Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

As for me, I was placed in a small room on the fourth floor. Unfortunately, I didn't know where Adrian or Aric were placed.

...And I also didn't know where Sunny was.

Well, that guy could handle himself. He's more than capable.

At that moment, I noticed movement from the opposite door. With my mana eyes and a bit of focus, I figured out who that person was.

And, of course, it was Isabella.

Considering the layout of the floor, I needed to cross her to get out to the hall.

In addition, I was in Team Black, and Isabella was in Team White. We were enemies.

At that moment, a loud voice rang out from the speaker above me.

—Artifacts are being kept or moved by NPCs. Team White must protect the artifacts, and Team Black must steal them. Now, we will start the countdown.

The opened doors all closed, and the countdown began.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Once the countdown ended, the blinding magic disappeared.

Today, I decided not to use a sword because I've been using it too much lately. This was a good opportunity to use my bow.

I checked my cadet training-issued bow and then checked the coordinates I needed to get to.

The lowest floor's B-3 zone.

—I heard a sound next door...

At that moment, Isabella's voice rang out. I quickly turned to face the closed door.

Tak, tak.

Isabella walked forward, intentionally making loud footsteps. Then, she knocked on the door of the room I was in.

—I know you're there. Are you in Team Black or Team White? For the record, I'm in Team White.

I stayed silent.

Isabella then hummed joyfully and grabbed the doorknob.

—No answer? I assume that means you're in Team Black. How unfortunate, you must have been looking forward to today's class. Consider yourself unlucky...

Ssss—

The door opened, and Isabella appeared with a bright face.

Then, her eyes met mine.

"...!"

In an instant, Isabella's expression froze. Her smiling lips trembled, and her wide eyes turned stiff.

We were on the opposite team.

In other words, we had to fight.

But for some reason... it looked like Isabella was scared of fighting me.

Isabella's eyes widened as she took in my presence. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the air thick with tension. I could see the hesitation in her eyes. Despite her confident front, she looked like she was having second thoughts about our encounter.

"Lucas..." she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't expect to run into you here."

I gave her a level look. "It's a competition. We're on opposite teams. You knew this could happen."

Isabella swallowed hard, her fear momentarily palpable. "I... I know. It's just—"

Before she could finish, I heard a distant clamor from the hallway. I realized that if we didn't act soon, other cadets might come through and disrupt our confrontation.

"Are you going to fight or not?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady and neutral.

Isabella's expression hardened. She took a deep breath, visibly shaking off her fear. "Right. I'm in Team White, and I need to protect the artifacts. I can't afford to hesitate."

With that, she started to circulate mana inside her body and was preparing for wind type magic.

But I couldn't let her complete her magic.

If she's hits me with this close distance then I'm done for.

Before She could attack me, I quickly took out my bow and nocked an arrow, drawing it back with practiced precision. I aimed at Isabella, knowing I had to act quickly.

She noticed my movement and her eyes widened further. With a swift motion, she completed her spell, creating a gust of wind that blew the arrow off course just as it was about to hit her. The arrow slammed into the wall behind her, leaving a small dent.

Isabella used the momentary distraction to create a barrier of wind around herself. She looked at me with determination now, her fear replaced by resolve. "You're quick, Lucas. But you'll need more than that to get past me."

I adjusted my stance, quickly assessing my next move. "Same goes for you. I'm not going to make it easy."

Isabella began to chant another spell, this one more complex. I could sense the magic building up, the air around her crackling with energy. I had to interrupt her spell or risk being hit by something far more powerful.

I took a deep breath, focusing on my mana. With a quick flick of my wrist, I released another arrow. This time, I aimed for the ground near her feet to force her to move. The arrow struck, causing a small explosion of debris and dust. Isabella yelped and leapt sideways to avoid the impact, her spell momentarily disrupted.

As she landed, I saw an opportunity. I dashed forward, my bow still ready. Isabella, recovering from the dodge, quickly brought her staff up to defend herself. She swung it with a burst of wind, trying to create space between us. I narrowly avoided the attack, rolling to the side and firing another arrow as I moved.

Isabella gritted her teeth, managing to deflect the arrow with her staff. She was clearly focused on keeping her distance while preparing another spell. The battle was becoming a test of endurance and strategy, and I knew I couldn't afford to make mistakes.

Finally, Isabella found an opening and launched a powerful wind blade toward me. I dodged to the side, the wind razor narrowly missing me but cutting through the air with a sharp hiss. I needed to end this quickly before she could wear me down.

I focused on her movements, anticipating her next attack. As she prepared another spell, I drew my bow for one last, decisive shot. I let the arrow fly, aiming for her staff. The shot was precise, and the arrow struck the staff, causing Isabella to lose her grip on it. The staff clattered to the ground, leaving her vulnerable.

Isabella looked at her fallen staff with a mix of disbelief and frustration. She tried to summon another spell with her remaining mana, but it was clear she was exhausted and out of options. I moved in, ready to finish the confrontation.