How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

218 A New Semester A New Evaluation 8

A part of me wants to say I shouldʼve expected this, but the whole situation has spiraled so far out of control that itʼs 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 class placement result,” the professor announced, his voice wavering slightly as he glanced nervously between me, Stacia, and the judges.

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

But even as his eyes darted around, itʼs 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 outcome.

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, completely oblivious to the chaos she was stirring behind the scenes.

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

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

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

Both outcomes 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 getting larger and rowdier, their voices echoing through the arena as they speculated 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 Gorilla senior if thatʼs the case!”

Kagami had really earned himself an outstanding nickname—Meteor Gorilla? It took everything I had to hold back my laughter 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 lightʼs glory once more~” Stacia said proudly, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

The expression on her face practically screamed ʼLook, Iʼve set up this grand stage for you, isnʼt it wonderful~ʼ

I wasnʼt going to lie—it did feel somewhat exhilarating, in a way.

But honestly, it wasnʼt that much different from the constant attention Iʼd 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 in comparison to the weight of infamy that I carried every day.

”Itʼs not that bad…” I replied, half-heartedly.

”Fufu~ you say that now, but thatʼs only because you havenʼt experienced the true height of basking in glory, Senior Riley,” she said, her voice taking on a teasing lilt. ”Donʼt worry. Iʼll 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 aflame.

A bright orange fire ignited before me, erupting from Staciaʼs fan.

The delicate lace and intricate craftsmanship were consumed in mere moments, swallowed by a larger flame that began to take shape, transforming into the silhouette of a blade.

Within seconds, the flames 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 flames danced along the bladeʼs 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 didnʼt seem affected by the blistering heat; in fact, she appeared to revel in it.

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

Her powers were as flashy as ever.

In the game, Staciaʼs sword—[Ignis]—was renowned as one of the most powerful ultimate fire-type weapons. Its rank, rarity, and quality placed it on par with legendary blades 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 familyʼs heirs for generations.

Just laying 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.

But Ignis wasnʼt Staciaʼs 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 claim.

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

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

Though this wasnʼt my original intention, I suppose thereʼs no harm in helping her grow now, right?

”Senior, how about you draw your weapon now~?” Staciaʼs voice rang out, her eyes gleaming with a playful 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 wasnʼt glamorous, nor was it meant for anything beyond sparring practice, but for this fight, it would suffice.

Staciaʼs brow rose in mild surprise, clearly not expecting my response. ”Fighting me with a stick wonʼt do much to highlight your glory, though…” she commented, 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 didnʼt take it as an insult.

Thatʼs a relief.

Most people of her standing wouldʼve 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, wasnʼt that easily offended. She was more interested in proving herself than being pampered with formalities.

In the game, there were two paths to guide Staciaʼs 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 wasnʼt flashy like Ignis, but it was more than enough for what I needed to do.

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

I glanced 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, replaced by a determined gaze that showed just how seriously she was taking this.

Good. She should take it seriously.

16:46

Iʼm 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]]

[Available 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 Acceleration] [Proficiency (40%)]

[Bonus skills:]

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

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

[Raging Storms] [Proficiency (55%)]

[Golden Lightning] [Proficiency (85%)]

[Passive Skills:]

[Monarchʼs 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: Heroʼs Will (Unique)] [Proficiency (0%)]

[New Skill: Heroʼs Aura (Unique)] [Proficiency (0%)]