218 A New Semester A New Evaluation 8


    A part of me wants to say I should''ve expected this, but the whole situation has spiraled so far out of control that it''s beyond anything I initially imagined.


    I knew from the beginning that Stacia was a stubborn character—someone who pursued her goals with reckless determination—but I underestimated just how deeply rooted her obsession with her own selfish fantasies was.


    And now, here I am, trapped in this inescapable situation.


    "Uh… as per request of freshman Princess Stacia, her duel today shall reflect the evaluation of her ss cement result," the professor announced, his voice wavering slightly as he nced nervously between me, Stacia, and the judges.


    His expression screamed uncertainty, as if he was hoping someone—anyone—would provide an exnation for what was happening.


    But even as his eyes darted around, it''s not like he would find any answers…


    Stacia was already in control, bending the situation to her whims.


    There was no room to stop her now.


    The rules of the academy, while strict, had their loopholes, and she had exploited them expertly.


    Even though this was framed as a personal duel, a pretext for her to challenge me, the academy had no choice but to evaluate her strength based on the oue.


    And since she chose a senior as her opponent—me, of all people—everything technically followed the rules.


    "Fufu~ they are truly making this into a huge deal, no?" Stacia mused, her eyes scanning the trembling faces of the judges,pletely oblivious to the chaos she was stirring behind the scenes.


    If only she realized the kind of trouble she''d brought upon them.


    As a princess, there was a very clear reason they positioned her on Kagami''s side of the three stages.


    The academy likely nned for her to either win against him or lose gracefully against Seo, who was another test volunteer nearby.


    Both oues had their own advantages for her development.


    However, I figured they were aiming for the former—ensuring her victory against Kagami—just to stay in the good graces of the Luna Royal Family.


    The crowd around us had grown, and word about our unprecedented duel spread quickly. Excitement buzzed through the gathered students.


    I could see it in their expressions: surprise, curiosity, admiration—and in some cases, envy.


    The audience was gettingrger and rowdier, their voices echoing through the arena as they spected on the sudden turn of events.


    "Is a freshman even allowed to personally request a duel with a senior?"


    "Then maybe we can choose a senior of our choice too?"


    "We could avoid the Meteor Gori senior if that''s the case!"


    Kagami had really earned himself an outstanding nickname—Meteor Gori? It took everything I had to hold back myughter at the absurdity of it.


    But given his strength and reputation, I suppose it fit him in a way.


    "So, how does it feel, Senior? To bask in the light''s glory once more~" Stacia said proudly, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.


    The expression on her face practically screamed ''Look, I''ve set up this grand stage for you, isn''t it wonderful~''


    I wasn''t going to lie—it did feel somewhat exhrating, in a way.


    But honestly, it wasn''t that much different from the constant attention I''d been getting even before the whole "Hero of Light" title.


    The rumors surrounding me had dragged me into an endless pit of attention long before today.


    The hundreds of innocent eyes staring at me now? It paled inparison to the weight of infamy that I carried every day.


    "It''s not that bad…" I replied, half-heartedly.


    "Fufu~ you say that now, but that''s only because you haven''t experienced the true height of basking in glory, Senior Riley," she said, her voice taking on a teasing lilt. "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to properly integrate you into it."


    And then, without any warning—


    FUUUSHHH—!!!!


    The atmosphere around us shifted in an instant.


    What was once a slightly tense but controlled environment suddenly became blisteringly hot, as though the very air had been set ame.


    A bright orange fire ignited before me, erupting from Stacia''s fan.


    The delicatece and intricate craftsmanship were consumed in mere moments, swallowed by arger me that began to take shape, transforming into the silhouette of a de.


    Within seconds, the mes coalesced, solidifying into a massive scarlet great-sword.


    Its edges burned with a fierce, unyielding fire, the heat so intense that even from where I stood—several paces away—I could feel the scorching heat radiating from the weapon.


    The mes danced along the de''s surface, flickering like they had a life of their own.


    The sheer presence of the sword was overwhelming, its aura oppressive.


    Stacia held the great-sword with ease, despite its massive size.


    She didn''t seem affected by the blistering heat; in fact, she appeared to revel in it.


    Her crimson eyes gleamed with excitement, a mischievous smirk ying on her lips as she twirled the ming sword effortlessly, as though it were an extension of herself.


    Her powers were as shy as ever.


    In the game, Stacia''s sword—[Ignis]—was renowned as one of the most powerful ultimate fire-type weapons. Its rank, rarity, and quality ced it on par with legendary des like the [Moonlight Sword] and the [Holy Sword].


    But Ignis was more than just a weapon of status; it was a unique relic, passed down only through the Luna family''s heirs for generations.


    Justying eyes on it, even from a distance, gave one the impression of its sheer ancient power.


    Not even the most impressive CG animations in the game, no matter how grand or meticulously detailed, could fully capture the raw majesty that Ignis exuded in real life.


    Seeing it now—its fiery glow radiating across the stage, the heat distorting the very air around it—made it clear that no screen, no pixels, could ever do it justice. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    But Ignis wasn''t Stacia''s only weapon, it was her unparalleled amount of mana as well as her talent in magic.


    In the game, Stacia was considered to be the perfect hybrid between a knight and a mage—a magic knight.


    She was the most adaptive character, able to seamlessly switch between devastating physical attacks with her sword and overwhelming magical abilities.


    If you were looking for a character to invest your time and resources in for growth, she was one of the top contenders.


    In the near future, she was expected to reach a level where she could go toe-to-toe with Liyana, much like Lucas.


    Both Lucas and Stacia had the unique ability to damage Liyana, something that very few characters in the game could im.


    The difference? Stacia''s growth was tied to how early she could unlock her potential, especially through learning the skill [Anima mma].


    The sooner she mastered it, the more devastating her future power would be.


    Though this wasn''t my original intention, I suppose there''s no harm in helping her grow now, right?


    "Senior, how about you draw your weapon now~?" Stacia''s voice rang out, her eyes gleaming with a yful but expectant look.


    She was clearly waiting for me to brandish something more formidable—perhaps my personal weapon, or at least something worthy of standing against her legendary Ignis.


    But I just smiled at her, ignoring her subtle taunt.


    "This is more than enough," I replied, gesturing toward the dull, standard-issue training sword the professors had handed out for the evaluation.


    It wasn''t morous, nor was it meant for anything beyond sparring practice, but for this fight, it would suffice.


    Stacia''s brow rose in mild surprise, clearly not expecting my response. "Fighting me with a stick won''t do much to highlight your glory, though…" shemented, her voice teasing yet sharp. After a moment, she added, "But it does help in showing your strength, so I guess it should barely suffice?"


    At least she didn''t take it as an insult.


    That''s a relief.


    Most people of her standing would''ve seen it as a slight to their pride, especially considering the difference between a training sword and a legendary weapon like Ignis.


    But Stacia, for all her bravado, wasn''t that easily offended. She was more interested in proving herself than being pampered with formalities.


    In the game, there were two paths to guide Stacia''s growth.


    The first was the obvious choice: invite her to your party, raise her affection meter, and ensure her unwavering loyalty by nurturing a bond with her.


    The second option was the exact opposite: force her to grow through adversity, push her to her limits, and let her evolve through hard-earned defeat.


    Stepping forward, I gripped the hilt of the training sword tightly.


    I could feel the familiar warmth of mana building inside me, flowing through my veins and wrapping around my body in preparation.


    It wasn''t shy like Ignis, but it was more than enough for what I needed to do.


    Control over raw strength, not the sh of the weapon, would decide this battle.


    I nced at the professors, giving them a nod to signal the start of the duel.


    "Battle Start!!!"


    The shout echoed across the grounds, but I barely registered it.


    My eyes were fixed on Stacia, and hers on me.


    Her usual smirk was gone, reced by a determined gaze that showed just how seriously she was taking this.


    Good. She should take it seriously.


    16:46


    I''m sorry, Stacia, but for the sake of the future, and your own future as well.


    [Status Info:]


    [Riley Hell]


    [Race: Human]


    [Level: 102]


    [Strength: B [0/80]] [Agility: B [0/80]]


    [Endurance: C [0/60]]


    [Luck: 0] [????]]


    [Power: C [0/60]]


    [Avable Status Points: 14]


    [Skills Info:]


    [Advance Swordsmanship (Proficiency 28%)]


    [Absolute Strike!] [Proficiency (27%)]


    [Aura] [Proficiency (17%)]


    [Dashing Sprint] [Proficiency (15%)]


    [Heavenly Strike] [Proficiency (15%)]


    [Blink Step] [Proficiency (10%)]


    [Blood Rampage (Rare)] [Proficiency (40%)]


    [Thought eleration] [Proficiency (40%)]


    [Bonus skills:]


    [Time Dtion] [Proficiency (100%)] → [Time Stop] [Proficiency (2%)]


    [Return] [Proficiency (5%)] [Blessed Skills:]


    [Raging Storms] [Proficiency (55%)]


    [Golden Lightning] [Proficiency (85%)]


    [Passive Skills:]


    [Monarch''s Will]


    [Passive Effect: Charisma + EX]


    [Current proficiency: 75%]


    [Influence: 100]


    [Presence: 100]


    [Soul Archive:]


    [Extra skills:]


    [Skill: Archive (S)] [Proficiency (50%)]


    [Skill: Pain Nullifier (A)] [Proficiency (99%)]


    [Skill: Hero''s Will (Unique)] [Proficiency (0%)]


    [New Skill: Hero''s Aura (Unique)] [Proficiency (0%)]