Chapter 57: The Timer Starts

After activating the altar, Steven kept its destruction to a minimum; he couldn’t risk anyone falling down here because the cave collapsed.

But he hadn’t thought about the fragile qualities of the crystal, as just after a single attack the entire place started splitting in two.

Jumping up the hole, he barely managed to reach the top without being hit with debris.

Merency tried to balance herself on anything stable; meanwhile, the rest of the students were either stuck in holes or trying to evade them.

Steven himself nearly jumped into one, only escaping it by a few inches.

Finding stable ground, he leaped towards Merency, grabbing her by her waist and pulling her with him.

As they leaped over the crystal wall, a dozen spells tried to hit them while they couldn’t dodge.

Put Merency just cast a wave of flames in the air, blocking them all.

As they crash-landed on the ground, Steven lost his grip on Merency as she bounced off the ground, flying further.

She even hit a tree with her back, only coming to a stop against it.

Slowly crawling up, Stevens’s mana was still drained from the altar he just destroyed.

As he could feel his light clone collapse into nothingness inside the crystal castle.

"Merency, are you fine?" He whispered towards her, barely able to speak, having his mana drained once more before he could restore it slowly, becoming deadly.

"I am fine, just a bit beaten." He heard her cough her answer. "I don’t think that place will be a good new base spot."

Steven couldn’t hold back his laughter. "You might be right; the neighbors seemed really unfriendly."

"I would define them more as the last resident unwilling to leave," she answered, her laugh broken by a pained groan.

Steven was relieved nobody decided to follow them out, probably still trying to free their classmates.

Slowly rising to his shaking legs, he wasn’t sure if he could handle another altar today.

But he didn’t have that choice; the finger made it clear, and he wasn’t going to fail her.

He still had the entire day to recover, and if he avoided the fight with Lucy for the altar, he shouldn’t have to worry.

Shaking those thoughts off, he walked over to Merency, who was still lying on the ground.

"Need a hand, princess?" as he offered her his hand.

"I will need more than just a hand for help." As she took it, rising once more. "I don’t assume you know any healing spells?"

Steven shook his head in a lie, "Nope, I am bright after all."

Merency looked only slightly disappointed at him and then just shrugged. "Then we have to wait until I restore enough mana to use it myself."

Steven nodded in agreement. "But we might want to move away slightly before those guys return." As he pointed towards the crystal castle.

Merency probably couldn’t debate against his reasoning as he helped her a bit further into the forest.

To a place decently hidden between some bushes. As he lay down on the ground, resting.

Merency laid down next to him, her eyes tired and empty.

"Are you really good?" He asked, staring towards the sky.

"Just a bit tired; the event is going much faster than expected." She answered truthfully.

Steven could only agree; he had also hoped this event wasn’t going to end today.

Sadly Merency didn’t yet know what was still going to happen today.

"You should rest; I will keep watch." But before he could even finish, she had already fallen asleep.

Waiting just a few minutes confirmed whatever possessed her didn’t come out. Steven stood up, shaking off any tiredness.

Summoning another light clone, the clone stepped away from her.

He needed to find Edward and Lumiel and bring them to Lucy and June.

Jumping on top of a tree, he released the restriction on his mana sense, engulfing the entire forest.

Lumiel wasn’t even trying to hide his mana, as he seemed to be already engaging in combat once more.

While he couldn’t sense Edward, he was sure he wouldn’t be far away from his teammate.

June and Lucy were also hiding too well for him to find, but he already knew where they would most likely be staying.

Jumping from tree to tree, he started to grow closer towards Lumiel, leaking his mana slightly to gain his attention.

As the young man’s instantly caught it, moving towards him too.

Steven stopped standing still in the forest, waiting for them to arrive, but Lumiel wasn’t the first to get here.

Instead, Edward was already standing just ahead, calm like a lake.

"Mr. Bright, what brings you here after our small duel?" He asked, his hand hovering over something in his pockets.

"Or is it because of those altars you have been destroying all around here?"

The accusations hit Steven hard, unsure where Edward had gotten his information from.

"Mr. Eden, such accusations really hurt my feelings. I am only here to fight you for points." He lied perfectly, his face completely emotionless.

"Oh, fight us? Then where is your team member, and why are you low on mana? Edward smiled at him.

"Just trust me, Edward; today you should listen to me." His voice hinted at his slight concern, seemingly confusing Edward.

Who seemed to debate how to answer, but just before he could, the second person arrived.

As Lumiel crashed to the ground, half his body was bandaged. But that didn’t seem to hinder him at all.

"There you are, Steven; this time you can’t send the princess to save your ass." He spoke, seemingly having the time of his life laughing.

As he shot out a fire spiral towards Steven, who only side-stepped it, letting it burn the tree behind him.

"I think I will have to go now." He smiled at the both of them.

"But don’t worry; I will come after you after I have beaten Lucy and June."

With that, his light clone disappeared into a blinding light.