Ainor over the past two days, whether intentionally or not.

She had been holding back her feelings. After all, it was her intense possessiveness toward Ainor that had caused such an embarrassing scene at the Card Maker's Association last time.

As Sophia's mind wandered, Karen seemed to catch the subtle shift in her facial expression.

She asked with a look of concern while gently covering her lips with one hand, "Sophia? I'm so sorry. I got a bit too close to your Ainor again. I hope you don't misunderstand."

"He isn't mine!" After being dropped back to reality, Sophia's tone was noticeably sharp. She couldn't hide the emotions that had been building up over the last two days.

After being snapped at, Karen lowered her gaze and let out a soft, slightly hurt, "Oh."

Ainor quickly spoke up to defend the other sophomore. "Sophia, Karen didn't mean any harm."

If students from the College of Magical Engineering were to bully Karen without cause, it would make the entire university look petty.

"I'm sorry..." Sophia calmed down quickly, then let her head droop.

A bitter, aching sense of grievance welled up in her heart, lodging in her throat and making it impossible to form any words. She felt that if things went on like this, she might actually need to see a therapist. Or perhaps find a "love guru" who could help her out.

***

Fading sunlight streamed through the expansive windows, bathing the wooden furniture of a popular café in the heart of Ikerite. Housed in a converted printing plant, the shop sat directly beneath the editorial offices of The Hutton Times.

The café bustled with morning activity as a diverse crowd briefly crossed paths. The soft clinking of coffee cups, the murmur of conversation, and the background music wove together to create a relaxed tableau of urban life.

At a long table sat several students from the Yaloran Kingdom's Royal University, leisurely enjoying their brunch. One student sipped intently on a latte adorned with intricate foam art, while another enjoyed a bagel topped with avocado, a fried egg, and fresh tomato.

They alternated between conversing with their peers and immersing themselves in the newspapers they held. Here, they could effortlessly switch between study and relaxation. It was a place that felt less like a mere café and more like a second campus.

Suddenly, they heard someone interject, "There's news today."

Then another person shouted, "Quick, go get Luviselle! We need the whole school to know about this within the hour!"

At the long table, one of the Yaloran students, who had been enjoying his meal in comfort, paused upon overhearing a group of Ikerite students who had just entered the café discussing hot news. Lance was set to face Adam in a Shadow Realm duel.

He thought for a moment, then set down his fork. The moment Lance entered the artificial Shadow Realm, that would be the perfect opportunity to strike and eliminate the young lady of the House of Aransar.