abcnovels
Chapter 46: Change of plans [1]
Chapter 46: Change of plans [1]
Chapter 46: Change of plans [1]
"Say that once again, I dare you. Say anything about my parents", I growled, my voice dripping with menace as I demanded an answer.
Freya gasped for breath, her eyes welling up with tears. She managed to muster a ragged breath and stammered, "S-sorry."
Her feeble attempts to escape my grip were futile, as my hand clenched tightly around her neck.
In an instant, a realization washed over me—'why was I allowing myself to be consumed by anger?'
Yes, her words about my parents did fueled my rage, but this isn't how I act?
'Fuck this anger issue.' I took a deep breath, attempting to calm myself.
Fwuu!!— Suddenly, a projectile came hurtling towards me, propelled by the force of a guy adorned with shiny equipment worth a fortune in Dens.
'Tsk, Takahashi'I clicked my tongue in annoyance.
Just as his kick was about to make contact, my body instinctively moved, narrowly evading the attack.
I was in Battle mode, which activated earlier on a whim of my intent.
Nano possessed the remarkable ability to detect my emotions and intentions, adapting accordingly. It was one of its many superior qualities.
"Release her! This is not the place for you to play the tragic hero", Takahashi bellowed, aiming a powerful punch at my face.
Yet, with the ease of my left palm, I absorbed the impact, minimizing the force.
Simultaneously, I released my grip on Freya's neck, allowing her to collapse onto the floor.
"As if I care", I muttered dismissively, turning away from the scene.
Why did I let myself react like that?
I honestly have no clue.
As I walked away, the sound of murmurs lingered behind me. Some were expressing surprise, while others wore looks of confusion. But their opinions didn't matter to me.
What truly matters is how I choose to act based on them, and today... I failed. Today marked the first time I willingly attempted to harm someone, and it seemed to be fueled by the deep-seated emotions I had always buried within me.
My life, plagued by a blood disease, had always filled me with resentment and a sense of loathing. I couldn't live like others, constantly confronted with the possibility of death with each passing day. Over time, this frustration morphed into an anger issue.
"Yeah... it must be my anger issue," I reasoned with myself, searching for an explanation. There couldn't be any other reason for me to behave so recklessly.
.....
Takahashi's brow furrowed in confusion as he struggled to comprehend the spectacle before him.
'How on earth did that weakling manage to deflect my strikes?' he pondered, his mind swirling with bewilderment while he observed Noah's retreating figure.
A wave of perplexity washed over the entire class, forcing them to reevaluate their assumptions about the seemingly ordinary boy who had concealed depths yet to be uncovered.
However, the one who found herself most perplexed by Noah's peculiar actions was, a girl with stunning golden eyes and long flowing hair- Emily reed.
Emily sensed that there was more to Noah than met the eye, and she silently resolved to keep a vigilant watch over him.
Things were far from simple, and Noah seemed to be concealing something.
The intensity of the bloodlust she had sensed from him today surpassed what any mere 'human' could release.
His eyes..for that one moment he didn't felt 'humane'
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THE NEXT DAY
Noah's Point of view(POV):
As I walked through the crowd, I couldn't help but notice the strange murmurs that began to swirl around me.
However, I paid them no attention, feeling a lingering annoyance build up because of their behaviour.
Glancing at a guy nearby, I watched as his gaze immediately darted away from me, his pace quickening.
A frown creased my brow, 'Why are they acting so strangely?'.
Enough about that.
Here is what happened to Freya.
She was eliminated from the dungeon trial, but it wasn't just a simple elimination.
No, she was brutally beaten by none other than Takahashi, the same guy who had intervened yesterday.
And to make matters worse, he seemed to have no regard for the fact that she was a girl, treating her like trash.
It was then that I realized just how strange this guy truly was. He didn't discriminate when it came to inflicting harm, regardless of gender.
Well, it does make sense when you think about it. In a world like this, where life and death hang by a thread, people are bound to be more brutal.
The notion of 'don't hit a girl' simply doesn't cross a guy's mind if he's been wronged by her. Especially if that guy happens to be Takahashi Aoi.
Crisp-tk-shk-step-tk.
The sound of my footsteps echoed beneath me as I made my way through the dense jungle.
Towering trees surrounded me, their branches allowing slivers of sunlight to caress my skin.
Navigating through this jungle is no easy task. The ground is covered with thick grass, sturdy and often adorned with patches of moss wherever my eyes wander.
"Hey Noah!"— A sudden voice interrupted my train of thought, and I spotted two familiar faces approaching me: a girl and a boy.
Who else could they be but—James and Anastasia.
"How are you?" they asked simultaneously, concern evident on their faces.
They didn't mention it, but I knew they were worried about me after my behavior last night.
"I'm fine," I replied, but a memory flashed in my mind, prompting me to retrieve a mana potion from my dimensional bracelet.
"Oh, and here, Anastasia!" I tossed the mana potion towards her.
"I forgot to give it to you last night".
"Thanks!" she exclaimed, deftly catching the potion with a satisfying -thup.
So, where are we headed?
Aeravat asked the whole class to gather early this morning. I had a hunch about the reason, and if my assumption was correct, I was about to face the wrath of many.
I opened up the map of the jungle in my augmented reality field of vision. The other classes were nearby.
'Well, I guess it's time to alter the course of events', I thought to myself.
"Let's get moving," I motioned to the other two to follow along.
.....
Aeravat's Point of View(POV):
Hnfff—
Taking a deep breath, I managed to regain my composure. It was hard to fathom how I could fail in such a seemingly simple test like this dungeon trial. Sigh.
One by one, groups of students started gathering in front of me.
Despite the fact that our food ration was destroyed yesterday, we still had enough supplies to sustain us for a day. But that's all we had.
If we couldn't locate the dungeon entrance to defeat the boss monster after this, then this trial would be a lost cause. We simply didn't possess enough food to continue.
Emily approached me with her typical smile, "Sightseeing?"
"I'm just pondering whether this will turn out in our favor", I replied, keeping a watchful eye on the different groups of students. "This is my last desperate attempt to win this trial. If I fail, then I have failed as a leader."
"You know, whatever Takahashi said, he said in anger. You don't have to let it get to you", Emily tried to console me.
"But he's right", I replied, memories of the incidents from last night flooding back into my mind.
"Everyone has arrived", a sudden voice interrupted our conversation.
I turned my head slightly to see Aurora standing nearby.
'Yeah, sure', I thought to myself, preparing to set my final plan into motion. But before that...
I glanced at the group of students, clearing my throat as I started to speak.
"I have failed as a leader." Silence fell upon the crowd.
"According to what we learned from Freya, our position has been leaked to Class A2, and they will be here soon",I informed the group.
My voice remained calm, but it created a wave of concern among the crowd.
-"Well, at least he admits his incompetence."
-"This trial is doomed."
—"We're going to be eliminated."
Dejected comments filled the air.
"There seems to be no other way but for us to directly confront them head-on. That is, if we fail to find the dungeon entrance today. We don't even know where the rest of the classes are. So, before that, does anyone have any other ideas?" I asked, scanning the faces of my peers, hoping for a solution.
And, as if on cue, a guy with black orb eyes stepped forward, as if answering.
'Ah, Noah,' I mused. Maybe he knows something? I hold a sliver of hope that he does. After all, he did save our class last night, and he seems to be quite intelligent.
'Definitely not smarter than me!' I hope...
"Do you have any plans?" I asked, keeping my emotions in hidden.
"I do. Let's head to the dungeon and defeat the boss monster", he responded with an 'isn't it obvious' attitude.
I frowned, feeling a tad bit apprehensive. "But we don't even know where the dungeon entrance is."
"I know, but I can figure out its location. Trust me on this. I could explain, but I'd rather not do it in front of everyone".