Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

Clank!, Clank!, Clank!

A sound of sword and dagger with half length could be heard in narrow hallways.

A male cadet and female were fighting with each other.

The fight was intense at start as both were seems to evenly matched on strength But few seconds later that doesn't seems to be case.

The feamle cadet with ebony hair and forest green eyes have overpowered the male cadet in matter of seconds.

...And Now male cadet was just trying to save himself from the dagger of female cadet.

"P-please... S-Stop... Evelyn," the male cadet stammered, his voice trembling with fear and exhaustion. He was drenched in sweat, his muscles straining as he tried to fend off the onslaught.

Evelyn's relentless assault left the male cadet with no room to breathe.

Her movements were swift and precise, her daggers flashing in the dim light of the narrow hallway. Each strike was aimed with deadly intent, leaving the male cadet barely able to deflect or dodge the blows.

But Evelyn was unfazed. Her forest green eyes were cold, focused solely on her target. The male cadet's pleas fell on deaf ears as she pressed her attack, her daggers slicing through the air with lethal precision.

A swift kick to his side sent the male cadet stumbling backward. He crashed against the wall, the wind knocked out of him. Before he could recover, Evelyn was on him again, her daggers poised to strike.

"You should have surrendered earlier," Evelyn hissed, her voice devoid of any sympathy. "Now, it's too late."

The male cadet's eyes widened in terror as Evelyn's dagger came down, aimed directly at his chest. He braced himself for the inevitable, knowing there was no escape.

But just as the blade was about to make contact, Evelyn suddenly halted her attack. Her dagger stopped mere inches from the cadet's chest, the cold steel glinting in the dim light.

The male cadet looked up in shock, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Evelyn's expression remained unreadable as she stared down at him, her grip on the dagger steady.

"Tell me do you," Evelyn said, her voice calm and measured. "If not I can just end you here"

"I, I surrender!"

Horrified, Male cadet shouted the safe word.

The moment he said the safe word, he was blindfolded. He would now be transported to the third floor's 'elimination lounge', where other cadets eliminated from the third floor would be waiting.

And after the moment, Evelyn expression went back to normal.

"Whew... easy."

Evelyn murmured proudly as she wiped off her sweat.

This was already her third kill.

At that moment someone shouted softly at her.

"Evelyn—!"

Evelyn turned toward the direction of the voice. It was Natasha, who was wearing a white cadet uniform. She ran toward Evelyn in short, quick steps.

"Whew, thank god."

Clinging to Evelyn, Natasha let out a sigh of relief.

"Were you hiding this entire time?"

A supporter like Natasha was weak in brawls like this. An attack-focused supporter like Isabella would be able to shine depending on the situation, but Natasha was a purely support-oriented supporter.

"No, I managed to defeat one with my weakening debuff."

"Oh really? That's good. Anyways, it's nice to see you."

Evelyn was also happy to see Natasha. She was a supporter that enhanced warriors in particular. She provided various physical buffs that made warriors feel like they became Superhuman.

"Ahh, I really thought I was dead...."

Evelyn calmed her heart for a bit, then spoke as if she suddenly remembered it.

"Oh yeah, Elera's on this floor."

"Elera?"

Evelyn eyes widened.

"Yeah, I was so surprised! I barely managed to escape because I ran away the moment I saw her."

It was then.

Stomp, stomp, stomp— Someone ran upstairs out of breath.

"Wait."

The two stared at the staircase nervously. Natasha held up her bow, while Evelyn pointed her sword at the stairs.

However, the person who showed up was someone on their team, Isabella.

Isabella seemed to be relieved as well, as she let out a sigh of relief when she saw Natasha. Evelyn tilted her head and asked.

"Isabella, why are you sweating so much?"

"Huh? Uh, it's nothing."

Isabella looked haggard, unlike her usual self.

Evelyn asked in doubt.

"Who's downstairs?"

Isabella replied softly.

"...Lucas."

""Lucas?""

"Did you defete him?"

Natasha asked a question and Evelyn also looked at Isabella curosily.

It was reasonable question after all Isabella was also in top 10 cadets of the academy as first year.

Even if Lucas, who is now third ranker but he wasn't before, he wasn't strong as he now before.

So Natasha question was reasonable.

But they were forgotting who Lucas master is.

After moment of silence, Isabella opened her mouth.

"No, he didn't get eliminated."

'But I almost did.' Embarrassed, Isabella didn't say the last part out loud.

"Really?"

Evelyn, who was scratching her cheek and pretending to be unconcerned, asked in a casual tone.

"So, uh, what was he doing?"

"I don't know."

Isabella replied half-heartedly, but then Natasha butt in with a strange smile.

"Maybe he's looking for Elera?"

At Elera remark, Evelyn tilted her head.

"Eh? Why Elera?"

"Because Lucas likes Elera."

"...Huh?"

This time, both Evelyn and Isabella were confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Eh? You guys don't know?"

"...K-Know what? What about Lucas?"

Evelyn stuttered as she asked again. Natasha tilted her head.

"You really don't know? I thought everyone has heard the rumors by now."

"Then it's just a stupid, groundless rumor."

Isabella spoke firmly. As far as she was concerned, there were more important things to worry about at the moment than such absurd rumors.

"Anyways, did you locate the artifacts?"

"Ah, yeah, I have one on me. I ran into an NPC on my way here."

Natasha took out a small box from her uniform pocket.Isabella expression quickly brightened.

"I'm glad. First, let's transport this to the first floor."

"Yeah."

"And Natasha, you're mistaken. That rumor probably spread because Lucas and Elera are on the same team...."

While Evelyn was murmuring somewhat seriously...

Arrows suddenly rained down. Isabella quickly casted a shild spell around them and diflleted arrows away.

"Who is it!?"

Evelyn shouted with enraged eyes. Although the rain of arrows was mostly blocked by Isabella shild, Evelyn was still irritated by the ambush.

The three of them turned to the balcony and saw Elera and other cadets in Team Black.

Isabella's shield held firm, deflecting the majority of the incoming arrows, but the sudden ambush left the trio on edge. Evelyn gritted her teeth, her frustration evident as she glared at their attackers.

Elera stood on the balcony, her gaze calm and calculating, a stark contrast to the chaos she had just unleashed. The cadets from Team Black stood beside her, their weapons ready for the next attack.